On Friday (Dec. 6), the NHL witnessed a significant trade. The New York Rangers sent their former captain Jacob Trouba to the Anaheim Ducks in return for defenseman Urho Vaakanainen and a fourth-round draft selection. Check out the original article for embedded media. With Trouba’s departure, the interest in Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen might […]
On Friday (Dec. 6), the NHL witnessed a significant trade. The New York Rangers sent their former captain Jacob Trouba to the Anaheim Ducks in return for defenseman Urho Vaakanainen and a fourth-round draft selection.
Check out the original article for embedded media.
With Trouba’s departure, the interest in Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen might intensify further.
Before his trade to the Ducks, Trouba attracted considerable attention, and it’s plausible that some of those teams might now focus on Ristolainen. Similar to Trouba, Ristolainen is a physical right-shot defenseman capable of handling top-four minutes. Teams that showed interest in Trouba include the Columbus Blue Jackets, Detroit Red Wings, and Ottawa Senators.
Moreover, following Trouba’s trade, Ristolainen could be viewed as the premier right-shot defenseman with years left on his deal. Therefore, there exists the potential for him to generate interest from both playoff contenders and non-playoff teams. This is especially true if the Flyers are willing to retain some of his $5.1 million salary cap hit.
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© Brett Holmes-Imagn Images
Ristolainen, 30, has participated in 26 games this season, recording one goal, eight points, 50 hits, and a plus-2 rating. He has also been performing well offensively, achieving five assists over his last six games.
It will be intriguing to observe whether interest in Ristolainen increases now that Trouba has been traded.
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The recent trade of Jacob Trouba from the New York Rangers to the Anaheim Ducks marks a pivotal moment in the NHL, potentially shifting the focus towards Rasmus Ristolainen of the Philadelphia Flyers. With Trouba’s physical play and experience now off the market, Ristolainen could emerge as a top target for teams looking to bolster their defense. His solid performance this season, including a notable offensive contribution, only adds to his appeal. It’ll be fascinating to see how this trade influences the market dynamics and the interest in Ristolainen moving forward!