Again on the commerce deadline, the Maple Leafs and Flyers made one of many greater trades of the day with Toronto choosing up middle Scott Laughton. Nevertheless, it seems that Laughton wasn’t the one veteran Flyer they have been going after as Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch relays that Toronto additionally made a severe run for defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen on the deadline, with a league supply suggesting that the Maple Leafs made a really robust supply however have been rebuffed.
The 30-year-old has been in commerce hypothesis for the final couple of years now however he wasn’t moved on the 2024 deadline with the crew nonetheless within the combine for a playoff spot. Effectively out of rivalry by then this season, Ristolainen was believed to have extra of an opportunity of shifting, though it seems GM Daniel Briere set a really excessive asking worth.
Ristolainen loved a bounce-back 12 months in 2024-25, choosing up 19 factors in 63 video games, his second-best output during the last 5 seasons. Extra importantly, he upped his enjoying time by almost 4 minutes per recreation in comparison with the 12 months earlier than, going from being a depth piece to certainly one of former head coach John Tortorella’s extra trusted choices.
Because it seems, the deadline might need been the very best time for the Flyers to maneuver Ristolainen. Quickly after the deadline, he was shut down with an upper-body damage. Then final month, he underwent triceps surgery, a process that carries a restoration timeline of six months, which means that Ristolainen will miss coaching camp and the primary couple of weeks of the common season. Speculatively, groups will wish to make sure that he has absolutely recovered from that earlier than placing forth their greatest efforts to amass him and the ultimate two years left on his deal that carries a $5.1M cap cost.
On the floor, it appears unlikely that Toronto would rekindle its curiosity. After failing to amass Ristolainen, GM Brad Treliving turned his focus to buying defenseman Brandon Carlo to seemingly fill the identical top-four position that they have been probably viewing Ristolainen to fill. With their high six on the again finish intact and a few distinguished free brokers up entrance, reshaping the ahead group will probably be Toronto’s high precedence within the coming weeks. However with a comparatively skinny free agent marketplace for right-shot blueliners, Briere ought to count on to be receiving some cellphone calls about Ristolainen as soon as once more this offseason.
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