The New York Rangers are looking to put last year’s playoff disappointment behind them and could be aggressive this year on the trade front.
Heavy.com has a trade idea that sees the Rangers acquiring Rasmus Andersson from the Calgary Flames in a blockbuster deal.
Rangers acquire:
Flames acquire:
- Brennan Othmann
- Carson Soucy
- 2026 first-round pick (New York’s)
- 2026 second-round pick
The proposed deal would be a blockbuster as New York would acquire Andersson to bolster its blue line and add more offense. In return, Calgary gets two draft picks, including a first-round pick, an NHL defenseman, and a young forward who appears to need a change of scenery.
The Rangers would acquire Andersson, who’s entering the final year of his six-year, $27.3 million deal and has been involved in trade rumors. The Swede is unlikely to re-sign, so Calgary will likely move him to get some assets back, while the Rangers would need an extension as part of the deal. Andersson recorded 11 goals and 20 assists for 31 points in 81 games last season. He could run the second power play unit and help replace the offense from the backend that the Rangers lost by trading K’Andre Miller.
In return, the Rangers would give up one of their two first-round picks this year as well as a second-round pick. The other key player getting moved is Othmann. New York selected Othmann in the first round in 2021, but he has struggled to be an everyday player. With the Flames, he could be a middle-six forward and be an impact forward.
Calgary would also acquire Soucy to replace Andersson on the backend and help make the salary work.
Insider: Trade Remains Likely for Andersson
The Flames didn’t trade Andersson this offseason, despite plenty of rumors.
NHL insider Pierre LeBrun of TSN believes Andersson is committed to playing for Calgary for the time being. But, he still expects the star defenseman to be traded before the March 6 trade deadline.
“I mean there is a chance [Andersson remains in Calgary]. I would say it’s probably still not the best of the two scenarios,” LeBrun said on Insider Trading on Sept. 24. “He nearly got dealt as we reported at the time to the Vegas Golden Knights, that trade did not materialize and here he is.
“Everyone is an adult in the room. He’s ready to play his best for the Flames,” LeBrun added. “The Flames are happy to have him back… I do think Andersson might potentially listen if there was an eight-year offer on the table, but right now I just don’t think the team is ready to go there. We’ll see where this all goes. I think more than likely a trade is still the likeliest option before the March 6 trade deadline.”
Andersson has spent his entire career with the Flames after being picked 53rd overall in 2015.
Rangers Coach Wanted to See More From Othmann
New York selected Othmann 16th overall in 2021, and the team had hopes he would be a top-six forward.
However, Othmann has struggled to crack the NHL roster, and he was sent down to the AHL again. During training camp, Rangers coach Mike Sullivan said he wanted to see more from Othmann.
“I think he’s played a lot better (since the first game),” Sullivan said. “He skates well, he can get into the forecheck. One of the things we’ve been trying to encourage him to do is embrace the traffic. Don’t hide in the safe ice. … If he does that, I think he has a good skill set to thrive in the chaos.”
Othmann has skated in 25 career NHL games, recording 0 goals and 2 assists.
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