The Philadelphia Flyers are hitting the road for a three-game swing, but they’ll be doing it without one of their veteran blue-liners. Rasmus Ristolainen, who’s been sidelined with an upper-body injury, won’t be joining the team for the trip. The Flyers officially placed him on injured reserve, opening the door for a call-up from the AHL - and that door swung open for Hunter McDonald.
Now, Ristolainen’s IR move is retroactive to his last appearance on January 12, which means he’s already five days into the seven-day minimum. There’s a chance he rejoins the team midway through the trip, depending on how he progresses. According to head coach Rick Tocchet, this isn’t expected to be a long-term absence - more of a pause than a shutdown.
Still, it’s another frustrating chapter in what’s become a recurring storyline for the 31-year-old defenseman. Ristolainen missed the first 31 games of this season while recovering from a ruptured tricep tendon - an injury that dates back to March.
After finally returning to the lineup in mid-December, he managed just 13 games before this latest setback. In that stretch, he tallied three assists, posted a minus-three rating, and picked up four penalty minutes.
Durability has been a challenge for Ristolainen during his time in Philadelphia. Since joining the Flyers, he’s missed 127 games over five seasons - averaging just 49 appearances per year.
In total, he’s logged 10 goals and 62 points in 247 games with the club, along with a minus-19 rating. His most productive season in orange and black came in 2022-23, when he chipped in 20 points across 74 games.
With Ristolainen out, the Flyers are giving a nod to youth and grit by calling up Hunter McDonald. This marks the first in-season NHL call-up for the 2022 sixth-round pick, who’s been grinding away in the AHL with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. McDonald is in his second full pro season, having joined the Phantoms late in the 2023-24 campaign after wrapping up his collegiate career.
Through 115 AHL games, McDonald has racked up 26 points and a hefty 172 penalty minutes - a stat line that speaks to his physical, no-nonsense style. That edge was his calling card during three seasons in the USHL and two more at Northeastern University, and it’s what’s earned him this opportunity at the NHL level.
For now, McDonald will serve as the team’s extra defenseman. Noah Juulsen continues to hold down a spot in the lineup, and he’s quietly been contributing - with two points in his last five games and seven on the season through 33 appearances.
The Flyers are navigating this road trip with a mix of veteran absences and youthful energy. And while Ristolainen’s injury is another bump in the road, McDonald’s call-up offers a glimpse at the next wave of physical, hard-nosed defenders the organization is developing.