This morning on the JD Bunkis Podcast, Toronto Maple Leafs reporter James Mirtle of The Athletic discussed how the organization previously tried to acquire Calgary Flames defenseman Rasmus Andersson, but the deal ultimately fell through. Mirtle revealed that the Maple Leafs were very interested in Andersson last season, but grew frustrated with Calgary’s asking price, especially compared to what other teams were reportedly being asked to pay.
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If those frustrations are still lingering, there’s a good chance general manager Brad Treliving goes in a different direction this season and looks to add help on the blue line elsewhere. It would mirror what he ended up doing last year when Toronto pivoted and acquired Brandon Carlo from the Boston Bruins instead.
Maple Leafs Frustrated with Asking Price for Andersson
According to Mirtle, who is well connected within the Maple Leafs rumour mill, it sounds unlikely that Toronto circles back on Andersson this season based on how things played out last year. Here’s what he had to say:
“I don’t think they’re gonna. They were frustrated with the Rasmus Andersson situation last year.
When they went really hard at that last year, that was the player that they wanted instead of the Carlo, Laughton situation. They were gonna go big at Andersson. And the front office, I think, felt that Calgary was just gonna want more from them than another team, which has been talked about a lot with the Treliving situation and everything going on there. And they didn’t think it was a fair deal to be made there for Andersson.
So maybe they revisit that, but I doubt it. I think that Calgary is gonna want a first-round pick there for one, and the Leafs don’t really have one to give. And I don’t see them trading Cowan for him either.
So I feel like that was a hard trade for them to make last year when they did have the first-round picks. I think it’s even harder to make now, and I just don’t see that happening.”
Mirtle added that Calgary would likely ask for Easton Cowan as part of any deal for Andersson, which is something most Maple Leafs fans would not want to see. That sentiment likely extends to the front office as well. Cowan has been excellent since the Christmas break and has shown that he belongs at the NHL level. It would be a tough sell to move him for a defenseman who may struggle under the pressure of this market.
At the same time, Toronto does not have a ton of attractive pieces to offer. Ben Danford or Dennis Hildeby could headline a package depending on the asking price, but even then, it feels unlikely the Maple Leafs would be willing to part with either to acquire Andersson. In that sense, Calgary’s high asking price may actually be the best thing for Toronto. If it weren’t for that, Treliving may have pulled the trigger last season, and there’s no telling how steep the cost would have been.
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Regardless, it’s clear the Maple Leafs are going to have to pivot if they want to add a defenseman to help next season. There are a few names out there, but the one they’ve been most recently linked to Dougie Hamilton of the New Jersey Devils. The asking price for Hamilton is expected to be significantly lower than what Calgary was looking for with Andersson, which makes that path far more realistic for Toronto moving forward.
