How once-maligned Rasmus Ristolainen morphed into a valuable trade chip for Flyers

Rasmus Ristolainen has walked a curious, polarizing path in the NHL. After he was drafted eighth overall by the Buffalo Sabres in 2013, Ristolainen’s lofty expectations prior to his NHL arrival were never met. From being the face of the Sabres defense during the tumultuous 2010s, to being a prime target for criticism in the rapidly growing analytics community, Ristolainen’s name was constantly the center of attention.

Ristolainen, 30, arrived in Philadelphia after being acquired in the summer of 2021 for a package including a first-round selection. He was inked to a five-year, $25.5 million extension by former Flyers GM Chuck Fletcher ahead of the 2022 NHL trade deadline. At the time of the extension, the Flyers were thought to be leaning towards an “aggressive retool,” in hopes of returning to playoff contention. 

A lot has unfolded since Ristolainen’s new contract kicked in, including the organizational overhaul and change in team-wide philosophy. Now headed by president of hockey operations Keith Jones and GM Daniel Briere, the Flyers have their sights set on the future.

Leading up to last year’s NHL trade deadline, the Flyers were taking calls on Ristolainen. Having excelled under head coach John Tortorella and associate coach Brad Shaw, Ristolainen’s rebuilt game as a steady, defense-first, bottom-pair defender caught the attention of teams looking to bulk up for a playoff push; I had heard the Toronto Maple Leafs and Vancouver Canucks as potential suitors last season. An injury to Ristolainen in February sidelined him for the season, ending any potential sweepstakes for the Finnish blueliner. 

Entering the 2024-25 campaign, it was expected that the Flyers would, if the market was there, explore trade avenues for Ristolainen. As one NHL executive mentioned to me over the summer, Ristolainen’s contract – signed through the 2026-27 season – would be easier to move this year compared to last with the rising salary cap. Last season, it was mentioned to me that Ristolainen’s $5.1 million AAV would have to be brought down in the $3-4 million range via salary retention to entice teams. 

Having the chance to play an elevated role on the Flyers’ top pair following an injury to Cam York, Ristolainen has, while still not being a top-pair guy, played at a top-four level in the eyes of the Flyers thus far in the season. Averaging north of 19 minutes per game, Ristolainen has provided solid play alongside Travis Sanheim on the Flyers’ top pair in the absence of York.

Asking around about this on Monday, the play of Ristolainen this season has elevated him in the eyes of the Flyers, and it sounds like the asking price for the hulking rearguard will be a first-round selection or value-equivalent. We are still a ways away from the NHL trade deadline in early March, so there are a lot of things that can change between now and then, but Ristolainen’s name is one that could prove to be interesting.

Historically, we have seen defensemen of Ristolainen’s ilk go for significant packages over the last five years or so. Ben Chiarot and David Savard fetched packages including first-round selections in 2022 and 2021, respectively. Last year’s market for defensemen was not quite as hot – the only defenseman to fetch a first-round selection was Sean Walker, but it required the Flyers taking back the Ryan Johansen contract – but it is important to note that Ristolainen is not a pending unrestricted free agent. With the salary cap projected to continue rising, a $5.1 million AAV for two years beyond this one may not seem as bad as it was during a flat cap.

The price is certainly steep, but there is no denying size and physicality are key ingredients of Stanley Cup-winning bluelines; both of those words describe Ristolainen. Now that he has fixed his defensive fundamentals under Tortorella and Shaw, Ristolainen’s play has warranted top-four usage, allowing him to showcase his intangibles in addition to his improving tangible play. Should it continue deep into the winter months, we may be seeing his name come up in the rumor mill more often. 

Future of Fedotov

The recalling of goaltender Aleksei Kolosov has resulted in a trio in the Flyers’ goaltending rotation, leaving Ivan Fedotov as the third man in the pecking order. Though he was on the outside looking in for close to a week, Saturday’s injury to Samuel Ersson – he is expected to miss about a week – has opened the door for Fedotov to get back into the lineup.

Amid some chatter of a potential AHL conditioning stint for Fedotov, I was told on Monday that, barring the Lehigh Valley Phantoms having a bulk of games in a short window, it would make more sense for the Russian netminder to hit the waiver wire. 

Given his $3.275 million AAV for this season and next, it is a safe bet that Fedotov will clear waivers should he be placed on them. Additionally, unlike on a conditioning stint, the Flyers would gain a roster spot should he clear waivers and be assigned to the Phantoms; if they wanted to call a player up, this would be the easiest way. Unless the Flyers can find a window to put Fedotov down that would fall during a busy period for the Phantoms and give him a chance to play a bulk of games, I would say a waiver transaction is far more likely. 

This is not to say the Flyers have imminent plans to place Fedotov on waivers, but if push comes to shove, it is certainly something on the table. In the case of Kolosov, the 22 year old Belarusian appears to be in the plans of the Flyers’ goaltending outlook for the remainder of the season; whether he elects to bolt back to KHL is another matter.

Fedotov, who turns 28 later this month, has an .821 save percentage and 5.35 goals-against average on the year. 

Flyers exploring options at center

As has become the norm as it pertains to the Flyers recently, center ice is a topic of discussion. The Flyers have been looking at options to bolster their talent down the middle since last season and continue to do so.

The club has not been happy with Morgan Frost, whose five assists through 12 games have left many disappointed after entering the year with high expectations. With no long term, surefire center options long term beyond 2024 first-round pick Jett Luchanko, the Flyers have their ears to the ground for options on the trade front.

In terms of names, we have heard them linked to Trevor Zegras of the Anaheim Ducks for quite some time. The Ducks have the price high on Zegras, from what I can gather, and there are still questions on whether or not he is a center as opposed to a winger. Dylan Cozens of the Buffalo Sabres is someone I believe the Flyers like, but after starting the season slow following a disappointing 2023-24 campaign, there are definitely concerns. In addition to that, the Sabres don’t seem in a rush to move on from the Whitehorse native, as they’d be selling low on the player. The Minnesota Wild’s Marco Rossi was available over the summer, and after a hot start to the season, I wonder if he could be a name the Flyers have eyes on. Whether Minnesota still has an appetite to trade him is a different story.

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