Evening Notes: Ristolainen, Copp, Stanley
With the dust mostly settled from last Friday’s trade deadline, stories continue to emerge. Anthony DiMarco of The Daily Faceoff wrote on Philadelphia’s decision to retain Rasmus Ristolainen despite being a long way from playoff contention.
It is thought that the Flyers sought a Brandon Carlo-type package for the 31-year-old, with a first-round pick and a notable prospect. Unconventional is a word which could describe Philadelphia’s trade deadline, as their headlining move was dealing young forward Bobby Brink to Minnesota in exchange for David Jiříček.
Reasonable frustration from fans aside, GM Daniel Briere’s focus on the future actually ties into how they handled the Ristolainen situation. Mentioned by DiMarco, the club evaluated its internal right-handed defense pipeline, headlined by Oliver Bonk and the newly-acquired Jiříček. The former has played well with AHL Lehigh Valley, but still just 31 games into his professional career, the Flyers do not want to rush Bonk.
On the other hand, Jiříček is a reclamation project. He failed to record a single point in 25 games with the high flying Wild prior to the trade, with poor possession metrics and AHL output which is hardly anything to write home about either. The former sixth overall pick (2022) will have to find his game with AHL Lehigh Valley before any role with the Flyers becomes a possibility.
The Flyers determined that Ristolainen and his $5.1MM which runs through next year is worth keeping around for now. Even if Briere obtained draft capital for the 6’4” righty, likely below his asking price, it would cost more than their return for a replacement, not to mention the rushing of prospects. The Finn will go into 2026-27 as his sixth season as a Flyer, where he’ll turn 32 in October, and be a near-lock for a trade later on.
Elsewhere across the league:
- The Detroit Red Wings shared mid-game that Andrew Copp won’t return due to a lower body injury. The center was shaken up after a draw with Florida’s Tomáš Nosek, who fell onto his leg. Already without Dylan Larkin, it’s another blow for the club, but thankfully their captain won’t be out for long. Regardless, the Wings passed on the opportunity to acquire a top center at the trade deadline, a decision which may age poorly if Copp will miss an extended period. As it’s a suspected knee injury, there’s reason for much concern. The 31-year-old Michigan native is on pace for his best season in Detroit with 36 points in 64 games, not yet missing a contest this year. He has been great on draws, snapping them back at a 54.6% success rate.
- One suitor forced to pivot from Ristolainen as discussed above, the red-hot Buffalo Sabres welcomed their acquisition Logan Stanley into the lineup tonight per Paul Hamilton of WGR Sports Radio. The former Winnipeg Jet was dealing with visa issues, a common occurrence for players traded between Canada and the United States. Debuting on the third pairing alongside Michael Kesselring, Stanley wasted no time endearing himself to Buffalo fans as he fought San Jose’s Zack Ostapchuk. The 6’7” lefty will try to make noise as a Sabre as he heads into free agency this summer.
Flyers To Retain Rasmus Ristolainen
The Flyers will not be moving right-shot defender Rasmus Ristolainen in the closing minutes before the trade deadline, Anthony Di Marco of Daily Faceoff reports.
Philadelphia had received extensive interest in the 31-year-old, who still has another year left on his deal at a $5.1MM cap hit. That year left allowed Philly to be comfortable setting a relatively high price and sticking to it, opting to hold onto him and try to move him over the summer or as a rental next year (if at all) rather than budge from what they felt he was worth.
The long list of names calling on the Finn included the Sabres, Canadiens, Bruins, Oilers, Stars, and others. Edmonton, Buffalo, and Dallas in particular pivoted to other options in the past few days. Multiple reports indicated Philly was looking for the same return the Bruins received from the Maple Leafs for Brandon Carlo at last year’s deadline. That package included a first-round pick, a fourth-round pick, and an A/B-tier prospect in Fraser Minten.
As such, the Flyers are done after making two trades earlier today – the first sending Bobby Brink to Minnesota for David Jiricek, the second sending Nicolas Deslauriers to the Hurricanes for a seventh-rounder. They also claimed Luke Glendening off waivers from the Devils to give themselves some center help.
Sabres Interested In Rasmus Ristolainen
The Sabres have been connected to the defense market this spring, preferably a right-shot name, as they already have an excess of high-end left-shot options. They haven’t been connected to many specific names yet, though. That changed today as Anthony Di Marco of Daily Faceoff reports the Sabres are “actively in” pursuit of a reunion with Flyers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen.
Ristolainen, the eighth overall pick back in 2013 who struggled for years in extended deployment with Buffalo, has emerged as a much more stable option in sheltered minutes since being traded to the Flyers five years ago. The past two years, though, he’s back to averaging over 20 minutes per game and has largely kept up the improvements in his defensive game. He’s only made 23 appearances this season due to a lengthy recovery from triceps surgery, recording a 1-5–6 scoring line with a -3 rating. His 20:33 average time on ice is his highest since 2021-22, posting a 47.8% Corsi For share and 53.4% expected goals share at even strength.
His strong possession-quality numbers throughout most of his tenure in Philly would be a massively valuable addition to the Sabres if he keeps them up on a Buffalo roster with its best chance at a postseason berth since before Ristolainen was even drafted. Their entire top four group is comprised of lefties at the moment. Their top right-shot option, Michael Kesselring, was expected to fill minutes higher up in the lineup after being acquired from the Mammoth last summer. He has been a virtual non-factor this season, though, mostly because of a rash of injuries limiting him to 27 games.
Incorporating Ristolainen’s full $5.1MM cap hit through next season could be a problem for Buffalo general manager Jarmo Kekälainen, who’s armed with over $14MM in cap space for next season but needs to reserve all of it for new deals for Alex Tuch and Zach Benson. That would either force him to move out a significant salary in the deal, which would likely require an even steeper acquisition price to convince the Flyers to take on an undesirable deal, or to pay a similar premium for Philly to retain a significant chunk of his salary.
Philly’s base-level ask is comparable to what the Bruins netted for Brandon Carlo at last year’s deadline – a first-round pick, a mid-round pick, and a rather high-end forward prospect. The Sabres are certainly equipped with the assets to make that work – Anton Wahlberg fits a similar niche/value range to what Fraser Minten held for the Maple Leafs in that Carlo deal – and Boston retained 15% of Carlo’s salary in that trade. The Sabres would need near max retention to make Ristolainen’s salary work for next season, though, assuming they can’t find a taker for a bloated cap hit like Jordan Greenway‘s $4MM or Conor Timmins‘ $2.2MM.
Latest On Rasmus Ristolainen
With the trade deadline rapidly approaching, one of the top names reportedly available is Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen. It has previously been reported that several teams have checked in on Ristolainen’s status, including the Montreal Canadiens, Boston Bruins, and Edmonton Oilers. Yesterday, The Athletic’s Kevin Kurz reported “momentum is building toward a Ristolainen trade.”
While significant attention has been paid to where the Flyers might trade Ristolainen, less has been paid to what the Flyers might be seeking. Kurz shed some light on that, writing that GM Daniel Briere would need a first-round pick as part of the package just “to consider it.” 
Kurz also added that “it’s likely that Briere is looking at the trade for Brandon Carlo last season” as a comparable in terms of value to Ristolainen.
That’s something Daily Faceoff’s Anthony Di Marco reported earlier this week, and Kurz’s reporting confirms that the Flyers are extremely unlikely to trade Ristolainen unless that kind of package is received.
What Kurz reported that is notable is that the Flyers’ trade work might not end with Ristolainen, and it might not even involve selling.
According to Kurz, “the Flyers are willing to part with draft picks and/or prospects in the system in order to try and find a player or two who can help them in the immediate future.” That’s a notable thing, as the Flyers are currently outside the playoff picture, and have not reached the playoffs since the bubble in Toronto in 2020. They don’t have the profile of a team that would typically surrender future assets for “win-now” players.
This suggests that there could be some pressure in Philadelphia for a quick turnaround, they may not have an appetite to trend further into a rebuild-like direction. With the emergence of Daniel Vladar as a reliable No. 1 goalie, the Flyers’ immediate need for a goalie does not appear as pronounced. Instead, the team’s most significant organizational need is a true No. 1 center. Recent first-round picks Jett Luchanko and Jack Nesbitt are not projected by most scouts to be top-line pivots, so that remains a key organizational building block that is missing.
Whether the Flyers will be able to acquire a No. 1 center without trending further into a rebuild is up in the air. But it appears, at least as far as the next week is concerned, that the team might be looking at a Ristolainen trade as a legitimate, impactful opportunity to add high-end assets to help in their chase of such a player.
Photos courtesy of John Jones-Imagn Images
Canadiens Kicking Tires On Rasmus Ristolainen
Heading for their second consecutive postseason appearance, the Montreal Canadiens are looking on all fronts for trade deadline acquisitions. Earlier today, on 32 Thoughts, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports that the Canadiens have checked in on Rasmus Ristolainen‘s availability.
The main roadblock for any target of Montreal will be their ability to shed cap space. According to PuckPedia, the Canadiens have $1.49MM in space for the deadline, leaving them with very few options. Ristolainen, who’s making a $5.1MM salary through next season, wouldn’t be affordable at this time.
Additionally, it’s not clear where exactly Ristolainen would fit in the Canadiens’ lineup. Montreal already has Lane Hutson, Noah Dobson, Mike Matheson, and Kaiden Guhle in its top four. There’s no indication that the team would be eager to move any of them in a potential trade for Ristolainen, nor should they.
That would only leave room in the bottom pairing for Ristolainen. Theoretically, the team could create a package around Alexandre Carrier ($3.75MM AAV) to make the money work, but it’s unlikely that the Philadelphia Flyers would be interested in him. Still, if Montreal wants to put its defensive corps over the top for the postseason, acquiring a blueliner like Ristolainen would certainly do that.
Injuries have limited his availability over the past few years, but he has consistently performed well when healthy. Over the last two years with Philadelphia, Ristolainen has recorded five goals and 25 points in 84 games with a -2 rating, averaging 20:25 of ice time. Additionally, he’s recorded 122 blocked shots and 118 hits over that stretch, proving his two-way effectiveness.
Regardless, given their financial and roster limitations, it’s unlikely that the Canadiens will acquire Ristolainen. Still, it doesn’t hurt to reach out about any available player leading up to the deadline, especially for a team in Montreal’s position. It is more likely that Ristolainen will end up with a team with a more significant void in their top-four, unlike the Canadiens, if he’s moved at all.
Bruins, Oilers Interested In Rasmus Ristolainen
“Five or six teams” have expressed interest in acquiring Flyers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen during the Olympic break, Anthony Di Marco of Daily Faceoff reports. Among those are the Bruins and Oilers, Di Marco writes, although “neither has stepped up as a ‘serious’ landing spot to this point.”
Ristolainen was a talked-about name heading into last year’s deadline season, too. The 31-year-old enjoyed the best two-way showing of his career in 2024-25, and the Flyers were eager to capitalize on it by landing a high-value return for a reasonably cost-controlled, right-shot defenseman. His market wasn’t as fervent as Philly hoped, though, and he ended up staying with the Flyers past the trade deadline.
At the time, they were reportedly looking for a first-round pick as the starting piece of a package. According to Di Marco, that hasn’t changed. The Flyers are using last year’s Brandon Carlo trade between the Bruins and Maple Leafs as a comparable to set their price. Toronto ended up parting ways with a top-five protected first-round pick, a fourth-rounder, and center prospect Fraser Minten – selected as an early second-rounder not all that long ago – to acquire Carlo, who had an additional two seasons remaining on his deal, with 15% of his salary retained by Boston.
Even assuming Carlo’s and Ristolainen’s on-ice value is equal, the Flyers aren’t in a position to command quite that strong a return. The first-round pick may still be possible, but they’ll be hard-pressed to land a prospect of Minten’s caliber as well. Ristolainen only has one year left on his deal following this season, and his $5.1MM cap hit is a greater chunk of change than what Carlo costs. That’s notwithstanding Ristolainen’s much shoddier long-term record of poor defensive play that’s seen him own a career -183 rating in 795 games.
Still, the 6’4″ Ristolainen seems to have stabilized nicely as a high-end second-to-third-pairing piece in Philadelphia over the past two years. The 2013 eighth overall pick was overtaxed for several years to begin his career in Buffalo, but since the 2023-24 campaign in Philly, he’s consistently posted above-average possession impacts while seeing his usage slowly climb back up to the 20-minute range per game.
Injuries are a concern, though. Issues with his right triceps muscle have ended his season weeks early in back-to-back years. He had a more extensive surgery last year to address the issue that delayed his 2025-26 debut until mid-December, and he missed another six games with a separate upper-body issue last month. He’s made just 19 appearances this season as a result, but has churned out a goal and six points with a -4 rating while averaging 19:35 of ice time per game. When given top-pairing deployment with Travis Sanheim, they’ve had great defensive impacts in an 87-minute sample, allowing just 1.93 expected goals against per 60 minutes, according to MoneyPuck.
As for his known suitors, it appears Boston isn’t taking itself out of the mix to add to their blue line after going down to the wire in Rasmus Andersson talks with Calgary. Right-shot depth is an issue for them, with Charlie McAvoy and Henri Jokiharju as their only NHL options signed past this season (and it’s likely pending UFA Andrew Peeke won’t be back). With an abundance of first-round picks for the next two years, it wouldn’t deter their retooling too much to part with one, although it was clear they were looking for a more offensively dynamic piece like Andersson, if possible. As such, Ristolainen isn’t “someone the Bruins are especially high on,” Di Marco writes, although they’re at least keeping tabs on him as a backup option if other targets also fall through.
There’s a more pressing short-term fit for Ristolainen in Edmonton. They don’t have any options in the organization behind Evan Bouchard who can comfortably sniff top-four deployment on the right side. Lefty Jake Walman has spent most of the year on his off side as a result, and his possession impacts have taken a nosedive. Stomaching Ristolainen’s cap hit would be an issue for the Oilers, who have just over $1MM in projected cap space on deadline day, but as Di Marco writes, there could be a fit if the Flyers were willing to take on struggling winger Andrew Mangiapane in the deal.
Injury Updates: Maple Leafs, Greenway, Blues, Hedman, Ristolainen
The Maple Leafs have placed defenseman Dakota Joshua and defenseman Chris Tanev on LTIR, PuckPedia reports (Twitter link). Joshua is dealing with a lacerated kidney that has kept him out for the last month and while he has started light skating, he’s not expected to return until after the Olympic break. Tanev, meanwhile, has missed the last month with a groin issue. There’s no timeline for his return but he has already missed the required 10 games and 24 days so if he returns – something that is in the air with him reportedly uncertain about surgery – so he’s eligible to be activated at any time.
Other injury news from around the NHL:
- Sabres winger Jordan Greenway has been limited this season after undergoing two sports hernia surgeries over the last 13 months. He doesn’t play in back-to-backs and practice time has been limited. Bill Hoppe of the Olean Times Herald mentions that the veteran is expected to meet with doctors on Thursday to determine if what he’s dealing with in terms of discomfort is something that can be fixed or if it’s something he just has to keep playing through. If any sort of procedure is needed, now would be a good time with the three-week break coming up which would limit the amount of time Greenway would miss.
- The Blues announced (Twitter link) that wingers Jordan Kyrou (upper body) and Jake Neighbours (lower body) are listed as day-to-day after undergoing further evaluations on their respective injuries. Head coach Jim Montgomery was unsure if either player would be available for Thursday’s game against Florida. Both Kyrou and Neighbours left Tuesday’s loss to Dallas but it appears it’s the best-case scenario for both of them.
- Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman took part in practice today for the first time since being sidelined with an elbow injury nearly seven weeks ago, relays Eduardo A. Encina of the Tampa Bay Times. The 35-year-old has missed 33 of the last 36 games and has a dozen assists in 18 games this season while averaging just over 21 minutes per game. Hedman has long been targeting a return that would allow him to play in the Olympics and it appears he’s on track to do so. Notably, head coach Jon Cooper didn’t rule out the possibility of the captain returning for Sunday’s Stadium Series game.
- The Flyers announced (Twitter link) that defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen left tonight’s game against Columbus due to a lower-body injury. He played 1:01 over two shifts before exiting. The 31-year-old missed more than two months to start the season due to a triceps injury, then missed six more this month to an upper-body issue, one that he just returned from on Monday. Ristolainen has been limited to just three assists and 25 blocks in 15 games when he has been in the lineup. Notably, he’s set to play for Finland in the Olympics so if this injury is set to keep him out for more than a couple of weeks, that could cause him to miss the event.
Flyers Activate Rasmus Ristolainen, Reassign Hunter McDonald
1/26/2026: The Flyers reversed these moves in advance of their game tonight against the New York Islanders, sending McDonald down to AHL Lehigh Valley and activating Ristolainen.
Ristolainen ended up missing six games as a result of his upper-body injury. The Flyers went 2-3-1 in Ristolainen’s absence.
Returning to the AHL after a little over a week at the NHL level is McDonald. McDonald didn’t dress for any games during his most recent recall, instead serving as a healthy scratch for four contests.
Although he didn’t play, this recall wasn’t without benefit for McDonald. Not only did he get to practice with the team and get some face time with the Flyers’ NHL coaching staff, he also got a significant pay raise for the duration of his recall. McDonald, who is still waiting on the chance to make his NHL debut, is playing out the final year of the two-year entry-level contract he signed in April 2024. The deal carries a $950K NHL salary, which dwarfs its AHL salary of $82.5K by a considerable margin.
The sizable pay bump McDonald enjoyed likely softens the blow of being reassigned before he could get the chance to make his NHL debut.
1/17/2026: The Philadelphia Flyers will embark on a three-game road trip without one veteran defender. Rasmus Ristolainen won’t be healthy for the road trip after missing the last two games with an upper-body injury. He has been placed on injured reserve to open a spot for Philadelphia to recall Hunter McDonald from the AHL.
Ristolainen’s IR designation can be made retroactive to his last game on January 12th. That means he has already missed five of the seven days required and could join Philadelphia on their road-trip after the first game. Ristolainen has carried a day-to-day designation through the last week. His absence isn’t expected to be long term, head coach Rick Tocchet told NHL.com’s Bill Meltzer.
The 31-year-old defenseman is again having a tough time staying healthy. He missed the first 31 games of the season while recovering from a ruptured tricep tendon suffered in March. Ristolainen played in 13 games after making his season debut in mid-December and before sustaining this upper-body injury. He recorded three assists, a minus-three, and four penalty minutes in those appearances.
Injuries have become routine for Ristolainen. He has missed 127 games across five seasons with the Flyers and only averages 49 appearances each year. In total, Ristolainen has posted 10 goals, 62 points, and a minus-19 in 247 games with the Flyers. His best season in Philadelphia came in 2022-23 when he scored 20 points in 74 games played.
The Flyers will brace for a road trip without Ristolainen by rewarding McDonald with the first in-season call-up of his career. The 2022 sixth-round pick is in his second full season in the AHL, after playing an 11-game sample at the end of the 2023-24 season. He has recorded 26 points and 172 penalty minutes in 115 AHL games – carrying forward the hard-hitting and antagonistic style he carved out through three seasons in the USHL and two seasons at Northeastern University.
McDonald will serve as Philadelphia’s extra defenseman for at least one game, while Noah Juulsen hangs onto his role in the lineup. Juulsen has two points in his last five games and seven points in 33 games on the season.
Injury Updates: Wild, Ristolainen, Jones
The injuries just keep piling up for Minnesota. Already missing several key regulars, Marcus Johansson can now be added to the list as Michael Russo of The Athletic reports (Twitter links) that the veteran is among the list of players who aren’t with the team on their three-game road trip that began this afternoon. The 35-year-old is dealing with a lower-body injury. Johansson has had a resurgent season, notching 13 goals and 21 assists in 46 games, matching his point total from 2024-25 in 26 fewer appearances. With his absence, the Wild are now without their entire second line for this trip.
Other injury news from around the NHL:
- Also from Russo’s note, the injury to winger Matt Boldy that landed him on IR is a nagging issue that head coach John Hynes feels will only keep him out of the lineup for a week or two. Boldy is Minnesota’s top goalscorer with 27 on the season and is only one point behind Kirill Kaprizov for the team lead in points, earning him a spot on Team USA for the Olympics. With this short timeline for a return, he should be good to go for that event.
- Flyers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen will miss at least the next four games as he has been ruled out of action through their upcoming road trip, relays Jordan Hall of NBC Sports Philadelphia (Twitter link). The veteran has missed the last two games with an upper-body injury. Injuries have limited Ristolainen to only 13 games this season. He’s averaging just under 21 minutes per night of action when in the lineup but the lack of availability certainly doesn’t help his value at a time the team is believed to be open to trading him.
- Earlier this week, the Penguins assigned defenseman Caleb Jones to AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on a conditioning stint. Unfortunately, Jones suffered an upper-body injury in his first game in the minors, according to Inside AHL Hockey’s Tony Androckitis (Twitter link). As a result, he was out of the lineup on Friday. There’s no word yet on the severity of the injury. Jones remains on Pittsburgh’s active roster while on assignment to the minors but if he’s going to be out much longer, he’ll likely be recalled and placed on injured reserve.
Injury Notes: Ristolainen, Robertson, Teravainen
The Philadelphia Flyers announced tonight that defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen would miss their road contest against the Buffalo Sabres due to an upper-body injury. The Flyers have classified his injury timeline as day-to-day. Ristolainen missed the first two months of the season recovering from offseason surgery, but played in all of the Flyers’ games after making his season debut on Dec. 16. He has been the team’s No. 4 defenseman in terms of ice time this season, averaging 20:59 time on ice per game including usage on both sides of special teams.
Luckily for the Flyers, this new injury to Ristolainen comes as they get Jamie Drysdale back from injured reserve. As a result, they were able to plug Drysdale directly into the right side of their lineup, filling the hole left by Ristolainen’s absence. It’s not an exact one-to-one lineup replacement, as head coach Rick Tocchet moved Noah Juulsen onto Nick Seeler‘s pairing, in the spot Ristolainen occupied Monday night against the Lightning. Drysdale played alongside Emil Andrae. While Ristolainen has dealt with nagging injury issues over the course of his Flyers tenure, the hope will be that this new absence will be brief. He’s a key member of the team’s defense and his efforts will be necessary for the Flyers to stand the best chance of keeping pace in the hotly contested Eastern Conference playoff race.
Other injury updates from around the NHL:
- The Toronto Maple Leafs will be without forward Nick Robertson on a day-to-day basis as he manages a lower-body injury, per TSN’s Mark Masters. Robertson didn’t play yesterday against the Utah Mammoth after appearing to suffer the injury Monday against the Colorado Avalanche. Veteran Calle Jarnkrok drew into Toronto’s lineup in Robertson’s place. The 24-year-old, who was the subject of offseason trade speculation, has had a decent season, all things considered, for the Maple Leafs. He’s scored 10 goals and 22 points, just five points shy of his career-high. He’s produced at that clip despite receiving just over twelve minutes of ice time per game.
- Teuvo Teravainen, a key veteran forward for the Chicago Blackhawks, has suffered an upper-body injury and won’t be available to play in the team’s game tomorrow against the Calgary Flames. Per head coach Jeff Blashill, Teravainen is also questionable to play in the team’s game on Saturday as well. The 31-year-old hasn’t produced at quite the same rate as last season, with 21 points in 45 games. He scored 15 goals and 58 points in 2024-25. He’s nonetheless been one of the more reliable Blackhawks forwards, and is tied for fourth in scoring on the team. He’s also a useful forward on the penalty kill, ranking third among Blackhawks forwards in shorthanded time on ice per game.