Could a Flyers defenseman be on his way out of Philly?
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Travis PolitakisJanuary 29, 2024 (11:56)
With the NHL trade deadline just over a month away, it is expected that there will be a few Philadelphia Flyers who's names will be floated around and involved in trade talks as Danny Briere attacks his first deadline as a general manager. A Flyers defenseman who has seen a career resurgence is the latest name to be on the block for the orange and black.
Flyers 29-year-old defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen the last two seasons has shown improvement each year under the stability of head coach John Tortorella. However, after struggles begin to reappear and the Flyers looking to add more young pieces, could there be a market for Risto?
Although Ristolainen's stats aren't too impressive just judging by the surface, the deeper impact of Ristolainen's play has been evident this season. Ristolainen has a 73% wins above replacement rating as well as an 80% EV defensive rating.
The past week, the Flyers and Briere have already begun to lock up some pieces they want for the future by giving Owen Tippett and Ryan Poehling contract extensions. Another interesting point to note is that Ristolainen has been a healthy scratch the last few games as he has seen a dip in production.
Could Briere be listening to calls about Ristolainen? For a Stanley Cup contending team, Ristolainen could be a fantastic addition in a third or fourth line.
| POLL | ||
29 JANVIER | 281 ANSWERS Could a Flyers defenseman be on his way out of Philly? Should the Flyers keep Rasmus Ristolainen? | ||
| Yes | 115 | 40.9 % |
| No | 166 | 59.1 % |
| List of polls | ||
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