Well, we finally know what kept Rasmus Ristolainen out for the last few weeks of the season. Ristolainen hadn't appeared in a game for the Flyers since March 11. He had also missed some time to start the season as well. It was listed as an upper body injury at the time, as NHL injuries tend to be designated. Turns out, it was a tricep injury. It was the same tricep he injured last season.
Philly fans know a lot about injuries to triceps. Eagles legend Brandon Graham tore a tricep during this season and then retore it during the Super Bowl. They are a complicated injury to come back from and require a lot of time to rehab. It is expected, as of right now, that Ristolainen could miss some time in the 2025-26 season. This is going to give general manager Daniel Briere another thing to worry about this offseason.
So, as we go into the offseason, this is going to be a key injury to keep an eye on. Let's take a deep dive into what this injury means for him and the Flyers.
What This Means For Ristolainen
Much like Graham, Ristolainen is on the wrong side of 30. Granted, Graham has a few years on him, but Ristolainen will turn 31 soon after the start of the Flyers' season. You tend not to heal as quickly as you do when you are younger. Plus, if this is a reaggravated injury, it will need a lot more TLC to recover quickly.
As stated earlier, he is expected to miss the start of the season. How much is that? Well, remember Sean Couturier was supposed to miss the start of the season a few years ago and missed the whole season. Same with Ryan Ellis. We have no timetable for this injury. He had surgery to repair the muscle this past April, but we don't know what sort of rehab program he will take. It could take a few games, it could take a few months. Because of his injury history, this one will have to be handled delicately if he is a guy that the team has any hope or interest in him playing next season.
What This Means for the Flyers
Well, first of all, if they were going to trade him, as a lot of speculation has been given, that's out. Nobody is going to trade for a guy whose availability is greatly in question. It was thought that, since he wasn't moved at the trade deadline, he could be moved in the offseason. Granted, there are those teams who trade for injured players so they can be cap floor compliant, but most of the time, you get nothing for those guys.
Unless Briere is going to trade him for a seventh-round pick just to dump a $5.1 million salary, he's staying in Philly for a while longer. He's got two more years on his deal, and he is not going anywhere.
External Options to Replace Ristolainen
Ok, the Flyers are going to need to replace Ristolainen on the ice. Who can they acquire? If we go to the list of NHL free agents on defense, the Flyers have a lot to choose from. Will any of them choose Philadelphia is a different question.
Jakob Chychrun took himself off the market by signing an eight-year deal with the Capitals last month. Some of the best options would include Brent Burns, Ivan Provorov, Aaron Ekblad, Ryan Lindgren, and Brian Dumoulin. Burns is over 40 and will probably stay in Carolina. Would the Flyers want a reunion with Provorov? Probably not. Ekblad could be a cap casualty in Florida, but they may try to do anything to keep him. The others are also on the wrong side of 30.
K'Andre Miller and Evan Bouchard are two of the top RFAs available. Miller might be a fun player to purge from the Rangers or force them to pay higher. Even making him an offer to drive up the price might be a fun trick to try.
If you want to make a trade, there is Erik Karlsson. He is one of the better options available. After him, the Flyers might have to kick the tires on Šimon Nemec, who wants out of Jersey. We'll have to see who is available.
Internal Options to Replace Ristolainen
The best options are the ones the Flyers already have and are familiar with. For prospects like Emil Andrae, Helge Grans, Adam Ginning, and Hunter McDonald, this is their chance to make that jump from the AHL to the NHL. This is also a chance for first-rounder Oliver Bonk to impress in camp and showcase his skills.
If the Flyers choose to use their salary cap and trade assets more to shore up the center, wing, and goalie positions, these internal options might be the best, as well as cheapest, ways to solve the problem of Ristolainen being out. And if he returns sooner than expected, we are okay. If he is fine, we could trade him if the young player turns out to be a boon for the defense.