Rasmus Andersson calls out ‘Team Tank’ Calgary Flames fans
There was a significant portion of Calgary Flames fans who were hoping to see this team struggle immensely in 2024-25.
As Flames fans are all too aware, this team has been stuck in somewhat of a middling ground for a long period of time now, where they aren’t good enough to be considered a Stanley Cup contender but also haven’t been bad enough to rebuild through the draft.
After trading several veteran players during the 2023-24 season and into the summer, the expectation was that this team would bottom out in 2024-25. Instead, they finished ninth in the Western Conference with a record of 41-27-14.
Speaking with reporters on Saturday morning during locker room clean-out day, Flames defenceman Rasmus Andersson made his thoughts clear when it comes to the portion of this fan base cheering for a tank.
“We have a really, really, really good fan base. We talked about the 90 per cent the other day, I feel like I’ve got to address it,” Andersson said. “I feel like 90 per cent is a really high number in a fan base to have good fans. For us as a player, when you think about the 90 per cent, the 10 per cent we are talking about is the ones who say, ‘Oh, team tank. We’ve got to lose, we’ve got to lose.’
“No player in the NHL ever wants to lose a game, I can guarantee you that. Especially here, losing is never an option. That’s what I love about this team. We want to win every game. If you’re cheering for us to lose, I’m sorry but I don’t think you’re a real fan.”
Andersson also revealed that he had been playing the final portion of the season on a broken fibula, but didn’t ever consider coming out of the lineup given how badly he and his teammates wanted to get into the playoffs.
This isn’t the first member of the Flames to call out individuals hoping for a tank, either. Nazem Kadri had similar comments earlier this year when asked about the very same topic.
“I know there’s some people probably out there that want to lose and get a high pick,” Kadri said. “But if you’re truly a guy that wants to lose, then I’ll show you a loser. I wouldn’t want to be around those kinds of people.”
While not having the high pick this year is frustrating for a team that is in somewhat of a rebuilding state, it’s been correctly mentioned several times what playing in competitive games can do for the culture of a team. This group was as tight-knitted as ever this season, and will continue to be not only in 2025-26, but the years to come where they will hopefully be looked at as a true Stanley Cup contender.
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