Flames: Has Andersson's Peak Trade Value In 2024-25 Come And Gone?

Last week, Calgary Flames defenseman Rasmus Andersson made it clear that he wants to remain with the team, going as far as stating on record how much he dislikes the franchise's biggest rivals, the Edmonton Oilers and Vancouver Canucks.

However, Flames faithful should take his comments with a grain of salt, as several former players have said the same thing over the years, only to end up with a trade ticket out of town.

Social media is divided on whether Andersson, who has been on the roster for nine seasons, should stay or go. At 28, some believe a long-term contract will hurt the club in the long run, while others think he's the next logical captain when Mikael Backlund retires.

Andersson has one season left on a six-year deal he signed in 2020, paying him $4.55 million annually. Since inking that extension, he's played 339 games, scoring 35 goals and 177 points with a plus-6 rating. Moreover, he's averaged 23:15 a game.

Considering the veterans the Flames traded away last season, many wondered over the summer if the organization would go all-in on a rebuild or keep tweaking the lineup to become playoff contenders.

To give the youngsters a chance, the discussions have turned to Andersson, who could help fetch a solid return in a trade to a contending team looking for a reliable defender.

Although Craig Conroy said Andersson would remain with the team, never say never in professional sports.

Ultimately, these discussions lead us to the question of whether Calgary, if it opts to move Andersson, has waited too long into the season to recoup a maximum offer.

Andersson was among the team's best scorers in the first eight games. He registered two points with a goal and assist in the season opener against the Vancouver Canucks and, by game eight, had four goals and 10 points with a plus-6 rating.

The defender's offensive contributions dipped significantly after his goal against the Winnipeg Jets on Oct. 26. Andersson wouldn't score again until Nov. 19 and again on Dec. 3. For those keeping track at home, he hasn't scored in 19 games heading into the Flames' next game against the Sabres on Jan. 23.

In that span, he has just three assists and is a team-worst minus-13 with 42 shots while skating a team-high 23:43 a night.

Out of the eight defensemen to play with the Flames this season, Andersson ranks second behind MacKenzie Weegar with 18 points but is the only one with a negative plus/minus total close to double-digits (minus-9), with the second-worst figure on the team behind Nazem Kadri (minus-15).

For comparison, Noah Hanifin had 11 goals and 35 points in 61 games while being plus-13 before being traded at the deadline. Moreover, he had two lengthy goal droughts of 14 and 15 games.

Meanwhile, Chris Tanev, never known for his offensive contributions, had one goal and 13 assists for 14 points in 56 games before a trade to the Dallas Stars. He was plus-13 at the time of the deal and led the Flames in blocked shots at 171 while playing less than 20 minutes a night.

Right now, Andersson is in the middle of Hanifin's and Tanev's production. After the first few weeks of the season, he is on pace for a career year but now could finish with just 33 points, his lowest total in four seasons.

Ultimately, there is no way the Flames would have dealt Andersson in October, even if he was playing at higher than a point-per-game average. However, as the season dragged on and the Flames continue to battle for a wildcard spot, Andersson hasn't done much to boost his trade value.

If the Flames had hoped to hit a home run with a possible Andersson trade, they may have to reevaluate the situation. Considering that he may no longer fetch the package so many hope or dream about, the focus should shift to shredding his salary for future moves rather than trying to land a top-line center or 20-goal scorer to boost the bottom six.

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