In a recent article for Daily Faceoff, Anthony Di Marco reported that “five or six” clubs have expressed interest in Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen.
Di Marco also mentioned the Boston Bruins and Edmonton Oilers as two specific clubs that have kicked tires on Ristolainen as of late.
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It isn’t exactly a secret that the Bruins want to improve the right side of their defense. They have not found a proper replacement for Brandon Carlo in their top four since they traded him to the Toronto Maple Leafs this past season, and bringing in a player like Ristolainen could changes thing on that front.
The Bruins have also been connected to multiple other right-shot defenseman this season. As Di Marco noted, the Bruins were among the clubs that pursued Rasmus Andersson before he was traded to the Vegas Golden Knights by the Calgary Flames. The Bruins have also been linked to St. Louis Blues right-shot defenseman Justin Faulk this season, so having Ristolainen on their radar as well is understandable.
The Oilers also make sense as a suitor for Ristolainen. One of their top needs at this point of the season is another defenseman for their right side, and Ristolainen is easily one of the best potential options available. If Edmonton acquired him, he could replace Ty Emberson on their bottom pairing. Yet, he could also move up to the Oilers’ second pairing if Jake Walman moved to the left side.
Ristolainen would also make sense for a true contender like the Oilers to bring in. His hard-nosed style of play would make him a valuable player for Edmonton to have around during the playoffs when the games get tougher.
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Yet, the Flyers are in a position where they can take their time with a Ristolainen trade. This is because he has another year on his contract after this season, where he has a $5.1 million cap hit.
Nevertheless, it will be fascinating to see if the Flyers end up trading Ristolainen this season.
