Rasmus Ristolainen…Extend or Trade?
We are just 18 days away from the NHL Trade Deadline and with the Flyers likely being sellers based off how poorly this season has gone the rumors are going to be hot hot hot in the coming weeks. One of the biggest names from the team that could be a hot topic is defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen.
After trading for Ristolainen last off-season, it appeared the plan was for him to eventually re-sign after giving up a first and second round pick along with Robert Hagg to get him. However, based on the team’s performance this year and Ristolainen being a pending UFA teams are sure to be interested. Which brings me to the point of this blog, should the Flyers extend him or should they trade him?
Personally, I have loved the way Ristolainen has played this year. He was brought in to do exactly what he has been doing so far and he has done his job pretty well. He’s brought the physical element that the Flyers have lacked and his defensive play is nowhere near as bad as people had made it out to be when the trade first was announced. The only problem has been how frequently Ristolainen has had to play due to the injury to Ryan Ellis. He was brought in to be the second/third pair defenseman and has had to play a lot more since Ellis only appeared in four games. Again, he hasn’t been bad by any means but let’s not pretend he’s a top pair defenseman.
With those extended minutes however comes the problem with extending Ristolainen. He could be asking for more money than he is actually worth. I’m on team re-sign him if you can bring him back in the $5-$6 million dollar range for maybe 5-6 years but if he is looking for $7-$8 million dollar range than it is time to start picking up the phone and making some calls.
Now, if they are going to trade Ristolainen you HAVE to get back at minimum what you gave up to get him if not more. Two draft picks and a player is a lot to give up for a guy who you only kept for one season. You absolutely can not let him walk without getting anything in return. Any trade including him needs to bring back one first round pick, a 2nd or 3rd round pick and a prospect of some degree. If the Flyers plan is to move him Chuck Fletcher can not screw this one up because if he does I personally am going down to the Wells Fargo Center and removing him from his office, changing the locks and giving the keys to Danny Briere.
The next few weeks are going to be interesting for the future of the Flyers and anything I hear I will put out to you guys. Oh and by the way, the Flyers play the Wild tonight after getting shutout by the Oilers on Tuesday. Be sure to tune in as you can almost guarantee former Flyers goaltender Cam Talbot will have a shutout and the Flyers will lose 4-0 it should be fun!!!
-Walsh