The Philadelphia Flyers are near the bottom of the Eastern Conference at this time. Philadelphia had some hope that new head coach Rick Tocchet could help them become postseason contenders sooner rather than later. However, things have not worked out as everyone envisioned, at least for season one.
There are certainly some positives to speak about. Chief among them is the turnaround from beleaguered trade acquisition Trevor Zegras. Zegras has already posted his best offensive totals since 2022-23. And he is on pace to set new career highs offensively in his debut campaign with Philadelphia.
At the same time, there seems to be some drama around the team. Matvei Michkov is the Flyers' top prospect, but he has struggled to truly find his footing at the NHL level. Additionally, there is speculation about a potential disconnect between Michkov and Tocchet.
No matter what you believe, the fact is the Flyers haven't been good enough. They sit tied for third-worst in the Eastern Conference. They are eight points back of a playoff spot. And they have five games to try to improve their standing before the NHL Trade Deadline.
It's likely the Flyers will try to trade some players and recoup future assets. In this regard, there is one player who must be on his way out of town before the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline.
It's time for Flyers to trade Rasmus Ristolainen
The Flyers made a massive trade for Rasmus Ristolainen back in 2021. Philadelphia parted with Robert Hagg, a first-round pick, and a third-round pick to get the former top prospect from the Buffalo Sabres. So far, the acquisition cost doesn't look too steep. But in the early days, this trade looked rough.
Ristolainen did not hit the ground running with the Flyers. However, he did eventually find his footing in the City of Brotherly Love. While not the top-pairing defenseman the Flyers hoped for, “Risto” is still a very capable defender, especially in his end of the ice.
There are some risks involved, of course. This year, Ristolainen has only skated in 19 games. He made his season debut in December after suffering a triceps injury. In January, he went on injured reserve for a brief time, as well.
The injury concerns are something acquiring teams will need to consider. Ristolainen has skated in a full 82 games just once in his career. Additionally, he has not skated in more than 65 games in a single season since 2022-23. There is an injury history that will almost certainly affect his trade value.
In saying this, the Flyers need to sell when his value is at its peak. And that could very well be right now. While a trade in the summer does make sense, it would be as a rental. Ristolainen will be an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2027. If they trade him now, the acquiring team gets him for this stretch run and a full season afterward.
The Flyers do have more attractive trade candidates on the roster. This rings especially true if general manager Daniel Briere elects to make one of his star wingers available. However, those deals can wait. A Rasmus Ristolainen trade needs to happen sooner rather than later if they want to ensure they get good value. And there is no better time than the upcoming 2026 NHL Trade Deadline on March 6th.
