LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — As Rasmus Andersson settles into his new home with the Vegas Golden Knights, one longtime Calgary reporter believes the veteran defenseman brings far more than steady minutes on the blue line.
Ryan Pike of FlamesNation, who covered Andersson throughout his decade with the Calgary Flames, described the 29-year-old as indispensable to the organization.
WATCH | Flames insider says Rasmus Andersson gives Golden Knights a playoff-ready blue-line boost
“In a word, gigantic,” Pike said on his impact. “He was a huge part of the hockey club. He came up as a draft pick and ended up becoming arguably their most important defenseman of the last few years. Played over the boards in every game situation. He’s a very impactful player and I think he’s a player Golden Knights fans are going to enjoy watching.”
While Andersson is not known leaguewide for blazing speed, Pike said his effectiveness shows up in subtler ways.
“He’s not known for his speed or his skating, but he’s sneaky good at jumping into the rush at the right times,” Pike said. “He’s got a really good shot, he’s a really smart player, he’s figured out what he’s really good at, and the things he should avoid doing. He’s a player that doesn’t get into trouble on the ice because he’s smart enough to know what he’s not great at.”
Off the ice, Pike said Andersson was equally memorable, especially among reporters and teammates.
“He’s definitely someone those of us in the media will have memories of,” Pike said. “He never gave a boring answer, you always knew what you were going to get. That honesty earned him a lot of credit in the locker room and beyond.”
As Andersson transitions from Calgary to Vegas, Pike expects some adjustments but believes the Golden Knights’ system under coach Bruce Cassidy could unlock more creativity in his game.
“There’s going to be some growing pains,” Pike said. “He’s going from the Flames system which was reliant on structured forecheck, there’s no room for freelancing. With Vegas you have the ability to be more creative within Bruce Cassidy’s structure.”
Pike added that Andersson’s instinct to attack could thrive in that environment.
“As someone who likes jumping into the rush, who likes getting below the goal line sometimes, having the chance to freelance a bit and be a bit more creative than he was in Calgary I think will really suit him,” he said.
Looking ahead to the postseason, Pike believes Andersson’s edge and situational awareness are what should excite Vegas fans most.
“He’s going to score some big goals for them,” Pike said. “He has that sixth sense, that ability to know when to try to make a big play, and when to be a little bit more cautious, especially down the stretch, especially in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.”
“He’s the type of guy that he’ll get fired up and he’ll get the team fired up and by extension the fans as well.”
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