There are lots of things to like about Ristolainen now and for the future. Terrible on ice results against good competition aren't one of them... but people spin it as if it's a positive somehow. Every player in the league could play tough competition and have terrible on ice results if given the chance, that's all I'm saying.
It may be an excuse for his underlying numbers, but it's not a positive. There's a difference.
I'm not sure who you think is crowing positively about bad stats.
But I can promise you that not every player in the league could carry risto's load for the last two years and do what he did. Instead, consider that the stats might be misleading because of his teammates. And that a lesser player would have gotten manhandled much more.
Yourself and others look at some of the possible formulas and think he must be bad. Perhaps consider whether the context makes those numbers irrelevant, when looking at the full picture. Or perhaps his gm, finland and most ppl that watch him play a lot think he is quite good and only improving since he entered the league.
