In this week’s edition of Calgary Flames New & Rumours, speculation surrounding Rasmus Andersson has picked up as there are rumours the Toronto Maple Leafs are interested in him. In other news, there has been plenty of talk that the Flames are mismanaging Connor Zary’s development. In other news, there was a flurry of transactions as of late which included Sam Honzek being placed on injured reserve and Sam Morton recalled from the American Hockey League (AHL).
Andersson to the Maple Leafs?
Last week, a report broke that the Maple Leafs have major interest in Andersson. The 29-year-old defenseman is a hot commodity this season as he’s in the final year of his contract and will be an unrestricted free agent in the summer. The Maple Leafs have plenty of familiarity with the player as well, given general manager Brad Treliving’s lengthy time with the Flames.
“I’ve got a guy within the league who says the Toronto Maple Leafs are actively trying hard to get Rasmus Andersson out of Calgary,” former NHLer Jay Rosehill said on Leafs Nation.
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After a bit of a rough season in 2024-25, Andersson has bounced back well for the Flames. He’s recorded three goals along with four helpers in 20 games, while averaging over 24 minutes per game. Those minutes would decrease on a Stanley Cup contender, but he would still serve as a steady top-four option on the right-hand side.
Zary Having Forgettable Season
Zary came into the 2025-26 season with something to prove after injuries limited him to just 54 games in 2024-25. The hope was that he would find a new level offensively to give this Flames lineup some more spunk. Instead, he’s managed just a goal and an assist through 18 games. He’s even spent some time in the press box as a healthy scratch.
Zary needs to be better, but there are plenty of skeptics as of late surrounding his opportunity, or lack thereof. He’s spent a significant portion of the season on the fourth line, and is averaging just 13:17 in ice time. With how much the Flames have struggled to score in 2025-26, it may be wise to consider giving Zary a lengthy look on the top six.
Honzek Deemed Week-to-Week
After appearing to suffer an injury versus the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday night, the Flames confirmed on Monday that Sam Honzek has been placed on injured reserve with an upper-body ailment. At this time, he’s being deemed as week-to-week.
The injury comes at an unfortunate time for Honzek, who was filling in nicely on a line with Blake Coleman and Mikael Backlund. The 21-year-old rookie has posted two goals and four points in 18 games this season.
“Anybody that’s going to miss a little bit of time with an injury, you feel for,” head coach Ryan Huska told reporters on Sunday. “He’s done a lot of great things for us, and I think has a better understanding of what he has to [play] like to be in the NHL on a consistent basis. We were really pleased with where his game was trending, and I know he’s going to pick up right where he left off.”
The Flames were needing to call somebody up given the Honzek injury. Instead, they recalled two in Morton and Dryden Hunt. Meanwhile, Rory Kerins was re-assigned to the Calgary Wranglers after suiting up for two games with the Flames.
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There is some excitement over the recall of Morton, who suited up for his first NHL game last season. He’s a bit older than most prospects at 26, but is in just his second full professional season. The Flames organization is quite high on him, and he’s gotten off to a great start with the Wranglers, having recorded four goals and 12 points through 16 games.
Looking Ahead for the Flames
The Flames will begin their schedule this week with a road back-to-back against the Chicago Blackhawks and Buffalo Sabres. They will then have Thursday and Friday off before a home tilt on Saturday night against the Dallas Stars.
