Report: Flyers Set Big Asking Price For Rasmus Ristolainen

Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen is one of the top defensemen floating around the rumor mill with the NHL trade deadline less than a week away. Contenders looking for help on the right side of their defense should express interest in Ristolainen.

However, the price to acquire Ristolainen is reportedly pretty high. According to NHL insider Pierre LeBrun, the Flyers' asking price for Ristolainen starts with a first-round pick and another asset.

"Having said that, as of Thursday, my understanding is that the Flyers hadn’t received anything that came even close to getting their attention, LeBrun wrote." I believe the price tag to be a first-round pick plus another asset to get the Flyers into a serious discussion."

It is understandable that the Flyers want a lot for Ristolainen. This is because he is a big right-shot defenseman who plays a heavy game, kills penalties, and can jump up to the second pairing if needed. In addition, the Flyers do not need to rush a move with Ristolainen, as he is signed until the end of the 2026-27 season, carrying a $5.1 million cap hit. This adds to his value, as LeBrun noted.

Ristolainen is also in the middle of a solid season with the Flyers. In 57 games, he has four goals, 19 points, 87 blocks, 87 hits, and a plus-5 rating. With this, he is on pace to have the best offensive season since joining the Flyers in 2021-22.

It will be very interesting to see what ends up happening between Ristolainen and the Flyers from here. Contenders are always on the hunt for big right-shot blueliners, so we will need to wait and see if a team out there is willing to pay the Flyers' price.