The Philadelphia Flyers have placed defenceman Rasmus Ristolainen on injured reserve. Philadelphia team officials announced that it will be an upper-body injury that will have him out for five weeks. News of the injury came on Tuesday night.
Injury Update: Flyers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen (upper body) has been placed on Injured Reserve.
— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) February 15, 2022
Rasmus Risolainen Out for Flyers
The 27-year-old suffered the injury on Feb. 9 against the Detroit Red Wings. He’s been out of the lineup since then, but skated away from the team in recent days.
The Turku, Finland native has two goals and nine assists for 11 points in 49 games in his first season with the Flyers. His Corsi for is 44.9 and his relative Corsi is -4.0.
Ristolainen has played for the Buffalo Sabres and the Flyers in his nine-year NHL career. He has 48 goals and 208 assists for 256 points in 584 career games. Buffalo drafted the defenceman in the first overall, eighth overall of the 2013 NHL Draft. The Finn was traded in the off-season to the Flyers for Robert Hagg and draft picks. One of those choices is a first-rounder in the last draft and a second-rounder in 2023.
He’s reperesented his country at the international level and won gold at the 2014 IIHF World Junior Championships. Ristolainen last played for his country at the 2016 World Championships
What it Means
Philadelphia was down to six healthy defenders after Ristolainen was placed on IR. However, the main concern may be at the upcoming trade deadline.
The Finnish defenceman is an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season and the Flyers may trade him. Philadelphia likely won’t get the return they gave Buffalo. However, the Flyers might need to get something before the off-season. He could be an asset for a contending team that needs some help on defence.
Ristolainen joins players like Ryan Ellis, Kevin Hayes and others on the injured reserve. It’s been a nightmare season for the Flyers and this injury just piles onto everything.
