It didn't take Rasmus Andersson long to get excited about the potential of his new team.
Andersson made his Vegas Golden Knights debut on Friday in a 6-3 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs, his first game since being traded from the Calgary Flames on Monday.
Speaking publicly for the first time after the trade, Andersson seemed quite content with his new situation after Friday's game.
"You look at the lineup, that’s a real contender, and that’s what I wanted to go to," Andersson said.
With the Flames sitting near the bottom of the standings, there were months of speculation about where and when Andersson would be traded.
Monday's move finally ended a 10-year relationship between Andersson and the Flames after he was a second-round pick in 2015.
And though he has nothing but good things to say about his time in Calgary, he admitted he was ready for a change.
"I've had a great time in Calgary, I've loved every second of it," Andersson said Friday. "I can't say good enough things about that organization. But at the same time, I think it was time for them and it was time for me to try something different."
Though his Vegas debut was a little overshadowed by Mitch Marner's first game back in Toronto, Andersson picked up one assist in 21:33 of ice time.
He left Calgary ranked in the top 10 of several franchise marks for defencemen, including games played (584), goals (57) and points (261).
With Friday's win, the Golden Knights improved to 25-13-12 and have a four-point lead on the Edmonton Oilers for first place in the Pacific Division.
A true Stanley Cup contender, just like Andersson wanted.
