The Calgary Flames kept using the word “deserved.”
When it comes to Rasmus Andersson and his inclusion on Sweden’s team for February’s Four Nations Face-Off, there’s little question he earned his invitation.
A year ago, maybe some people would have considered Andersson to have an outside shot, but the way he has played since the start of the 2024-25 season has made it a no-brainer that he’d be part of the Swedish team.
“I always love when something’s deserved,” Flames head coach Ryan Huska said. “Ras had to earn his way onto that team by having a great start to the year, so we’re all excited for him and know he’s going to represent our team really well.”
Andersson has taken on a huge role with the Flames this year. With Noah Hanifin and Chris Tanev traded away last season, it fell on Andersson and MacKenzie Weegar to take on bigger roles and both have thrived with the added leadership and responsibility.
Weegar didn’t ultimately earn a call to join the Canadian team, but it speaks to the way he’s playing that he was in the conversation.
And Andersson’s play made him an obvious choice for the Swedes.
“I’m very happy for him that he got that nod,” Flames centre Nazem Kadri said. “He’s had an excellent season and he’s a guy that has been a great leader for us and really deserves to be on that team.
“I’d like to see him on the top pair playing 25 minutes.”
Whether or not the Swedes rely on Andersson to take on that much responsibility, there’s really not any question around Calgary that he’s capable of playing huge minutes. He’s currently leading the Flames and 11th in the NHL in time-on-ice per game, playing 24:47 on average.
He’s also second on the team in points with 15, having scored six goals and adding nine assists for a Flames squad that has struggled to put pucks in the back of the net.
He’s playing big minutes on both the penalty kill and power play and has emerged as one of the most important voices in the Flames locker room.
“It’s a lead-by-example type of situation, (Andersson) says all the right things, he’s a good pro and he understands what it takes to be in the NHL,” Kadri explained. “Going out there and doing it is a different story and I think he’s done a great job leading that D-corps.
“Him and Weegs are dragging people in every single night. We need that from him. I know he wants it to continue and that’s what we need out of the back-end.”
Andersson will join a deep group of Swedish defencemen at the Four Nations Face-off, playing on a blueline that also will include Victor Hedman, Erik Karlsson, Gustav Forsling, Rasmus Dahlin, Mattias Ekholm and Jonas Brodin.
There’s real talent there and a strong performance in the tournament could give him an inside track towards a spot on the Olympic roster in 2026.
For now, though, he has earned his spot with some exceptional play for the Flames through the first two months of the season.
Nobody can say he doesn’t deserve to be there.
“I’m really excited for him,” said Kevin Bahl, Andersson’s defensive partner with the Flames. “He does a hell of a job defensively and is able to produce, also, which not a lot of guys are able to do.”
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