It’s time for another edition of NHL rumours. We’re over a month away from the March 7 NHL trade deadline. However, we’ve already seen some blockbuster deals happen. Some may think the deadline deals may dry up. However, there’s still plenty of chatter on the hot stove. Teams have to decide if they are going to push their chips into the middle of the table. One team that will have to make a decision soon is the Philadelphia Flyers. This edition of NHL rumours deals with one defenceman that could be on the market.
All NHL rumours come from the original source and are subject to change.
NHL Rumours
Philadelphia Flyers Blueliner Could Garner Trade Interest
Rumour: The Athletic’s Chris Johnston released his latest trade board and Flyers defenceman Rasmus Ristolainen is fifth on the list. Johnston’s latest trade board was released before the New York Rangers and Vancouver Canucks pulled off the J.T. Miller trade on Friday night.
Analysis: We’ve talked about the availability of the Finnish defender in a previous edition of NHL rumours. Ristolainen is an unrestricted free agent at the end of the 2027 season, so he’s got some time left. The veteran defenceman also carries a $5.1 million cap hit.
Ristolainen has had plenty of struggles in Philadelphia, but he’s made strides in the last 18 months. He’s become a more-reliable defender at this end of the ice. The 30-year-old may not have had troubles living up to his price tag. However, he’s become a rugged defender and could be useful in the bottom-pairing of a contending team.
Philadelphia may not have a lot of rental players left that other clubs could eye. This is especially true after sending Morgan Frost and Joel Farabee to the Calgary Flames. Players like Scott Laughton could get some looks, but teams in need of defence could knock on Daniel Briere‘s door as we approach the trade deadline.
What it Means
There could be some things that may hold up a deal for Ristolainen. He does have some term left on his contract and that could scare off some teams. This means the Flyers may have to do some salary retention in order to facilitate a deal.
Philadelphia can retain up to 50-perent of Ristolainen’s cap hit, which translates to over $2.5 million. Briere keeping some of the cap hit will likely make other teams able to absorb the cap hit a bit easier.
The Flyers are five points off the second wild card spot in the Eastern Conference heading into Saturday’s games. Philadelphia is still mathematically alive for a Stanley Cup Playoff spot. However, it seems the Flyers might be in the market to acquire some assets.
There are some good building blocks on this roster. However, the trade deadline could serve as an opportunity for the team to get some more pieces. It may be hard to move Ristolainen at the deadline. However, it’s not completely impossible. Teams need defence and a veteran blueliner like Ristolainen could be on the radar of teams that need to beef up their backend.
Main photo by: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
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