Flames Rumors: Big Buyer Out Of Rasmus Andersson Trade Talks With Flames

The Calgary Flames have had a horrible start to the season after being inches from making the playoffs last season. It is a team that has to make a decision and rebuild, but is currently holding onto pieces that will stop them from doing it with maximum efficiency. One player that is almost definitely going to be gone this season is Rasmus Andersson.

There are plenty of teams with interest around the league for a top-4 right-shot defenseman that can also produce offensively, but the herd appears to be thinned by one contender who was heavily linked to the Flames for a while. Frank Seravalli said, "I think there are more teams in the mix, and frankly, I think that ship has sailed on Vegas given their cap situation."

The Vegas Golden Knights have under $500,000 in cap space this season, but that's with a full roster and multiple players injured. A little bit is freed up when players like Noah Hanifin and Mark Stone come back, as well as when Carter Hart joins the team for game action and goaltenders are moved off the roster. Regardless, Andersson has a $4.55 million AAV cap hit and the Flames can only retain half of that. Even if a third team gets involved, that is still a tight fit, if the Golden Knights can even do it.

With Alex Pietrangelo out for the season, it created enough cap space so that Vegas could operate this season with all of the players they have, but not enough to make big additions without moving players out. Andersson isn't going to be cheap considering the talent pool out there that should be available at the trade deadline. The Flames have a long road to fix their record and Andersson is a UFA after the season anyway.

Even if Calgary is in the running for a playoff spot, it isn't a bad move to trade him. Zayne Perekh is an NHL-caliber player and will need more of an opportunity this season, while Hunter Brzustewicz is playing great in the AHL and will likely get the call at some point this season.