It’s no secret that the Toronto Maple Leafs could use another right handed defenseman.
Perhaps, Kyle Dubas travels down the QEW to Buffalo, New York to talk to Jason Botterill, the general manager of the Buffalo Sabres about Turku, Finland native, Rasmus Ristolainen.
It’s odd, but Ristolainen has been floating around the rumour mill. I guess the Sabres have a new policy that they can’t have multiple defenseman named Rasmus. Currently, he’s listed at number 23 on TSN’s Hockey Trade Bait List.
He’s been nothing but a solid asset for the Sabres. Last season, he played in 73 games in the blue, yellow and white uniform. He posted 6 goals, 35 assists, 23 PPP, 206 hits, 111 blocks and a 48.5 corsi-for percentage. Yes, the corsi-for percentage might scare you, but it shouldn’t. Ristolainen played for one of the worst teams in the NHL. It’s a given that his corsi-for wasn’t going to be high. Perhaps if Ristolainen joined a contender, he’d be able to show the hockey world how incredible he is.
Another quality about Ristolainen that I love is that he isn’t afraid to be physical. He logged 206 hits last season, which was a career high. With the Toronto Maple Leafs potentially losing both Roman Polak and Leo Komarov, Mike Babcock would certainly drool over a defenseman like Ristolainen. Not only can be stellar in the offensive zone, but no one wants to face him in the neutral nor defensive zone. He’s a beast.
Where Would He Fit And What Would He Cost?
If Dubas were to make a trade for Ristolainen, he’d have to give up a decent amount. It’s a no brainer. My guess is that Dubas would have to part with a first round pick and a couple prospects in order to land Ristolainen.
It’d be worth it though. The Toronto Maple Leafs desperately need a top 4 right handed defenseman. If they were able to work out a deal with the Sabres, Ristolainen would significantly help the Maple Leafs.
If Ristolainen becomes a Maple Leaf this off-season, the logical spot in the lineup for him would be to play alongside Jake Gardiner. Ristolainen would take some of the burden off of Gardiner in the defensive zone. In addition, Ristolainen has proved that he is a strong at bringing the puck up the ice. This is something that Gardiner has struggled with at times and has led to many turnovers. On the other hand, Ristolainen barely gives up the puck. Last season, he had 47 giveaways and had an ATOI of 26:30 min.
Next: Is Tyler Bozak Coming Back?
After looking at his numbers, I want Ristolainen on the Toronto Maple Leafs more than any other defenseman. He just makes perfect sense. Hopefully, Dubas can hop in his car and drive down to Buffalo to secure the 23 year old.
stats from hockey-reference.com and NHL.com