The Golden Knights have acquired defenseman Rasmus Andersson from the Flames pending an official trade call, Darren Dreger of TSN reports. In exchange, Calgary receives defenseman zach Whitecloud, Vegas’ 2027 first-round pick, a conditional 2027 second-round pick, adn the signing rights to University of North Dakota defender Abram Wiebe, per Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet.
If the Golden Knights win the Stanley Cup this year, that 2027 second-rounder will upgrade to a 2028 first-round pick. Calgary is retaining 50% of Andersson’s $4.55MM cap hit in the deal, Friedman adds, bringing his impact down to just $2.275MM on Vegas’ books this season. Vegas’ 2027 first-rounder is also top-10 protected, Dreger notes.
It’s far from a stunning move. Andersson was first implicated in trade talks nearly two full calendar years ago. Ever since, Vegas has been one of the teams most consistently linked to the right-shot blue liner. That’s only ramped up as this past offseason, when reports indicated Nevada was the Swede’s preferred long-term destination and, naturally, would yield a larger return for Calgary as he’d be willing to sign an extension with the Knights. Though, any extension won’t be registered today - David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period reports there’s no new contract in place at this time.
That means andersson, 29, is still set to reach unrestricted free agency this summer as the top defenseman available – for now. He is in the final season of the six-year, $27.3MM extension he signed with Calgary in January 2020, coming off his entry-level contract. A second-round pick by the Flames in 2015, his tenure in Calgary ends with him seventh on the franchise defenseman leaderboard in games played (584), sixth in assists (204), and sixth in points (261).
Back in training camp, it looked like the Flames’ ongoing retool had removed any possibility of their top
Vegas Golden Knights Captain Alex Pietrangelo Waives No-Trade Clause
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Vegas Golden Knights captain Alex Pietrangelo has informed the team he is willing to waive his no-trade clause, opening the possibility of a trade before the March 8th NHL trade deadline, according to a report by Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff. This growth signals a potential shift in the Golden Knights’ roster strategy as they aim to contend for another Stanley Cup.
Alex Pietrangelo’s Contract and Performance
Alex Pietrangelo, 34, is in the fourth year of a seven-year, $56 million contract with an annual average value of $8 million. capfriendly details his contract through the 2026-27 season. This season, Pietrangelo has recorded 21 points (5 goals, 16 assists) in 47 games. His advanced statistics, while showing a decline from his peak years, still position him as a valuable defenseman.
Example: As of January 18,2026,Pietrangelo has a Corsi For Percentage of 52.1% and a Fenwick For Percentage of 50.8%, indicating he generally contributes positively to shot attempt differential while on the ice. (Source: Natural Stat Trick)
Potential Trade Destinations and Rationale
Several teams are reportedly interested in acquiring a top-four defenseman, making Pietrangelo a potentially attractive trade target.The Carolina Hurricanes, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Edmonton Oilers have all been mentioned as possible suitors.
The Golden Knights may consider trading Pietrangelo to free up cap space for future acquisitions or to address other roster needs. While a team captain waiving a no-trade clause is not common, Pietrangelo’s willingness to do so suggests he understands the team’s potential direction and is open to contributing to their success even if it means playing elsewhere.
Detail: The Golden Knights currently have $3.25 million in projected cap space, according to CapFriendly. Trading Pietrangelo’s $8 million cap hit would provide significant financial flexibility.
Kelly McCrimmon, General Manager of the Vegas Golden Knights, will be central to any potential trade involving Pietrangelo. The Golden Knights’ official website lists McCrimmon as the primary decision-maker for player personnel.
frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff was the first to report the news. Daily Faceoff’s author page confirms his role as an NHL insider.
Theodore (Teddy) Blueger,a forward for the Golden Knights,is another player whose status is being monitored as the trade deadline approaches. Hockey Reference provides Blueger’s player profile and statistics.
NHL Trade Deadline Context
The NHL trade deadline is March 8th,2026. Teams looking to contend for the Stanley Cup typically become more active in the trade market as the deadline approaches.
Example: In the 2025 trade deadline, a total of 34 trades were made, demonstrating the increased activity during this period. (Source: NHL.com)