Golden Knights acquire Andersson from Flames
The Calgary Flames traded defenseman Rasmus Andersson to the Vegas Golden Knights, the teams announced Sunday.
In return, the Flames receive veteran blue-liner Zach Whitecloud, defense prospect Abram Wiebe, a conditional 2027 first-round pick, and a conditional 2028 second-round pick. Additionally, Calgary is retaining 50% of Andersson's $4.55-million cap hit.
The first-round pick is top-10 protected and the second-round pick becomes a first-rounder if the Golden Knights win the 2026 Stanley Cup, reports NHL insider Frank Seravalli.
Andersson, a pending unrestricted free agent, was arguably the top defenseman available ahead of the trade deadline. A contract extension is not part of the trade, TSN's Darren Dreger reports. However, it was reported in the offseason that Vegas was Andersson's preferred destination.
The 29-year-old has recorded 30 points in 48 games for the Flames this season while averaging a career-high 24:14 per contest. It's his fifth straight campaign averaging at least 22 minutes per game.
As a right-shot defenseman, Andersson will help fill the void on Vegas' blue line left by Alex Pietrangelo, who announced in the offseason that his playing career is likely over. Andersson has a chance to reunite with Noah Hanifin, his primary defense partner with the Flames in 2021-22 and 2022-23.
The Golden Knights acquired Hanifin as a pending UFA prior to the 2024 deadline, then signed him to a eight-year extension just over a month after the trade.
Whitecloud is a stay-at-home, right-shot defenseman. The 29-year-old has spent all eight of his NHL seasons in Vegas, helping the Golden Knights win the Stanley Cup in 2023. He's under contract through 2027-28 with a $2.75-million cap hit.
Wiebe, 22, was a seventh-round pick by the Golden Knights in 2022. The left-shot defenseman stands at 6-foot-3 and 206 pounds. He's recorded 14 points in 24 games at the University of North Dakota this season.
The Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs were reportedly among the other teams to show interest in Andersson this season.