Insider Gives Reason Why Flames Haven't Traded Andersson Yet

Rasmus Andersson has been near the top of trade boards for a while and the Calgary Flames still haven't traded him. This could be for a couple of reasons mentioned by Frank Seravalli.

The insider said, "I don't want to say that the deals that were offered to Calgary for Rasmus Andersson were underwhelming, I think everyone...recognizes that when you trade for Andersson, you need to pay him. It's acquisition cost plus cost on your cap."

So this means that a team wanting to acquire Andersson has to be prepared to extend him after the trade or in a sign-and-trade. This is so there isn't a high priced rental that walks after the season. A sign-and-trade would be better for Calgary and that might be part of what they're waiting for, but even as a potential rental without a new contract for the 2026-27 season, Andersson is a rare commodity that the Flames will get a good return for.

Deals offered to the Flames for Andersson could have also been poor, but there is no proof of that yet. That would surely hold up a trade and the Flames could be content with keeping Andersson until closer to the trade deadline. They also won't know the other defensemen that may be available though. It could bump his price up or drop it, but that would be a risk they'd have to take. The last thing Calgary wants to do is not trade Andersson and let him walk in free agency as there is a very low chance he stays with the Flames with Zayne Perekh entering the fold.

A team like the Dallas Stars, who have shown interest, are right at the salary cap and have more players to pay next offseason. The Vegas Golden Knights were also reportedly interested in Andersson, but they have to see exactly what Alex Pietrangelo's future holds and would be stuck if the veteran returns and Andersson was signed to a large contract.

The Flames are not in a bad spot. They are fortunate to have a young player like Perekh coming in at the perfect time and will get a nice return for Andersson whenever a trade happens.