This Flyers defenseman is continuing to create chatter in the rumor mill..
As of late, Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen has been talked about a lot in the rumor mill. This is only continuing to be the case, as NHL insider Chris Johnston has the veteran defenseman at the No. 9 spot in his latest trade board for The Athletic.
Here is what Johnston wrote about Ristolainen as a trade candidate:
"The retooling Flyers are short on rental players to take to market in the lead-up to the deadline, but they could probably be compelled to part with the big, physical defenseman (Ristolainen) if the right deal came along."
Johnston also noted that the Flyers may need to retain a portion of Ristolainen's $5.1 million cap hit. This is a common opinion regarding Ristolainen in potential trade talks, as he is under contract until the end of the 2026-27 season.
If the Flyers are willing to retain some of Ristolainen's salary in a potential move, it would naturally increase his value. Playoff teams are always looking for big, mean, right-shot defensemen, and Ristolainen fits that description. In addition, he can jump up to the top four if needed and works on the penalty kill because of his shutdown ability.
Nevertheless, there is no question that Ristolainen will be a player to watch as we get closer to the deadline. It will be intriguing to see if the Flyers end up dealing him from here.
