The Dallas Stars and Calgary Flames could be partners in a blockbuster trade involving top-pairing blue liner Rasmus Andersson and elite winger Jason Robertson.
During an appearance on B/R Open Ice from July 15, insider Frank Seravalli floated the idea that the Stars and Flames could help one another by exchanging elite players.
The Flames have been shopping high-end blue liner Rasmus Andersson since before last season’s trade deadline. The Swedish defenseman is entering the final year of his current contract and could be on the way out. While the Flames hope to re-sign Andersson, he could end up forcing the Flames to trade him.
As for the Stars, the club has been rumored to have Jason Robertson on the block. Mainly, cap constraints could force the team’s hand to move on with the impending RFA. Robertson is in the final year of his current deal and will be an RFA at the end of next season.
That situation prompted Seravalli to declare:
“The Flames would love to get their hands somehow on Robertson. I think the deal that could involve Rasmus Andersson which would be such a good fit. I’ve talked about this for a while… that Dallas would make a ton of sense.”
Check out Seravalli’s comments from the 1:20 mark onwards:
Could Stars Trade for Andersson 1-for-1?
Seravalli’s thoughts seem to point toward the possibility of a straight-up, one-for-one deal in which the Stars get Andersson, while the Flames get Robertson. That’s an intriguing possibility, though the likelihood of an Andersson-for-Robertson swap might be harder than most imagine.
The deal could be part of a larger move involving multiple pieces. Perhaps other players and draft picks could be part of the move.
It’s also worth pointing out that both players would need to secure extensions with their new clubs. Otherwise, the teams risk losing their newly-acquired assets for nothing.
Trade Makes Sense for Both Sides
The trade idea makes sense for both teams. Andersson is an elite right-shot defenseman. The Stars could certainly use him on their top pairing with Miro Heiskanen. An Andersson-Heiskanen pairing could easily become the NHL’s best.
Moreover, Andersson helps the Stars make up for some of the lost offense they would face with Robertson’s departure.
For the Flames, the team is likely to lose Andersson via free agency. So, why not recoup a highly valuable asset in someone like Robertson?
The Flames have lacked high-end scoring talent since the departures of Johnny Hockey and Matthew Tkachuk. While Nazem Kadri had a solid season and Jonathan Huberdeau seems like he’s getting back on track, they won’t provide the elite-level scoring the Flames need to contend in the Western Conference.
That’s why landing a piece like Robertson could be just what the Flames need to get the scoring to compete for a playoff spot this upcoming season.
Ultimately, the trade idea is tantalizing. But there’s no certainty that such a deal could materialize any time soon. There are still a few weeks to go before the start of training camps. So, there’s still a chance that fans could get a summer blockbuster trade.
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