The Calgary Flames have been one of the most quiet teams in the NHL offseason, yet the noise and buzz around them has been quite deafening. In addition to Nazem Kadri’s trade rumors, the Flames have endured talks around blueliner Rasmus Andersson. The latter, however, seems to have some fire behind the smoke.
The Flames would sure be one to know about that. Andersson is entering the final season of his six-year, $27.3 million contract, and all signs indicate he isn’t making plans for the future in Calgary.
The 28-year-old blueliner is entering the prime of his NHL career, while the Flames are far from being a contender. The timelines simply don’t align, and it might be best for both sides to turn the page. Kadri and company know the writing’s on the wall and Andersson’s days in the Stampede City are numbered.
However, there’s seemingly no reason to believe the end of this story should be sour for the two parties. Obviously, Andersson would like to be traded as soon as possible. Still, the Flames are reportedly not losing any sleep over the blueliner’s attitude when training camp and preseason come around.
Rasmus Andersson #4 of the Calgary Flames stand on the ice before the game between the New Jersey Devils and the Calgary Flames at Prudential Center on March 20, 2025 in Newark, New Jersey.
“There are no concerns about Andersson’s attitude or the effort he’ll put in next season,” The Calgary Sun’s Daniel Austin recently reported. “GM Craig Conroy has been abundantly clear on that.
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“Will his future be a distraction that hangs over the team? To a certain extent, that’s probably inevitable, but the Swede is an NHL veteran who clearly values his relationship with both the organization and the city, so there really shouldn’t be too much concern.“
Risky game
Two things can be true: Andersson’s respect for the team that drafted him in 2015, and the defenseman’s respect for his own body and future. The 28-year-old blueliner could find himself in a tough spot next season—especially if he starts the year just waiting for the day he gets to pack his bags and leave Calgary.
If that’s the case, how can the Flames convince him to lay his body on the line night in and night out? At the end of the day, Andersson will be playing to showcase his value to the rest of the NHL—but any setback or injury could prove catastrophic to his stock.
Rasmus Andersson #4 of the Calgary Flames waits for a faceoff in the second period of a game against the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena on January 13, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
What’s the plan?
The Flames barely missed the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Calgary missed out on the last wild-card ticket because the St. Louis Blues had one more win in regulation. That’s not to say the team would’ve gone on a magical run, but the lingering thought of what could’ve been remains in Calgary.
Instead of bolstering the roster in hopes of making the postseason this time around, the Flames have been concerningly quiet. So far, Calgary has only acquired goaltender Ivan Prosvetov, while waving goodbye to netminder Dan Vladar and forward Anthony Mantha.
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Calgary ranked 29th in goals scored and 30th in faceoff-win percentage last season. For such a team, making a goaltending change as the lone signing of the summer is certainly a choice. The Flames had the resources to take an active role, too. With the fifth-highest available cap space in the NHL, money clearly wasn’t an issue for the franchise in southern Alberta.
Light a fire
In the front office’s defense, the 2025 free agency class wasn’t particularly stacked. Still, fans in the Heart of the New West can’t help but feel the Flames are a bit too content watching the roster regress ahead of the 2025–26 NHL season.
SurveyWho will lead Calgary in points next season?
Who will lead Calgary in points next season?
As for Kadri, his future may not be in immediate jeopardy, but the organization’s outlook is far from inspiring. As things stand, a trade request could come at any moment. The Flames aren’t—nor shouldn’t—be overly concerned just yet. However, the risk of his departure hasn’t been extinguished so much as quietly swept under the rug.