Bruins Nearly Landed Rasmus Andersson Before Golden Knights Pulled Off a Last-Second Swerve
The Bruins were this close.
For a moment, it looked like Boston was about to pull off a major blue-line upgrade by reuniting Rasmus Andersson with his former defensive partner Nikita Zadorov. Talks between the Bruins and Calgary Flames had reportedly advanced to the point where Boston and Andersson were already discussing a contract extension - a necessary piece of the puzzle given the price tag Boston was prepared to send the other way.
But just as it seemed like the deal was heading for the finish line, the Vegas Golden Knights stepped in and changed the script.
According to NHL insider Elliotte Friedman, Vegas didn’t just want Andersson - they were determined not to lose him to Boston. On the latest episode of the 32 Thoughts podcast, Friedman revealed that the Bruins had a seven-year, $63 million extension on the table for Andersson, and that some players in the Flames locker room believed the defenseman was ready to take it.
Then came the Golden Knights.
“They almost lost him to Boston,” Friedman said. “Boston had $63 million on the table… and the Golden Knights stepped up and said enough of this nonsense, we’re trading for this guy.”
That’s exactly what they did - and they did it without an extension in place. It’s a move Vegas has pulled off before, most notably last year when they acquired Noah Hanifin from Calgary under similar circumstances.
It worked then, and they’re betting it’ll work again. An extension for Andersson is expected before free agency opens in July.
For Boston, this wasn’t just a casual inquiry. This was a serious push.
The reported package going back to Calgary included promising young defenseman Mason Lohrei, plus additional assets and draft picks. That’s a significant haul, but the Bruins were clearly willing to pay it - as long as they had Andersson locked in long-term.
Now, with Andersson off the board and the trade deadline looming, Boston’s front office has to pivot. Whether they remain aggressive or take a more measured approach could depend heavily on how the team performs over the next week or two. If they stay in the hunt and show they’re a piece or two away, expect GM Don Sweeney to stay active.
But make no mistake - this was a near-miss that could have reshaped the Bruins’ blue line for years to come. Instead, it’s Vegas that gets the boost, while Boston is left to regroup and re-evaluate.