Photo Credit: Rasmus Ristolainen Twitter (@rasmrist55)
Flyers’ General Manager Chuck Fletcher approached this past offseason trying to replace Niskanen, and he appeared to have accomplished that with obtaining Ryan Ellis and adding Rasmus Ristolainen to the fold. The Flyers were in a free fall, and beaten on a regular basis. Gone were the days of some Flyers players getting pummeled and cheaply barreled into, as Rasmus Ristolainen hits everything that moves.
Before Chuck Fletcher’s and Dave Scott’s press conference a few weeks ago. Ristolainen was seen as a player that could possibly be moved by the trade deadline in an attempt to recoup some assets that were lost from the trade of Ristolainen, as his contract expires at year’s end.
However, all of that came to a halt yesterday as Fletcher made sure that Ristolainen would not test free agency, as he re-signed with the orange and black to a 5-year $25.5 million deal, with an AAV of $5.1 million per year.
There are two important parts to this contract. The first is on the surface of the deal. Ristolainen currently makes $5.4 million, and usually people his age of 27 in their prime would see a pay raise. However, that is not the case for a RHD in Ristolainen as he took a pay cut to remain with the Flyers with an AAV of $5.1 million.
Regardless of how some people feel about Ristolainen, he took a pay cut, when he could have commanded well north of $6 million in the open market. This deal solidifies what Dave Scott and Chuck Fletcher said at a prior press conference, in which, the Flyers will retool, rather than do a full rebuild which could take 8 to 9 years to contend in most cases. I firmly believe that is why some (Not all) do not like this deal, some Flyers fans would rather see the Flyers tear down the whole house, rather than retool.
The second most important part to this contract is, NO, and I repeat, a NO NMC (No Movement Clause). This is very important as it gives the Flyers flexibility to seek a trading partner if Ristolainen should be moved at some point to free up the cap space, especially if he doesn’t live up to his end of the contract.
Fletcher shored up the RHD position without constraining the team which actually gives the Flyers flexibility, and they do not have to overpay to obtain this type of defenseman on the offseason. In most cases an NMC would be given as an incentive to sign with whomever teams are bidding against.
What does Risto offer?
“Risto” has offered the Flyers another dimension, and that has been made evident this season as Ristolainen hits and gives the Flyers an element that they were missing for years. He has registered 182 hits in 50 games played, which is an average of 3.64 hits per game.
He has really lived up to his billing of smashing people into the boards, and it has led to some odd-man rushes the other way. The only thing that is needed now is more power play time for Ristolainen so people can finally see his booming shot.
Moreover, Ristolainen has also played solid defensively, and his gap control has been effective. Actually he has not blown many coverages and looks quite comfortable out there for the orange and black, “I want to keep putting that jersey on and play for the city and the fans,” Ristolainen said yesterday. “I was thinking about all the options, but felt like I didn’t need to go looking someplace else. It was a pretty easy decision for me.”
Ristolainen continued on his current defensive partner in Travis Sanheim, “I really enjoy playing with him. Can see us playing together for a long time.” How this will end is anyone’s guess, but in totality this is not a bad contract by any means at least on the surface.
Check out our Flyers Nitty Gritty Store
