What assets do the Golden Knights have to offer the Flames for Rasmus Andersson?

It seems inevitable that the Calgary Flames will trade Rasmus Andersson sooner rather than later.

There are several teams rumoured to be interested in the Swede’s services. After the draft, it was leaked that the Los Angeles Kings offered a substantial package for Andersson, but Andersson wouldn’t re-sign with the Kings. The other team rumoured to be interested in the 28-year-old is the Vegas Golden Knights, and it seems as if there is mutual interest.

Last season, Andersson played 81 games, scoring 11 goals and 31 points, matching his career-high in the goal category. However, it was the fewest points Andersson scored in a season since the 2020-21 season, when the league played just 51 games. Still, top-four right-shot defencemen are hard to come by, and the Flames are in a position to get a haul if Andersson agrees to a sign-and-trade.

They won’t get that haul from the Golden Knights, though. Before the 2024 trade deadline, the Flames traded Andersson’s former defence partner, Noah Hanifin, to the Golden Knights for an unprotected first-round pick, one of the most valuable assets the Knights could offer. 

Of course, the Knights could always offer first-round picks in future years, namely the 2027 and/or 2028 first, but that doesn’t seem all that appealing. For prospects, their only first-round pick in the system is Trevor Connelly. Mathieu Cataford is a right-shot centre set to turn professional, and Jakob Ihs-Wozniak was the 55th overall selection in the 2025 draft. He looks solid, but that’d still be lacking for the Flames if Andersson is to be traded with an extension.

Are there any players on their active roster who could be of interest to the Flames? As a Stanley Cup contender, most of their players are in their prime, but Pavel Dorofeyev is a 24-year-old of note.

Last season, the Russian left winger scored a career-high 35 goals and 52 points in 82 games, leading a pretty stacked Golden Knights team in scoring. Moreover, he’s only 24 years old, meaning that he also fits the Flames’ age scheme. While the Flames are loaded with wingers, Dorofeyev would instantly slot into their top line with Nazem Kadri.

That said, the Knights wouldn’t be thrilled to trade their breakout star and probably wouldn’t even consider it. Trading Andersson to the Golden Knights doesn’t really make sense for the Flames either, as they need the Golden Knights to be as bad as possible to get the highest pick possible.

It still seems likely that the Flames find a new home for Andersson before the season begins, but trading him to the Knights is less than ideal. For the Flames, it may be better to hold off trading him until the trade deadline, as he’ll likely be the best defenceman available. There’s risk involved with that, such as an injury or regression in his play, but it may be their best option.