The future of Rasmus Andersson with the Calgary Flames remains a hot topic. It's never a good sign when the captain of a team comes out and admits, it's inevitably happening, and Andersson with 'obviously' be traded at some point.
The right-handed defenceman has already declined one trade proposal this offseason, as he owns a six-team no-trade clause, and word is it was to the Ottawa Senators, but Andersson didn't feel like that was a good fit for him and his family.
The 28-year-old blueliner is owed $4.5 million against the cap next season, and it's very likely the Flames try and ship Andersson out before the start of training camp, to give both sides a fresh start before next season. So far, there's been no discussions on a contract extension, which he was eligible to sign on July 1.
As far as potential destinations go, here's four teams to keep an eye on as trade destinations:
Carolina Hurricanes
The 'Canes lost Brent Burns to the Colorado Avalanche, and they are headed to the start of training camp with over $10 million in cap space, which is somewhat unheard of for a contending team. Look for the Hurricanes to circle back with Calgary, as apparently these two teams got quite advanced already in trade conversations.
Detroit Red Wings
Captain Dylan Larkin made it very clear he wasn't happy with GM Steve Yzerman sitting on his hands at last season's trade deadline, and Yzerman has been quite active throughout the summer months, bringing in a new number-one goalie in John Gibson. Adding Andersson would do wonders for the Red Wings' blueline, and allow the team to move on from playing Justin Holl.
New Jersey Devils
There's been some chatter about the Devils looking to shake things up, with Dougie Hamilton's name even being mentioned during this past offseason. It would be interesting to know if Hamilton would be open to returning to Calgary, as this is a trade scenario which could get some legs. Dawson Mercer would likely be the Flames number one target though.
Toronto Maple Leafs
With the future of Morgan Rielly a hot topic during the offseason, swapping him for Andersson could help the Maple Leafs balance out their blueline better, and give the team a well-suited d-man for the team's first power play. Andersson is someone Brad Treliving is very familiar with, so it will be interesting to see if the Flames have any interest in doing business with their former GM.
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