Rasmus Ristolainen: The $5M, 0 percentile defenseman

[Striiker]

Sanheim carried Hagg's horrific ass last year, carried Braun's ass multiple years, and has carried guys like Myers too. He's always getting stuck with the lesser guys and outplaying others who have it easy.

This is merely a fluke bad start to the year that the people who have always been biased against him are choosing to pretend outweigh the previous 3+ years of great play. There's no reason to think he won't get back to normal at some point in the near future, even if he'll still be weighed down by Ristos useless AHL-quality corpse.

 

[GapToothedWonder]

Truthly Risto should be behind Seeler too, who has looked better on the 3rd pair than I imagine Risto would. He's just a meat and potatoes guy but he's breaking plays up and not make a ton of mistakes.

I've actually been surprised at a lot of little skilled puck plays Seeler has made. He is definitely a limited player but I have been pretty happy with him considering he's like 8th or lower on the depth chart.

feels like a guy that is absolutely maximizing his very limited skill set.

 

[deadhead]

Sanheim never carried Braun or Gudas, they were his safety blanket.
And it's interesting that both Ghost and Sanheim played well with Hagg, maybe that was his proper role?
Hagg has a 51.65 xGF%, +2.81 xGFrel in Buffalo without Sanheim or Ghost carrying him.

Sanheim's xGFrel this year is horrible, which means he has sucked with everyone.

 

[LegionOfDoom91]

Waiting for the good…

 

[Rebels57]

I've actually been surprised at a lot of little skilled puck plays Seeler has made. He is definitely a limited player but I have been pretty happy with him considering he's like 8th or lower on the depth chart.

feels like a guy that is absolutely maximizing his very limited skill set.

Well, he's actually our 7th D, but yeah I agree.

The only issues I have with him so far are some puck-handling gaffes when faced with pressure in the ozone.

 

[GapToothedWonder]

Well, he's actually our 7th D, but yeah I agree.

The only issues I have with him so far are some puck-handling gaffes when faced with pressure in the ozone.

Yeah I meant 8th if everybody was healthy as I would rather have Morin as the 7th personally.

And really with full health and a competent aggressive gm he's like 10th behind Morin, York and Zamula.

 

[Magua]

Waiting for the good…

Hockey people see the good. They watch him, they study him, they know exactly what he does. He has played well overall.

Hopeless. Imagine if this is what the team thinks too.

(I looked because someone said MJL, my dear friend, was vociferously saying Ristolainen sucked. I had to see it!)

 

[Striiker]

Blocked shots and hits? Wow, stuff you rack up when you never have the puck.

Great stuff by Shilliam there.

 

[Flyerfan4life]

Hockey people see the good. They watch him, they study him, they know exactly what he does. He has played well overall.

Hopeless. Imagine if this is what the team thinks too.

(I looked because someone said MJL, my dear friend, was vociferously saying Ristolainen sucked. I had to see it!)

does nearly scored equal we nearly won a cup award ?

asking for a friend..

cuz that sounds awesome...i wonder what the "we almost won" cup looks like i bet its super awesome...

what an absolute buffoon...

 

[Starat327]

Sanheim carried Hagg's horrific ass last year, carried Braun's ass multiple years, and has carried guys like Myers too. He's always getting stuck with the lesser guys and outplaying others who have it easy.

This is merely a fluke bad start to the year that the people who have always been biased against him are choosing to pretend outweigh the previous 3+ years of great play. There's no reason to think he won't get back to normal at some point in the near future, even if he'll still be weighed down by Ristos useless AHL-quality corpse.

You forgot that he also carried Provorov. Unless you just meant that to be lumped under "stuck with lesser guys".

 

[Striiker]

You forgot that he also carried Provorov. Unless you just meant that to be lumped under "stuck with lesser guys".

Not what I had in mind, but I’ll tack that on after the fact, just because I know it’ll rustle some jimmies.

 

[Starat327]

Not what I had in mind, but I’ll tack that on after the fact, just because I know it’ll rustle some jimmies.

Lots of people don't like the truth.

That doesn't make it any less truthful.

 

[Adam Warlock]

As much as I love physicality, in the modern NHL its a bonus asset. You could be the world's most physical player but if you don't have an adequate level of skating, passing ability and on ice intelligence you're still going to be a shit defenceman. No amount of physicality will save you from you own limitations.

Hes got the skating and the passing...just not the IQ.

I agree physical play gets overrated in this town...but I do think it matters in the playoffs. Even if Risto is a shitty D, as an opposing forward it is going to wear you down over a series constantly being hit and whacked by an opposing Dman (and I mean REAL hits, not hagg hits). The Flyers could use that element vs teams like the Islanders.

I was hoping he could at least be that guy and keep his negatives to a minimum...but so far no dice.

 

[FlyerNutter]

Shocked to see Vader not defend them endlessly, or grovel at Bill's feet.

 

[deadhead]

I'm a bit more patient than most people around here (or maybe I just recognize there aren't a lot of good alternatives right now).

Risto is going through growing pains, Buffalo was a clusterf***, look how they've screwed up Dahlin. Yeo is trying to teach him how to actually play defense, at which he potentially could be very good, or he can just be an slightly older version of Myers.

Sanheim looks totally lost, but he's too good to keep screwing up at both ends of the ice.

On the other hand, at some point Yandle/Seeler are going to get exposed, come back Ellis.

 

[wankstifier]

I'm a bit more patient than most people around here (or maybe I just recognize there aren't a lot of good alternatives right now).

Risto is going through growing pains, Buffalo was a clusterf***, look how they've screwed up Dahlin. Yeo is trying to teach him how to actually play defense, at which he potentially could be very good, or he can just be an slightly older version of Myers.

Sanheim looks totally lost, but he's too good to keep screwing up at both ends of the ice.

On the other hand, at some point Yandle/Seeler are going to get exposed, come back Ellis.

What potential?

 

[DancingPanther]

There's no other options

 

[Beef Invictus]

I'm a bit more patient than most people around here (or maybe I just recognize there aren't a lot of good alternatives right now).

Risto is going through growing pains, Buffalo was a clusterf***, look how they've screwed up Dahlin. Yeo is trying to teach him how to actually play defense, at which he potentially could be very good, or he can just be an slightly older version of Myers.

Sanheim looks totally lost, but he's too good to keep screwing up at both ends of the ice.

On the other hand, at some point Yandle/Seeler are going to get exposed, come back Ellis.

How do you know Philly didn't completely screw up Sanheim, and why should you trust any of the failures running this team to uncork Risto's potential?

 

[Beef Invictus]

Hes got the skating and the passing...just not the IQ.

I agree physical play gets overrated in this town...but I do think it matters in the playoffs. Even if Risto is a shitty D, as an opposing forward it is going to wear you down over a series constantly being hit and whacked by an opposing Dman (and I mean REAL hits, not hagg hits). The Flyers could use that element vs teams like the Islanders.

I was hoping he could at least be that guy and keep his negatives to a minimum...but so far no dice.

Physicality can wear a team down. In theory. If they're also dictating play and making the other team have to chase them at points. That's not the Flyers.

We'd be more like the Caps the last time they faced the Canes. Chasing hits against a team that plays far faster, and then just wearing themselves down.

 

[Adam Warlock]

Physicality can wear a team down. In theory. If they're also dictating play and making the other team have to chase them at points. That's not the Flyers.

We'd be more like the Caps the last time they faced the Canes. Chasing hits against a team that plays far faster, and then just wearing themselves down.

Right but the Flyers arent going to out skill or skate anyone either. I dont want them chasing hits, but I do think they need an edge to their game and Risto could play into that. The Flyers had no business beating the Pens in 2012, but they got under their skin and the superior team imploded. A guy like Hartnell could use physicality to the teams advantage.

If Ristos going to be here...i want him manhandling guys in front of the net. The guy is massive and strong af...I dont get why he doesnt embrace it and play that style. I wish Pronger was around to coach him up.

 

[deadhead]

Right but the Flyers arent going to out skill or skate anyone either. I dont want them chasing hits, but I do think they need an edge to their game and Risto could play into that. The Flyers had no business beating the Pens in 2012, but they got under their skin and the superior team imploded. A guy like Hartnell could use physicality to the teams advantage.

If Ristos going to be here...i want him manhandling guys in front of the net. The guy is massive and strong af...I dont get why he doesnt embrace it and play that style. I wish Pronger was around to coach him up.

I think Risto's problem is similar in some way to Provorov, a D-men gets drafted high b/c of physical skills and coaches keep trying to ask them to do what they're not good at, so Provorov is force fed a role as PP QB, Risto was asked to be an offensive force. At least the Flyers understand Provorov is best with a RHD who can be the lead dog on offense, now they're trying to teach Risto to become a conventional stay at home D-man.

It is a worthwhile gamble, but not at the price they paid. Getting out of Buffalo gives Risto a chance to reinvent himself, but it won't happen overnight, and may never happen at all.

 

[Magua]

Provorov has enough hockey sense to hang in high usage; he has usable, tangible skills; he is excellent defensively. His problem is a lack of creativity and playmaking ability past his own blue line. He's undeniably a good player; it's just why he's shown little progress and his ceiling falls short of expectation. Nothing is more important than passing.

Ristolainen is truly one of the more hockey stupid players I've seen. You don't "teach Risto to become a conventional stay at home D-man" simply because he is big and likes to smash bodies. And I know that's the team's logic. He's absolutely horrid making multiple level defensive reads, either chases or stands still with little in between, has terrible gaps, flails his stick around like he has no clue. There's no there there to his defensive ability. Ristolainen has 549 f***ing games in the NHL, and he can't even sniff 34 year old Justin Braun's jock in a simple defensive situation -- he of 731 games.

 

[BobbyClarkeFan16]

I'm not hopeful, but I have to think that AV and Yeo have seen enough that they can at least go to Schmuck and tell him that Ristolainen is a lost cause and that if they can move him, even for pennies on the dollar, to do it. Honestly, I'd feel more comfortable with Wyatt Wylie back there than Ristolainen and that's saying something because Wylie has the stench of Laperriere on him.

 

[Striiker]

I'm not hopeful, but I have to think that AV and Yeo have seen enough that they can at least go to Schmuck and tell him that Ristolainen is a lost cause and that if they can move him, even for pennies on the dollar, to do it. Honestly, I'd feel more comfortable with Wyatt Wylie back there than Ristolainen and that's saying something because Wylie has the stench of Laperriere on him.

I’m not buying that AV realizes how shit Risto is until he puts him on the 3rd pair or bench.

 

[CanadianFlyer88]

I’m not buying that AV realizes how shit Risto is until he puts him on the 3rd pair or bench.

We know he isn't getting scratched, which is definitely what should be happening. They're committed to playing him.

Frustratingly, the best spot for him in the lineup, given that he won't be scratched, is with Sanheim.

Yandle-RisD'oh is something I never want to see.