Photo Credit: Rebecca McCormick
“He’s our most improved player,” John Tortorella said of Rasmus Ristolainen last season.
One player comes to mind with benefitting from new Flyers Head Coach John Tortorella. It is no other than Rasmus Ristolainen. “Risto” became a work-horse, and has become a minutes eating defenseman that skates particularly well.
Ristolainen, 28-years-old, is a Right-Handed Defenseman that can be physical and pot a goal as the Flyers found out right before the break. He entered the break on a three game point streak (1g,3a), and Ristolainen had seven points in his last 10 games played at that point (2g,5a).
This Flyers Defenceman has become reliable, and really played a really sound two-way game last season. He is a strong and well-balanced skater, and Ristolainen plays with a physical component to his game. Ristolainen stands at 6’4, weighs 218 pounds, and can clear the porch in a big way. He blasted Filip Forsberg with a clean hit last season, to which Forsberg did not return back to the game, “I thought it was a clean hit, and an unfortunate result.”
Ristolainen, plays with an edge and he possesses solid puck moving skills as he likes to be involved with the play. John Tortorella is on record saying, “He’s just played well defensively.”
“He’s our most improved player. He deserves to be put in all situations.” – John Tortorella on Rasmus Ristolainen
Rasmus had a good relationship with Tortorella last season, and even credits Torts with making him better, “It’s pretty simple and clear. It’s honest. I think the way he is, the way he coaches, he probably gets the most out of me. That’s what I appreciate, the honesty, good or bad. Sometimes I’ll need a little push and a kick in the a**,” Ristolainen said.
Risto logged an average ice time of 19:01 for the orange and black last season, and he could be a top pairing/middle pairing defenseman this coming season. Ristolainen also tallied three goals, and chipped in 17 assists in 74 games played. He was just a confident player, and one can sense it, “I think my game has been getting better every game. I like where my game is at now,” Ristolainen said.
It’s great to see Ristolainen playing well. He’s actually a good player finally, and has battled well. Risto was in the right position to block a shot, and he used his stick well to break up a play believe it or not. His quick zone exits were timely, and it fueled the Flyers offensively. All in all it’s good to finally see Ristolainen playing like the player he was supposed to play like when Chuck Fletcher obtained him from Buffalo. Hopefully, he builds off his success from last season.
“Sometimes I’ll need a little push and a kick in the a**,” Ristolainen said.
After Flyers’ General Manager Danny Briere moved Ivan Provorov and Tony DeAngelo this past offseason. On paper Ristolainen is now one of the best defensemen for the orange and black. What a change of events this is after a dismal 2021-22 season for Ristolainen. The Flyers defense is now lead by Ristolainen, Travis Sanheim, Cam York, Marc Staal, and Nick Seeler.
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