Rasmus Andersson Traded: Flames Send Star Defenceman to Vegas

The Calgary Flames are trading their No. 1 defenceman. Rasmus Andersson has been traded to the Vegas Golden Knights pending a trade call, sources tell Sportsnet. According to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman, the Flames will receive defenceman Zach Whitecloud, Abram Wiebe, a 2027 first-round pick and a conditional 2027 second-round pick, which will become a first if Vegas wins the Stanley Cup this year. The Flames will retain 50 per cent of Andersson's salary. The move marks the end of a 10-year career for Andersson with the Flames, in which he established himself as one of the top defencemen in franchise history. Since debuting in 2016, Andersson is among the Flames defencemen leaders in games played (584), goals (57) and points (261). He has averaged over 24 minutes per game this season, while notching 10 goals and 30 assists in 48 games. Andersson was selected 53rd overall by the Flames at the 2015 NHL Draft. The 29-year-old is in the final year of his six-year, $27.3 million contract and is due a raise from his $4.5 million cap hit. There is no extension currently in place as part of the deal. He will represent Sweden at next month’s Winter Olympics in Milan. Whitecloud, 29, is a long-time member of the Golden Knights, signing with the team as an undrafted college free agent in 2018. Over his eight seasons in the NHL, the Brandon, Man., native has 23 goals and 55 assists through 368 games. He helped Vegas win the Cup in 2023, playing in all 22 post-season contests and registering two goals and six assists. Though 47 games this season, he has two goals and five assists while playing an average of 18:46 of ice time a night. Wiebe, 22, is a collegiate hockey player, currently suiting up for the University of North Dakota. The defenceman has three goals and 11 assists in 24 games this season. A native of Mission, B.C., Wiebe was selected by the Golden Knights 209th overall in the seventh round of the 2022 NHL Draft. With the trade, the Flames now own Vegas's first-round picks in 2026 and 2027. They acquired the former pick as part of the Noah Hanifin trade during the 2023-24 season.