The Toronto Maple Leafs are among the top contenders for the Stanley Cup this season and are expected to strengthen their roster as the year progresses, with one trade proposal suggesting the acquisition of a star defenseman.

Using PuckPedia’s PuckGM tool, a user suggested a trade that would bring Rasmus Andersson from the Calgary Flames to the Maple Leafs.

Maple Leafs acquire:

Rasmus Andersson
Flames acquire:
– Topi Niemela
– Roni Hirvonen
– 2026 first-round pick

This proposed trade is beneficial for both teams: the Maple Leafs strengthen their blue line while the Flames gain two promising prospects and a first-round pick to aid their rebuilding efforts.

Andersson is currently in the fifth year of a six-year, $27.3 million contract. As a talented defenseman, he could become part of Toronto’s second-line right-shot pairing, joining Chris Tanev and Jake McCabe to create one of the strongest right sides in the NHL. Last season, Andersson played 78 games, scoring 9 goals and providing 30 assists for a total of 39 points.

In return, Toronto would send a first-round pick and defensive prospect Topi Niemela to Calgary. Niemela, 22, was selected 64th overall in the 2020 NHL Draft and could take Andersson’s place on the right side of the defense. Last season, he played 68 games in the AHL, where he scored 8 goals and tallied 31 assists for a total of 38 points.
Roni Hirvonen, also 22, was picked 59th overall in the 2020 NHL Draft. As a centerman, he is expected to be a middle-six forward in the NHL but could benefit from an additional year of development in the AHL. Last season, he played 37 games in the AHL, where he scored 7 goals and registered 6 assists for a total of 13 points.

against, and he has expressed satisfaction with the team’s defensive performance.