Flyers’ Rasmus Ristolainen out week-to-week with upper-body injury

The Philadelphia Flyers announced that defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen will be out week-to-week with an upper-body injury.

Ristolainen has tallied four goals and 15 assists for 19 points in 63 games this season with the Flyers.

Flyers head coach John Tortorella was asked about Ristolainen returning to the lineup soon and he adamantly said “No.”

Since Ristolainen was traded to the Flyers by the Buffalo Sabres in 2021, injuries have plagued the Finnish blueliner. He missed the first 20 games of the 2023-24 season due to a lower-body injury, making his season debut on Nov. 25. In late January, he missed a game due to illness and then was ruled out of the lineup after playing what would be his last game of the campaign on Feb. 10.

Ristolainen played just 31 games during the 2023-24 season, posting just a goal and three assists. Since joining the Flyers, the 30-year-old has scored 10 goals and 49 assists for 59 points in 234 games. In his 776-game NHL career, Ristolainen has registered 56 goals and 248 assists for 304 points and has yet to play in the playoffs.

Ristolainen has an AAV of $5.1 million through the end of the 2026-27 season. Ristolainen was expected to play for Team Finland at the 4 Nations Face-Off but was sidelined with an injury that has plagued him since.

The Flyers are set to face Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals on Thursday in action and then will get ready to face the Dallas Stars on Saturday and the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday.

Philadelphia currently sits as the eighth seed in the Atlantic Division with a record of 28-33-8 and 64 points. Philadelphia sits two points back of the Pittsburgh Penguins and six points back of the Columbus Blue Jackets.