Trade proposal sends defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen to the Edmonton Oilers
Photo credit: Micheline Veluvolu
With the Edmonton Oilers looking to find someone to fill in Evander Kane's role in the lineup, one Philly Flyers analyst suggested making a deal with the team for Rasmus Ristolainen.
The Edmonton Oilers are easily one of the top teams in the NHL right now, with seemingly all serious analysts expecting them to remain the favorites for the Stanley Cup for the foreseeable future. However, the team has hit a bump in the road recently, as they just confirmed that one of their players is not set to be available for at least the first portion of the 2024-25 regular season. This is, of course, the controversial enforcer Evander Kane, who will be heading into surgery to repair the sports hernia he suffered through last season.
With Evander Kane a likely LTIR player, the Edmonton Oilers needed another player who could fill in the role of an enforcer. Longtime employee and associate for the team Bob Stauffer announced that he fully expects the team to pick up a strong second-pairing right defenseman. He added they hope to get someone with a little more time left on their current contract terms.
While this seemed like a high ask for the Oilers, one Philly Hockey Now contributor made his case for one player from the Philadelphia Flyers. NHL analyst Jonathan Bailey suggested former Buffalo Sabres defenseman and 2013 8th overall draft pick Rasmus Ristolainen. The 30-year-old defenseman has three more years on his contract with a $5.1 million cap hit, which is very close to that of Evander Kane.
"Many Western Conference teams have scouted the Flyers a good amount over the last year or so, and the Oilers were one of them. The one name that fits Stauffer's criteria is Flyers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen, who has three years remaining on his contract at a $5.1 million cap hit.
Coincidentally, that cap hit is almost exactly the same as Kane's."
Coincidentally, that cap hit is almost exactly the same as Kane's."
Rasmus Ristolainen is a 6'4" defenseman with more than a decade of NHL experience. He also has a proven scoring ability, posting 52 goals and 285 total points in 713 career games. This last season, though, he had a less-than-impressive showing, after only playing 31 games and having to step away for tricep surgery. While he may be back to his standard physical health, the Flyers may still look to send him off in favor of younger players who could prove as less of a liability on defense, which could result in a better deal for the Oilers than fans may first believe.
"It is worth noting that Ristolainen, 29, is coming off a season-ending triceps injury and has not played in an NHL game since Feb. 10. A Stanley Cup contender like the Oilers would be taking a huge risk in a potential Ristolainen trade, given the fact that he has not shown that he's back to his old self following the surgery and subsequent rehab.
And, although the Flyers have managed to get the best out of Ristolainen under the tutelage of coaches John Tortorella and Brad Shaw, the organization may feel slightly more inclined to move Ristolainen if a suitable offer comes in due to his age.
Ristolainen will turn 30 years old shortly after the start of the regular season on Oct. 27, and with young defensemen like Emil Andrae, Ronnie Attard, and Adam Ginning knocking on the door for an opportunity, the Flyers may have to make some sacrifices one way or the other."
And, although the Flyers have managed to get the best out of Ristolainen under the tutelage of coaches John Tortorella and Brad Shaw, the organization may feel slightly more inclined to move Ristolainen if a suitable offer comes in due to his age.
Ristolainen will turn 30 years old shortly after the start of the regular season on Oct. 27, and with young defensemen like Emil Andrae, Ronnie Attard, and Adam Ginning knocking on the door for an opportunity, the Flyers may have to make some sacrifices one way or the other."
The Edmonton Oilers start their season on Wednesday, October 9th against the Winnipeg Jets. With only a few weeks to come to a deal with a proper replacement for Evander Kane, they may want to hop on a deal with Ramsus Ristolainen before too late.
Source: Hockey Feed
Proposed trade between Oilers and Flyers includes former 1st round pick.
Proposed trade between Oilers and Flyers includes former 1st round pick.
| POLL | ||
15 SEPTEMBRE | 49 ANSWERS Trade proposal sends defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen to the Edmonton Oilers Is Rasmus Ristolainen the right pick to fill in for Evander Kane's spot on the Edmonton Oilers | ||
| Yes | 22 | 44.9 % |
| No | 17 | 34.7 % |
| Even with another player | 4 | 8.2 % |
| No opinion | 6 | 12.2 % |
| LIST OF POLLS | ||
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