The Vegas Golden Knights are flying to another great start, while the Calgary Flames bring up the rear in the Pacific Division. These two seasons could lead to another trade connection between the division foes. The Golden Knights acquired Noah Hanifin at the 2024 NHL Trade Deadline, and should call the Flames about defenseman Rasmus Andersson before the 2026 deadline.
Andersson is in the final year of an incredibly team-friendly contract with the Flames. He is one of the few right-handed defensemen who can play top-pair minutes in the league. And he will be available at the trade deadline for the right price. But for the Golden Knights to land Andersson, they will have to pay up.
The Golden Knights have not shied away from big trades in their short existence. Max Pacioretty, Mark Stone, Hanifin, and Jack Eichel were all acquired through trades. But to land Andersson, they will need to blow Calgary away and likely have an extension for Andersson ready to sign.
The Golden Knights gave up a first-round pick and a third-round pick to land Hanifin from the Flames in 2024. They also needed to involve the Philadelphia Flyers to make the cap hits work. Andersson will cost more than that, as he will be highly sought after in the trade market by many teams, especially in the crowded Eastern Conference.
But the issue with the Golden Knights landing Andersson is that they do not have their 2026 first-round pick. That was the pick they sent to Calgary for Hanifin. That should turn the Flames' attention to Trevor Connelly, Vegas' 2024 first-round selection and their top prospect. Other teams will be able to offer a pick in the loaded 2026 first round, which will put the Flames in a great place for their rebuild.
The Golden Knights have never stopped buying. But will this price be too high?
The Golden Knights can improve defense immediately
The Golden Knights would have to include Connelly and a mid-round pick to land Andersson. They would then have to shell out top-end defensman money to keep Andersson for the remainder of his prime and career. The contract could be a seven-year deal worth $10 million per season, which would have them making tough cap decisions once again.
Before the season, Alex Pietrangelo announced that he would be out for the season with a hip injury. He is on long-term injured reserve, which allowed them to sign Mitch Marner and should give them trade deadline cap space. But the problem, as evidenced by their recent three-game losing streak, is that the defense got worse with no immediate replacements.
That makes the high price for Andersson, both in the trade and in salary, worth it. The Golden Knights have pushed every chip they have into the middle of the table since the second they existed. While the salary questions will always loom over the team, they have always found a way around it. That should push them to make this trade, regardless of the price.
Andersson is the perfect fit for the Golden Knights, as their right side is the weaker side of the defense. Hanifin is currently playing with Kaeden Korczak, who has not been great to start his NHL career, with just three points in 15 games this season. Andersson and Hanifin already have a connection and would be a much better second pairing.
The Golden Knights have made the playoffs in all but one of their eight seasons coming into this year. They made one of their biggest moves yet before the season, bringing in Mitch Marner in a sign-and-trade. Now, they have a chance to improve their weakest position before the trade deadline. If fans have learned anything about Vegas in recent years, it's that they are not going to stop now.
