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The Vegas Golden Knights had one powerful reason to pull off the Rasmus Andersson trade, but it wasn’t really them pushing for the deal.
The Vegas Golden Knights didn’t really surprise anyone when they pulled off the Rasmus Andersson trade. The move had been in the works for a while, with the chatter purporting that Vegas was Andersson’s top choice.
But what did surprise some was the timing of the deal. The initial reaction was that the Golden Knights got trigger-happy because the Boston Bruins were sniffing around, looking to get something done.
While that much has rumbled around numerous insiders’ discussions, another report suggests that it was the Calgary Flames who were eager to get Andersson out the door before the Olympics.
According to a report by RG Media published on January 28, the real reason the Flames wanted to get a deal out of the way ASAP was Andersson’s injury risk. Specifically, Andersson will play for Team Sweden at the Olympics. That situation prompted the Flames to get a deal across the finish line with the Golden Knights ahead of the Milano-Cortina Games.
An anonymous source told Marco D’Amico of RG that the risk of injury could plunge Andersson’s value, hence motivating the trade:
“Andersson was a bit of a rush piece, because you don’t want to risk an injury bombing his trade value,” said a Western Conference source to RG. “But when it comes to (Nazem) Kadri or (Blake) Coleman, I’ve heard they don’t want to go there yet.”
The Golden Knights could have waited until after the Olympics. But the desire was there for both sides to make it happen. So, it did.
Golden Knights Might Not Be Done Shopping
Given the Golden Knights’ tight cap situation, it might seem like landing Andersson was their only real move at the trade deadline. That may be the case, as the chatter hasn’t really suggested that the club may have anything else in the pipeline.
There have been cursory rumors linking Vegas to Artemi Panarin. But that doesn’t seem like a realistic move. The Golden Knights might be able to make the math work. But there would be the issue of a contract extension. That’s why a Panarin-to-Vegas trade may not be quite so feasible.
Unless the Golden Knights saw Panarin purely as a rental, there really isn’t much happening there. Of course, things could change. Panarin has the right to choose where he wants to go. But that discussion may be far more complex.
Vegas Could Make Moves after Olympics
So, the timeline for any moves by the Golden Knights could be until after the Olympics. There is about a week to go before the roster freeze kicks in next Wednesday. That timeline may suggest a last-minute move could be on the horizon.
Whether that actually materializes is another thing entirely. The likeliest outcome is that teams work during the Olympic break to hammer out details on deals. That situation could lead to a post-Olympic frenzy.
Rosters unfreeze on February 22, suggesting the weeks following the break could be the wildest of the season. In the meantime, Golden Knights fans should keep an eye on NHL trade rumors. There could be a boatload of chatter heading down the pipeline.
Nestor Quixtan Seasoned NHL analyst and baseball writer focused on covering clubs across each league with news, analysis, and insights. Originally from Toronto, Canada, Nestor’s singular experiences and background have enabled him to bring a different take on the sports world as a whole. Nestor’s fondness for baseball and hockey set the tone for his love and passion for writing about sports. More about Nestor Quixtan
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