Photo Credit: Rasmus Ristolainen Twitter (@rasmrist55)
Flyers’ General Manager Chuck Fletcher was left with a gaping hole on the blue line when Matt Niskanen officially announced his retirement one day before the NHL Draft was set to commence approximately two years ago. Niskanen was a very reliable Right-Handed Defenseman that was on the top pairing, while being paired with a work-horse in Ivan Provorov.
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 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 years end.
However, Fletcher said, “The goal when we traded for him was to keep him.” This quote is telling, it appears that Fletcher and the Flyers will try to re-sign Ristolainen before the trade deadline commences on March 21st. Do not be surprised if the Flyers announce a contract extension in the coming weeks leading up to the trade deadline.
Well, Ristolainen officially inked an extension today for five-years $25.5 million, worth an AAV (Annual Average) of $5.1 million, “I want to keep putting that jersey on and play for the city and the fans. I want to be here when we turn it around.”
On the surface this is a pay cut from what was reportedly offered to Ristolainen of a 6-year $37.8 million dollar contract ($6.3 million AAV). I wrote on this recently, in which I said Ristolainen would re-sign much lower than that in my Weekly Mailbag. I mention this because there was a lot of misinformation, in many did not want Ristolainen re-signed because of such.
“Risto’s” Offerings
“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 177 hits in 49 games played, which is an average of 3.61 hits per game. When was the last defenseman that was this physical?
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 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, “You always want to play against those top teams to see where you are at,” Ristolainen said earlier in the season.
“Risto” eats minutes, and that is what the Flyers needed, as he has averaged 21:22 of ice time per night this season. He pairs effectively with Travis Sanheim, as Ristolainen sees sort of a reduced role with the orange and black. Contrary to some belief, Ristolainen has played solid hockey while donning a Flyers jersey, so it comes as no surprise that Fletcher wanted to lock him up before he hit free agency this offseason.
Outstanding !!!!!!