The NHL is on a trade freeze until 11:59 PM ET on Feb. 22 due to the Olympics. When teams resume play, they will need to decide quickly on their moves at the Trade Deadline, which is at 3 PM ET on Mar. 6. One of the teams with a decision to make is the Philadelphia Flyers. The Flyers are 25-20-11 on the year, which places them in sixth place in the Metropolitan Division, but only eight points out of a playoff spot.
The Flyers have previously signaled that Rasmus Ristolainen could be available in the trade market. He is a strong right-shot defender, and with the defender still being under contract for the 2026-27 campaign, will be a sought-after commodity.
Ristolainen was the eighth overall selection of the 2013 NHL Draft by the Buffalo Sabres. He joined the franchise in the 2013-14 campaign, playing 34 games with the Rochester Americans, the AHL affiliate of the Sabres. The blueliner would also break into the NHL that year, playing 34 games with the NHL squad as well. He became an NHL regular the next season, consistently playing 70-plus games and being an offensive threat for the team. In the summer of 2021, he was traded to the Philadelphia Flyers.
He signed a contract extension with the Flyers in 2022, which has an AAV of $5.1 million and runs through the end of next season. Ristolainen has not been as durable with the Flyers as he was with the Sabres. He has yet to play a full season and has consistently dealt with injuries. He has played just 19 games, missing time with an upper-body injury. In his 19 games, he has one goal and five assists, also well below his normal offensive output. While his play with the Flyers has not been as good as it was with the Sabres, a fresh start could do him well, and multiple teams will be interested in his services.
Could the Maple Leafs add to their defense?
One of the teams that could make sense for adding the blueliner would be the Toronto Maple Leafs. They are in a similar situation as the Flyers, currently six points outside of a playoff spot. Still, if they decide to make a push for the playoffs, adding the blueliner would make a lot of sense. To begin with, while the defense has been strong on the penalty kill, sitting fifth in the NHL, they have struggled overall on defense. The Leafs are 27th in the NHL in goals against per game. The team was also interested in Ristolainen last year, but opted to trade for Brandon Carlo. With Chris Tanev out for the season, the team needs a right-shot defender once again this year.
Ristolainen could fit on the second or third defensive pairings, with either Oliver Ekman-Larsson or Simon Benoit. Even though his production has not been the same over the last few seasons, his expected goals against per 60 minutes of ice time is better than both Troy Stecher and Philippe Myers. Beyond his help on the defensive side of the ice, if the former first-round pick could find his offense again, it would be a major upgrade for the Leafs.
From 2015-16 through 2018-19, he scored over 40 points in each season. His high with the Flyers was 20 points in 2022-23. The Leafs need offensive production from the blue line. Only Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Morgan Rielly have over 20 points from the blueline this season. The team does not have a lot of assets to move in order to make this trade happen, but if they can figure out how to work on the compensation, this trade would make sense for the club.
The Oilers need another blue liner
The Edmonton Oilers' offense is phenomenal, and has been for some time. In 2023-24, the team was fourth in the NHL in goals per game while sitting fourth on the powerplay. The next season was a slight drop, sitting 11th in goals per game and 11th on the powerplay as they made a run to their second straight Stanley Cup Final. This year, the offense is continuing its normal dominance. At 3.41 goals per game, the Oilers are fourth in the league, while also having the best man-advantage unit.
The downfall of the Oilers has been on the defensive end of the ice. They have tried to address goaltending, but also need help in front of their netminder as well. Edmonton is currently giving up 3.29 goals per game, which is 25th in the league. Further, they are 26th on the penalty kill. Ristolainen would fit well on the second defensive pairing with Darnell Nurse, allowing Jake Walman to move to the third rotation.
Further, adding Ristolainen would give a solid shot block presence, as long as he stays healthy. In recent years, when healthy, he has been near five shots blocked per 60 minutes, which would be one of the better rates on the Oilers. Meanwhile, his defensive zone takeaway rate has consistently been one of the best on the Flyers, and would also be a massive addition to the Oilers.
One of the biggest snags to making this happen would be the compensation for the Flyers. The Oilers do not have a 2026 first-round pick, but they do have one for 2026, plus some solid prospects they can move. The Oilers would need the Flyers to retain some of the salary of their blueliner to make this trade happen, which will lead to the Oilers needing to give more up to obtain him. If the two front offices can find an agreement, this would be a solid deal for the Oilers.
Ristolainen fits well with the Ducks
The Anaheim Ducks are looking to qualify for the playoffs for the first time since 2017-18. They are in a great position to do just that. The Ducks are 30-23-3 on the year, which places them tied in points with the Seattle Kraken for third in the Pacific Division, but are behind the Kraken based on tie breaker. Still, they are currently in a wild-card spot, three points in front of the Los Angeles Kings.
The Ducks are 29th in the NHL in opponent goals per game while sitting 22nd on the penalty kill. The current top pairing for the Ducks is Jackson LaCombe and Jacob Trouba. They are both in the top 50 for worst expected goals per 60 minutes and high danger chances against per 60 minutes in the NHL. The combination has not worked well for the Ducks, and switching things up could be good for the Ducks.
The problem is that they do not have strong right-side defenders behind Trouba. Currently, Radko Gudas and Ian Moore are the other two right-side defenders, and both rank worse than Trouba in allowing high danger shots. The Ducks need to add to their blue line for the stretch run of the season if they want to break their playoff drought.
Anaheim also has plenty of draft capital that they can move in order to add Ristolainen. The Flyers' blueliner would be an instant upgrade for the Ducks, plus the Ducks can handle his salary without needing the Flyers to retain some of his salary. While the Ducks may not be willing to make the big move yet, if they do, this is the perfect one to make.
