Sun, Jan 18, 2026 at 7:00pm

ANDERSSON GOES TO THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS

The Vegas Golden Knights acquired defenseman Rasmus Andersson from the Calgary Flames for defensemen Zach Whitecloud and Abram Wiebe, a conditional first-round draft pick in 2027 and a conditional second-round draft pick in 2028.

What does it give the Vegas Golden Knights
Vegas finally gets Andersson after several seasons of reported interest in him. The Swede provides them with a quality two-way, right-shooting defender, something the Golden Knights were missing this season without Alex Pietrangelo. Andersson is also reunited with his former Calgary defense partner Noah Hanifin. Vegas did not sign Andersson to an extension with the trade, so he could become a rental, but the Flames did retain 50 percent of his salary. That will help as the Golden Knights ready their roster for another playoff run.

What does it give the Calgary Flames
The Flames sold high on Andersson, who was enjoying a bounce-back campaign in 2025-26. The return is slightly underwhelming but Whitecloud is an established stay-at-home defenseman who can step right into the lineup. The 29-year-old will help Calgary's efforts to remain in the playoff hunt this season, though he could potentially be moved for more assets as well. As for Wiebe, he is a defensive prospect playing in the NCAA, unsigned from the 2022 draft. For the retooling Flames, the two high draft picks added are of the most interest here.

Fantasy impact
Andersson's value in fantasy leagues could take a small hit after this trade. He should still see some power-play usage and get his points with a higher scoring offense, but he may not be the top power-play quarterback with Vegas. His departure from Calgary will also give a boost to both MacKenzie Weegar and Zayne Parekh, who should absorb his power-play ice time there. Whitecloud is mainly a defensive defenseman, while Wiebe projects as a similar blueliner.