Rasmus Andersson Emerges as the NHL’s Most Talked-About Trade Target
Right now, a lot of NHL trade buzz is circling around Calgary Flames defenseman Rasmus Andersson, and it’s easy to see why. After last week’s surprising blockbuster that sent Quinn Hughes from Vancouver to Minnesota, the trade market suddenly woke up. And almost immediately, attention was shifted to Andersson, who is now being viewed as the best defenseman potentially available before the March 6 trade deadline.
Andersson, who is 29, is entering the final stretch of his current contract and is set to become a unrestricted free agent next July. With no extension in place and no real momentum toward one, it’s widely expected that he will be moved rather than risk losing him for nothing. That expectation has only grown stronger over the past few days, as it’s been reported that calls to the Flames have increased significantly since the Hughes trade went down.
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One team that keeps coming up in these conversations is the Toronto Maple Leafs. They reportedly tried to land Andersson at last season’s deadline and have now revisited that interest. There’s also a personal connection here that shouldn’t be overlooked. Leafs general manager Brad Treliving drafted Andersson back in 2015 when he was running the Flames, and he later signed him to his current six-year deal. That familiarity could help smooth negotiations, especially since Andersson is believed to be open to signing long-term in Toronto if a trade can be arranged.
The big question for Calgary is how they want to handle this. Andersson could be moved as a pure playoff rental, or the Flames could attempt a sign-and-trade to maximize their return. While no one expects a haul similar to what Vancouver received for Hughes, Andersson is still projected to bring back a strong package. However, that’s where Toronto might struggle, as their limited draft picks and prospect depth could make it difficult to outbid other interested teams.
Meanwhile, in Buffalo, another contract situation is quietly heating up. With Jarmo Kekalainen stepping in as the new Sabres general manager, attention has turned to Alex Tuch and his future with the team. Tuch, also 29, is nearing the end of his current deal and is reportedly seeking a major raise, with his camp believed to be asking for more than $10 million per year. Those demands caused previous negotiations to stall, and now Kekalainen has made it clear he intends to personally take control of the talks.
If those numbers don’t come down, a trade could be on the table. And if that happens, there would be no shortage of interested teams, especially contenders like the Dallas Stars, who are firmly in win-now mode.
As the deadline approaches, both Andersson and Tuch are shaping up to be names worth watching, and their situations could help define the rest of the NHL trade season.
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