It’s been another trying year for the Buffalo Sabres, losing their coach and finishing dead last in the NHL. You can forgive a veteran player not wanting to go through that again, which makes Rasmus Ristolainen’s comments to reporters including John Vogl of The Athletic and Mike Harrington of the Buffalo News today not much of a surprise:
I’m open for all the ideas. Right now, it’s hard. Obviously the season just ended so, yeah, I’m frustrated and I’m pissed and it sucks. So I told him I’m open for all the scenarios: staying or if he trades me, I’m fine with that too.
For me, I can’t go for another rebuild or wait multiple years. For me. I mean, we have to get to playoffs next year. For me, it’s either here or then somewhere else.
Ristolainen has now been in Buffalo for eight seasons but has yet to step foot on the ice of an NHL playoff game. He has seen six different coaches behind the bench since his debut in 2013, but none of them were able to get the team to even a .500 record. The 26-year-old defenseman has been a big part of those losses, averaging nearly 24 minutes a night throughout his Buffalo career, only to post an eye-popping -163 rating in 542 games. While +/- has its obvious flaws, Ristolainen has also posted poor possession numbers throughout his career and is likely playing a bigger role than he is truly capable of.
That is part of the problem in Buffalo, as the team hasn’t been able to truly build out the depth of the program even while selecting at the top of the draft. The chatter surrounding captain Jack Eichel continues to increase, while first-overall pick Rasmus Dahlin also experienced regression this season, posting just 23 points in 56 games.
As painful as it will be, the Sabres may need to try a rebuild again, moving out veterans like Ristolainen who don’t have much term left. The right-handed defenseman is signed through next season at a $5.4MM cap hit but is scheduled for free agency in the summer of 2022. Sam Reinhart, who is also one season away from UFA status, doesn’t even have a contract for next year yet. He told reporters that he doesn’t want to go through a rebuild either and hasn’t thought about his next contract yet. Reinhart is an arbitration-eligible restricted free agent this offseason.
GM Kevyn Adams has a busy summer in front of him, deciding which direction to take the Sabres for 2021-22.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
To call Risto blunt is softening him up too much. He is brutally candid, and I suspect that he’s surprised when others fail to take his words at face value. He’s played a ton of games in the NHL without even a sniff at a playoff game. He’s never even been in a race for a playoff spot.
If he’s willing to stay or to go, who’s to blame him?
Personally I hope he stays since that makes my #55 sweater more relevant. Objectively speaking, however, he may be more valuable to the Sabres at this juncture as trade bait. Moving him also frees up a spot for someone like Will Borgen to be protected from Seattle.
“ight, imma head out”
Ahh- ite den.
Risto…from…Finland
Laine…from…Finland
Both brutally honest, which equals refreshing candor in my book. On the one hand, I’d like to see what he can do IF Pegulas, Inc. have the smarts to keep Donnie Granato for the long haul. And, on the other hand, understand his reluctance in wanting to stay there. What could he do on a better team? How many other teammates of his in BUF, along with his venerable Captain, will be coming forth offering to trade themselves out for the good of the organization?
It’s with a heavy sports fan heart that the Sabres need to just blow it all up and start over! Pegulas screwed the pooch on any (what very little it had) chance on making it work! The have no business being involved in anything related to constructing a roster. They bought the team and should just write the checks and butt out of anything else. Be owners and that’s it! Lose any other title his wife currently holds too and put her on the yacht and sail far away from the team if it’s going to have any chance of being successful