Rasmus Andersson took to social media on Sunday to send a special message to fans of the Calgary Flames.
The Flames traded Andersson to the Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday, ending months of speculation about the future of the star defenceman as he plays on the final year of his contract.
"Calgary thank you for everything you’ve done for me, ever since being drafted in 2015 I’ve loved this organization!!" he wrote. "I've truly loved every second of playing for this amazing team and city, to all the fans thank you for always supporting me and keeping me honest at the same time.
"To my teammates, coaches, training staff and everyone at the front office, THANK YOU! Wishing the Flames nothing but the best in the future I’ll always be a fan."
The trade ended a 10-year relationship between Andersson and the Flames after he was a second-round pick in 2015. He leaves Calgary ranking in the top 10 of a number of franchise marks for defencemen, including games played (584), goals (57) and points (261).
In return for Andersson, the Flames received defenceman Zach Whitecloud, college prospect Abram Wiebe, a 2027 first-round pick and a conditional 2028 second-round pick, which will become a first if Vegas wins the Stanley Cup this year. The Flames are retaining 50 per cent of Andersson's remaining contract as part of the trade.
