Rasmus Andersson will return to Calgary next week, where he knows what awaits:
Questions.
Endless questions about the imminent future of several teammates, the coaching and front office changes, last season’s pitfalls, the probabilities of a bounce back and the captaincy.
“I’m ready to embrace the chaos,” chuckled Andersson from his home in Malmo Monday.
It’s a mantra he used at the NHL’s media tour in Stockholm last week when he was brilliant on Elliotte Friedman and Jeff Marek’s 32 Thoughts podcast.
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He doubled down on the phrase Monday when asked if he might even consider plastering it on team t-shirts.
“It’s probably not up to me, but it’s a good slogan for sure,” said the 26-year-old defenceman, who spent the bulk of last season answering tough questions about his playoff-less team.
“When you play in a Canadian market you can’t have a quiet year.
“There’s a lot of media and passionate fans evaluating everyone.
“You can’t hide from it. You’ve just got to embrace it and stick with it, and believe in guys in management.”
As a leader, and one of the team’s longest-tenured players, Andersson knows as well as anyone what it’s like to enter a season with so much uncertainty.
He did it last year, when the departure of Johnny Gaudreau and Matthew Tkachuk flipped the organization’s script, bringing in three new stars whose relocation had their heads spinning like the organization’s tires all season.
Missing the playoffs following a season of dressing-room angst prompted a coaching and GM change, as well as endless speculation about the departure of three more stars this season.
It’s clear there won’t be many dull days at the Saddledome this winter.
“We all know what happened last year, and I get all the speculation with people,” he said, alluding to the status of pending UFAs Elias Lindholm, Noah Hanifin and Mikael Backlund.
“A year left on their deals, with Connie (GM Craig Conroy) and (coach Ryan) Huska coming in, a new coaching staff – I get it, there are a lot of questions, and rightfully so.
“Lots of people question what kind of team we can be.”
He doesn’t.
“I trust the direction we’re heading in,” said Andersson, who tops the list of candidates to captain the team moving forward.
“I’ve known Conroy since I was drafted and I know how much Connie loves the Flames – he wants what’s best for the team.
“I’ve worked with Ryan Huska since my first year in Stockton, I know how good of a coach he is. I’m excited to work with him as a head coach because I know how much he has developed me personally over the last seven or eight years.
“I have full confidence in both of them.”
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Andersson believes it was confidence that the team was lacking last year when the retooled group continually struggled in one-goal games, including overtime.
“There were a few new players, and the dynamic of the team changed quite a bit when Matthew and Johnny left – everyone kept looking around the room, wondering, ‘who’s gonna be the guy?’ instead of just grabbing it.
“I think we just didn’t want to make a mistake or go for it in the end. I think our first third-period comeback was towards the end of the year.
“In all those one-goal games we didn’t take any chances or risks and backed up until the end, almost hoping to get that one point and hoping to win in OT where we lost 17 times.
“We knew we could play with the best, but we were almost scared to win.”
It’s a different fear from the one fans are feeling, as they brace for the imminent departure of three more difference makers, two of whom are close Swedish pals of Andersson’s.
“For Lindy it’s business, and it’s got to work for both sides in a cap world,” he said.
“He has his number and the Flames have theirs. I stay out of it, but I hope they can work it out because he’s a hell of a player.
“Backs has been in Calgary for 15 years, he’s 34 years old and hasn’t won. As he told the media, ‘as of right now I’m not going to re-sign, but if the team is doing well and we have a chance to win I’m going to re-sign. But I’m going to wait and see how this year plays out. I want to win.’
“I think Tanny (Chris Tanev) is in a similar situation.
“If we’re good, they love the city.”
Andersson hasn’t spoken to Hanifin, but sees his situation differently.
“I think I have a pretty good understanding through the media he doesn’t want to re-sign,” he said.
“It’s a tough situation and there’s not a whole lot to say on my part.
“It’s his call.
“I honestly hope he changes his mind, and wants to re-sign with the team.”
For now, all three remain with the club – a team Andersson says will prioritize having fun at the rink again – something players were reluctant to do in the intense environment crafted by departed coach Darryl Sutter.
“I feel like that will be a really big change this year,” said Andersson, whose season was hampered by a scooter accident that took well over a month for him to rebound from.
“Let’s embrace the chaos and let’s just play, let’s have the swagger, let’s have the chip on our shoulders and go out and prove to everyone how good of a team we are.”
It’s almost symbolic Andersson is the first player to speak as the season approaches.
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Last season he stepped up night after night to discuss hard losses with the media, demonstrating that his leadership qualities go far beyond just being the team’s top defenceman.
He’s ready to be the captain this club has so sorely missed following Mark Giordano’s departure two seasons ago.
“I would obviously love to be the captain of the Calgary Flames but I feel like we have a lot of good leaders on our team,” Andersson told Friedman and Marek.
“Whoever Connie and Husk pick is going to be the right pick because they’re such smart people.
“I feel like it’s something we’ve missed the last few years.
“In a Canadian market, you need someone to step up towards the media, towards the coaches and towards the owners because there’s so much pressure on the players – when we had Gio he would embrace that and said, ‘I’m the captain and I’ll take this one.’
“We see Backs as the captain but without the ‘C’ he couldn’t do everything he wanted.
“If it’s me, Weegs (MacKenzie Weegar), Backs, Jonny (Huberdeau) or whoever it is, it’s going to be the right call and it’s going to be the right step for our franchise to take the next step.”
As he said, if you want to be a good player and be recognized and respected you have to face the music, which Andersson did valiantly last season.
Time for others to step up too, as players, which many expect will be the case after a down season for so many.
“That’s why I’m so excited for this year – Jonny’s going to get his feet under him and he has something to prove this year.
“You know how good a player he is and he has everything you need to succeed, and I feel he will come in with a chip on his shoulder and be one of the best players again.
“Weegsy was one of the best defensive defencemen in the whole league last year and the points came after the all-star break when he was arguably one of the best defencemen in the league.
“I think it’s going to be a hell of a year. I can’t wait to head back to see a different dynamic.
“The hunger and excitement is back.”
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