Every year, some people think the Flyers will move someone at the trade deadline or in the offseason. For the last few seasons, Scott Laughton was a popular target for such speculation as he is a steady, reliable player. Likewise, the perceived tension between head coach John Tortorella and Morgan Frost has seemingly made the young winger "expendable" in the minds of many armchair GMs.
When it comes to the NHL trade deadline, you can never think too far ahead. No matter how well or poorly a team is doing, you can't always forecast the future of what a team could need or give up. Last year, it was around this time that some chatter began to form around Sean Walker and his value in a trade. Sure enough, he garnered the Flyers a first-rounder.
So, which Flyers right now is creating buzz? Which one are "experts' looking at?
Could Ristolainen be on the Move?
In a recent article, Anthony DiMarco wondered aloud if Rasmus Ristolainen could be this year's Sean Walker. Is he right?
First of all, defensive players are always a premium at deadline time. Some teams are trying to replace an injured player while others are stockpiling blueliners for a deep playoff run. Much like strong bullpen arms in the MLB, you can never have enough defenders on your roster.
Secondly, if we look at the players the Flyers have on the roster, it becomes a little clearer. Travis Sanheim is locked up until 2031. Nick Seeler, a favorite of Tortorella's, will be here for three more seasons. Cam York and Jamie Drysdale are both young and developing and could have a lot of promise in them. Ditto for Egor Zamula and Emil Andrae. Erik Johnson is an older vet who could also be moved at the deadline as he fills a Justin Braun/Marc Staal mentor role on the team. It is possible he could be traded, but it would only be for a lower-end draft pick.
This leaves Ristolainen. With young prospects like Oliver Bonk, Adam Ginning, Spencer Gill, and Hunter McDonald possibly making their push to the NHL soon, someone could be out. Ristolainen would be the most likely casualty.
The first thing here is is he healthy? Last year, he struggled to stay on the roster. He played in just 31 games. So far, he's appeared in all 13 games and has a goal and an assist. Physically, he seems like he is back. He leads all Flyers' defenders with 27 hits. He also has 19 blocked shots and six takeaways. That's not bad. His over 19 minutes of ice time is behind only Sanheim and Drysdale on the blueline crew.
So, he seems healthy and he is playing up to what the Flyers had hoped for. Are there any possible complications? Well, there is his contract. He has two more years on his contract past this season at $5.1 million. That might be too rich for some teams but it could be just right. It also depends if the Flyers have to pay some of that. For a team that is also paying money for Kevin Hayes, Tony DeAngelo, and Cam Atkinson, that could be too high of a price to pay for a team that is super salary cap-strapped.
What Could Ristolainen Fetch?
The Flyers also have three first-round picks this year. Four could be nice, although it might be nicer to stash that pick for 2026 or 2027 when, hopefully, the Flyers' pick could be a little lower down.
What it comes down to is the market for a defender like Ristolainen. If a lot of teams are sniffing around for a player of his caliber, his stock could rise. If Daniel Briere's phone is silent, the price for him comes way down. We'll have to see. However, as the season wears on, this could be something to pay attention to.