Andersson scores game-winner for Flames, then gets named to Swedish national team for 4 Nations
It was a wild 24 hours for the Flames’ Swedish defenceman Rasmus Andersson.
Tuesday night, he scored the game-winning goal as the Flames dumped the Columbus Blue Jackets 3-0 in an emotional game where the Flames paid tribute to the late Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau.
Then Wednesday morning, Andersson discovered he’s been named to the Swedish roster for the upcoming Four Nations tournament.
It’s a huge honour and well-deserved for the Flames defenceman, who said he was thrilled to be able to play on his national team for the first time since he represented Sweden in a U-16 tournament a decade ago.
“It means a lot,” he said. “It means you’ve done something good. It’s the first time in a long time that I get to play on the national team and it’s something I’m super excited about.
“I couldn’t be more happy and proud that I’ve made the team and I’m really looking forward to (playing) in this tournament.”
Flames head coach Ryan Huska said the nod was overdue and welcome.
“It is some recognition of what he has done over the years and how he’s made himself a better player,” Huska said.
“When you get someone who gets to go to an event like this, he comes back with a little bit more swagger, a little bit more confidence and maybe more of a belief knowing that yep, I am one of the elite players in the league – and when you get that (sort of recognition), there’s a tendency to bring other people along.”
The other Flames player with a chance to be named to the Swedish roster was Mikael Backlund but he wasn't.
A half-dozen former Flames were named to teams, including Jakob Markstrom (Sweden) and Elias Lindholm (Sweden), Matthew Tkachuk (U.S.), Noah Hanifin (U.S.), Sam Bennett (Canada) and Juuso Valimaki (Finland).
Former Calgarians Cale Makar and goaltender Adin Hill were also named to the Canadian roster.
The tournament features teams from Canada, the U.S., Finland and Sweden. The first game, between Finland and the U.S., takes place Feb. 13 at the Bell Centre in Montreal.
With files from CTV's Glenn Campbell
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canada Post strike: Union 'extremely disappointed' in latest offer, negotiator says
A negotiator for the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) says the latest offer from Canada Post to end the ongoing strike shows the carrier is moving in the "opposite direction."
'Shameful': Monument honouring fallen soldiers included names of living veterans
Veterans are asking for answers after discovering that two sculptures in Ontario honouring fallen soldiers include the names of many people who are very much alive.
Canada's air force took video of object shot down over Yukon, updated image released
The Canadian military has released more details and an updated image of the unidentified object shot down over Canada's Yukon territory in February 2023.
Invasive species could be hiding in your Christmas decor. Here's how to stop the spread
Make sure to look through your holiday decorations, as Christmas trees, wreaths, and other natural decor can have invasive insects, eggs, and plants that pose a threat to local ecosystems and the economy.
Northern Ontario man sentenced for killing his dog
WARNING: This article contains graphic details of animal abuse which may be upsetting to some readers. A 40-year-old northern Ontario man is avoiding prison after pleading guilty to killing his dog earlier this year.
80-year-old driver with expired licence accused of going nearly double the speed limit in eastern Ontario
Ontario Provincial Police say a man caught stunt driving on Highway 37 near Tweed, Ont. Thursday was 80 years old, and his licence was expired.
The mysterious, mathematical origins of the world's most unusually shaped national flag
It's a go-to question at bar trivia: what is the only national flag in the world that isn't rectangular or square shaped?
This watch was carved from a meteorite that hit Earth a million years ago
A new watch from design duo Toledano & Chan has been carved from a meteorite that slammed into Earth around one million years ago.
Which guns are now banned in Canada? Here's what you need to know
Canada is expanding its federal ban on firearms, adding 324 makes and models of guns to the prohibited weapons list, effective immediately.