Shockwaves in the NHL: Why Did the Calgary Flames Send Rasmus Andersson to the Vegas Golden Knights?

The Vegas Golden Knights have just pulled off a significant deal, scooping up defenseman Rasmus Andersson from the Calgary Flames in exchange for Zach Whitecloud, along with future draft assets and a promising defensive prospect, Abram Wiebe. What really caught my eye is the conditional twist on that second-round pick — it upgrades to a first-rounder if Vegas clinches the Stanley Cup. Talk about stakes! Even more intriguing, the Flames are retaining half of Andersson’s $4.55 million cap hit, which gives Vegas a bit of wiggle room under the cap, saving about $475K. With key injuries leaving the Golden Knights short on right-handed defensemen, this move could be a real game-changer. Although there’s no contract extension baked into the trade, word on the street hints at mutual interest between Andersson and Vegas for a future deal. It’s a chess game out there on the ice and in the front offices — and this trade definitely shakes things up. LEARN MORE

The Vegas Golden Knights have acquired defenseman Rasmus Andersson from the Calgary Flames for defenseman Zach Whitecloud, a 2027 first-round pick, a conditional 2027 second-round pick, and defensive prospect Abram Wiebe.

The condition on the pick is that it becomes a first-round pick if the Golden Knights win the Stanley Cup.

The Flames are retaining 50 percent of Andersson’s $4.55 million cap hit. The 29-year-old right-handed defenseman is in the final year of his six-year, $27.3 million contract. The Golden Knights save $475,000 off their cap.

There is no contact extension as part of the trade. Elliotte Friedman noted on Saturday that the Golden Knights tried to acquire him before the draft last year and that there is a mutual interest in an extension. Friedman said that the Boston Bruins wouldn’t do a trade without an extension.

NHL Rumors: Vegas Golden Knights Looking at Centers

The 29-year-old Whitecloud has two years left on his contract at a $2.75 million cap hit.

The 22-year-old Wiebe is an unsigned seventh-round draft pick in 2022. He’s in his third season at the University of Dakota.

With Alex Pietrangelo done for the season, the Golden Knights were light on the right-side compared to the left. Whitecloud, Kaeden Korczak, and Dylan Coghlan were right-handed shooting defensemen. Left-handed shots include Shea Theodore, Noah Hanifin, Brayden McNabb (LTIR), Jeremy Lauzon and Ben Hutton.

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