Detroit Red Wings
How Flames Andersson Would Fit on Red Wings Defense
Calgary rearguard entering last year of contract
Could the Razzy Death Stare be making its way into the Detroit Red Wings lineup?
There’s plenty of speculation regarding Calgary Flames defenseman Rasmus Andersson being on the move sooner or later. And one of the teams NHL trade rumors are linking to Andersson is the Red Wings.
It’s no secret that the Red Wings are in the market looking to upgrade the top two pairings of the club’s defensive corps. Detroit is also being suggested as a suitor for another defenseman whose name is propping up in trade talk. That would be Nicolas Hague of the Vegas Golden Knights.
The Red Wings also are going to be bidding to add one of the top UFA defensemen, either Aaron Ekblad of the Florida Panthers or Vladislav Gavrikov of the Los Angeles Kings.
Many D On Red Wings Shopping List
Like Ekblad, Andersson is a right-shot defender. That means he wouldn’t be skating alongside Moritz Seider, another right shot, in Detroit’s top pairing.
The Wings could move Simon Edvinsson in alongside Seider and play Andersson in the second pairing with Albert Johansson or Ben Chiarot.
"I broke my fibula against Seattle."
Rasmus Andersson reveals that he played the final 12 games of the season with a broken fibula. pic.twitter.com/Uvl7EDlFPG
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) April 19, 2025
Andersson plays in all situations. He has scored 31 goals over the past three seasons. He’s averaged 43 points over the last four campaigns. However, it’s also worth noting that his point total has dropped in each of the past three seasons. And this past season, Andersson was a dismal -38., which was third-worst in the NHL.
He’s known for his unique goal celebration, the Razzy Death Stare. After scoring, Andersson will randomly select an opposing fan in the crowd and stare them down.
Flames and Rasmus Andersson to exchange contract extension numbers this week: report
📰: New Article
✍️: Ryan Pike
💻: https://t.co/qwcNvrBprp pic.twitter.com/hIq29HvtJT— FlamesNation (@FlamesNation) June 12, 2025
The Flames and Andersson are currently discussing a potential contract extension. He’s entering the last year of a pact with an AAV of $4.55 million. He can sign a new deal as of July 1. However, if talks don’t go well, the Flames will be looking to move Andersson. That deal could come in the offseason, or Calgary could elect to hold on to Andersson and shop him at the NHL trade deadline.
Captained Sweden At Worlds
Andersson was recently serving as Sweden’s captain at the IIHF World Championship. His country won a bronze medal and his teammates were showering him with praise.
“He has a mature game on the ice and always gives everything,” Mikael Backlund, Andersson’s teammate in Calgary, told Swedish website Aftonbladet. “He fights hard and has a poise. And he likes to play under pressure and when things get heated.”
His coach was also effusive in praise of the player he chose to lead the team.
“Rasmus has a forward personality and has a lot of energy about him. He has positivity and joy,” Sweden national team coach Sam Hallam said.
Interestingly, during a win over Latvia, Andersson came to the aid of Red Wings forward Lucas Raymond, who’d been knocked to the ice by a Latvian player.
“There are emotions in hockey and if you see one of your teammates on the ice, you jump in and help,” Andersson said at the time.
Andersson Nearly Died Prior To Red Wings Game
During the 2023-24 season, on the day prior to a Flames game against the Red Wings at Little Caesars Arena, Andersson was struck by a car in downtown Detroit while riding through a crosswalk on a motorized scooter.
“I needed to read the police report afterwards to know what had happened,” Andersson explained to Swedish website Expressen. He was lapsing in and out of consciousness immediately following the accident as he was taken by ambulance to Detroit Receiving Hopsital.
When he awoke in hospital, Andersson’s eyes opened to see three doctors examining him.
“I really didn’t know what happened,” Andersson admitted. The doctors were explaining to him that they were checking him for a variety of injuries. They were also informing him of how close he came to suffering a serious injury, or even encountering a much deadlier outcome.
“I would have had a tombstone over me now,” was how the doctors explained the situation to Andersson had the scenario unfolded even slightly differently.
