The market for Rasmus Andersson has begun to warm, and may actually reach its boiling point in the coming weeks or even days, with an Olympic roster freeze looming.

Recent reports suggest a breakup between the Calgary Flames and their second-longest tenured player is now more imminent than ever. Calgary seems keen on securing a return for Andersson before a potential injury — either with the Flames or at the Olympics with Team Sweden — derails his trade value.

I can only imagine what was going through Craig Conroy’s mind as he watched his most prized trade chip go toe to toe with Blue Jackets captain Boone Jenner on Tuesday night in Columbus.

Everyone seems to have their own theory as to where the 29-year-old rearguard may end up, but one of the more logical fits would be with the Dallas Stars. Though chock-full of steady talent, the Stars’ back-end is left-hand heavy. Slotting Andersson, a righty, next to Miro Heiskanen, Thomas Harley, or Esa Lindell would make for a stellar pairing and give the entire unit a boost.

Dallas has endured heartbreak over the past three seasons, falling short in the conference finals each year. They are almost certainly in the market for a player that can nudge them over the edge, and we know that their GM, Jim Nill, is no stranger to making a big splash around the trade deadline.

Additionally, Dallas is an income tax-free destination, which is reportedly part of Andersson’s criteria in signing a contract extension, an important note in the event that the three parties decide to go the sign-and-trade route.

The only knock on Dallas as an Andersson suitor is that they don’t own a first-round pick in the upcoming draft, however, they still own their top pick in 2027 and have plenty of intriguing prospects.

On that note, let’s dive into trade scenarios.

The Flames’ asking price for Andersson is rumoured to be the equivalent of two first-round picks, a first, a third, and Bichsel meet that mark.

Calgary eats 40% of Anderssons $4.55M cap hit, making him a $2.73M player for this season, and allowing the deal to be cap compliant.

Drafted 18th overall by Dallas in 2022, Bichsel is a behemoth on the back end at 6’7”, 237 pounds. Despite his size, he’s a smooth skater, and he loves to play the body, racking up 85 hits in his 26 games while averaging just 15 minutes of ice time before an injury derailed his season. Bichsel would pair well on the left side next to some of the Flames’ offensively gifted right-handed defencemen, like Zayne Parekh or Hunter Brzustewicz.

At 21 years young, Bichsel projects to be a solid top-four defenceman for years to come. There’s no guarantee the Stars would be willing to move off of Bichsel, but his injury this season, combined with their surplus of left-handed defencemen, makes him expendable.

In the event that Bichsel is off the table, or the Flames would rather stock up on picks, a trade with Dallas could look something like this.

Calgary gets a bevy of quality selections to add to its already-abundant cupboard of draft capital. They also nab right-wing prospect Cameron Schmidt, the Stars’ third-round selection last June. Schmidt is small (5’8”, 158 pounds) but is still a teenager and a potent goal scorer in junior, he has 30 goals in 42 WHL games this season between the Vancouver Giants and Seattle Thunderbirds.