Florida Panthers scanning: Four teams in mix for Rasmus Andersson, two in East

Darren Dreger reported Saturday that four teams are still in the mix for Andersson, with Boston and Vegas described as strong contenders, and there is also a real chance he plays for Calgary today.

Rasmus Andersson has been producing like a legit top-four driver in Calgary this season, putting up 9 goals, 19 assists and 28 points through 45 games.

In other words, that's well above average offense for a defenseman, and it keeps him on pace for one of the stronger point totals of his career if he stays healthy and keeps the minutes.

He is 29, was a second round pick in 2015, and he carries a $4.55 million cap hit in the final year of his deal, which is exactly the kind of number contenders circle.

From a fan perspective, it is easy to picture that calm right side helping Florida when the game turns into pure trench hockey.

If the Panthers ever did get involved, Andersson's value is simple, he moves pucks under pressure and keeps plays alive at the offensive blue line, which feeds Florida's cycle and second-chance attack.

If the Panthers added Rasmus Andersson, the cleanest plug-and-play look is Gustav Forsling.

He can erase rush chances and cover for pinches, letting Andersson focus on quick puck movement and keeping plays alive at the blue line.

If Florida wanted something heavier for matchups, Niko Mikkola beside him also makes sense, since Mikkola's length and crease-clearing would give Andersson the extra space to stay composed and win breakouts with one good first pass.

The cap part is the hard part, because Florida is rarely swimming in space, so a move like this would almost certainly require salary going the other way.

Still, his contract being set to expire after this season can be a feature, not a bug, since it lets a contender push chips in without locking the blue line for half a decade.

On the ice, Andersson plays a modern game, quick first pass, controlled exits, and enough bite to survive net-front shifts, and that profile usually ages well in a playoff series.

If this rumor heats up again, the next milestones worth watching are whether Calgary holds him out of games and whether Florida's blue line starts getting linked by more than just fans.