The Calgary Flames are approaching the 2023-24 NHL season with a high level of uncertainty after missing the postseason for the second time in three seasons last year — but Rasmus Andersson is prepared for it.

“I'm ready to embrace the chaos,” the team's best defenseman told Sportsnet's Eric Francis earlier this week. “When you play in a Canadian market you can't have a quiet year. There is a lot of media and passionate fans evaluating everyone. You can't hide from it. You've just got to embrace it and stick with it, and believe in guys in management.”

It certainly has been a whirlwind offseason for the franchise, after revelations that longtime Flames Noah Hanifin, Elias Lindholm and Mikael Backlund reportedly won't re-sign in Alberta when their respective deals expire next summer.

Whether that leads to any of the trio being traded is as yet unknown, but GM Craig Conroy will either have to convince them to stay or pull the trigger on a deal. He can't afford to lose any of them for nothing after Johnny Gaudreau signed with the Columbus Blue Jackets last summer.

Conroy hasn't been complacent, already trading sniper Tyler Toffoli to the New Jersey Devils after learning that he wasn't planning to sign a long-term extension with the team.

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Calgary won the Pacific Division with 111 points in 2021-22, but came back down to earth with a disappointing 38-win 2022-23 campaign that led to the removals of head coach Darryl Sutter and general manager Brad Treliving.

“We all know what happened last year, and I get all the speculation with people,” Andersson explained about the uncertainty surrounding a few of his teammates.

“A year left on their deals, with Connie [GM Craig Conroy] and [coach Ryan] Huska coming in, a new coaching staff – I get it, there are a lot of questions, and rightfully so. Lots of people question what kind of team we can be.”

It was a new-look Calgary Flames team after Gaudreau walked and Matthew Tkachuk was traded to the Florida Panthers last offseason. But Rasmus Andersson believes that the organization can get back to the dance next April with the current roster.