Flyers Get a Boost as Ristolainen Returns to the Ice in No-Contact Jersey
There was a welcome sight at the Flyers’ morning skate today: defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen back on the ice, even if it was in a no-contact jersey. It marked his first skate with the team this season, a notable step in his recovery from right triceps surgery that sidelined him back in March. While there’s still no firm timeline for when Ristolainen will be game-ready, just seeing him out there is a positive sign for a Flyers team that could use his presence on the back end.
Ristolainen, now 31, had a quietly solid campaign in 2024-25. Offensively, the numbers won’t jump off the page-just 19 points-but that’s not where he made his biggest impact.
Standing 6-foot-4 and weighing in at 208 pounds, the veteran blueliner brought size, physicality, and a steady defensive presence to Philadelphia’s blue line. He logged heavy minutes, averaging over 20 minutes a night, including time on both the power play and penalty kill.
That kind of versatility and workload isn’t easy to replace.
In his absence, the Flyers have leaned more on their younger defensemen, particularly Cam York and Jamie Drysdale. Both have seen their ice time spike this season, and while they’ve held their own, getting Ristolainen back into the mix would allow head coach John Tortorella and his staff to spread the minutes more evenly-and potentially unlock more offense from the younger legs by reducing their defensive burden. Whenever Ristolainen is cleared for contact and eventually game action, it’ll be a meaningful addition for a Flyers team still shaping its identity this season.
Rangers’ Youth Line Turning Heads with Early Chemistry
Remember the Rangers’ “Kid Line” from their 2022 playoff run? That trio-Alexis Lafrenière, Kaapo Kakko, and Filip Chytil-helped fuel a deep postseason push. While two-thirds of that group have since moved on, the Rangers might be onto something again with another youthful third line that’s starting to make noise.
Will Cuylle, Noah Laba, and Brett Berard were buzzing in New York’s recent win over Dallas, and it wasn’t just the eye test. The Rangers dominated high-danger scoring chances when that trio was on the ice, a strong early indicator that this line has some real potential. It’s still early days, but the chemistry is there, and the energy they bring is hard to ignore.
Cuylle is the elder statesman of the group-if you can call 195 NHL games “veteran” status-coming off a 45-point season. Laba, a fourth-round pick, is in his rookie campaign after a stint in the NCAA.
Berard, with just 40 NHL games under his belt, also took the AHL route through Hartford. What’s notable here is that none of the three were can’t-miss prospects.
They’ve developed through the system, earned their ice time, and are now making the most of it.
For a Rangers organization that’s faced criticism in recent years for how it’s handled top forward prospects, this line is a reminder that development isn’t always linear-and sometimes, the best stories are the ones that take a little longer to unfold.
Penguins’ First-Rounder Will Horcoff Lighting Up College Hockey
When the Penguins called Will Horcoff’s name at No. 24 in the 2025 NHL Draft, it raised a few eyebrows. Many draft boards had him pegged as more of a late first-round or early second-round talent. But so far, Pittsburgh’s front office looks like it might’ve been ahead of the curve.
Horcoff hasn’t just been good-he’s been dominant. Through 18 games in college hockey, he’s racked up 26 points and leads the nation in goals with 18.
That’s five more than the next closest scorer, Detroit prospect Max Plante. It’s the kind of start that turns heads, even if it’s still early in the season.
Whether this red-hot stretch changes how scouts view Horcoff’s long-term ceiling remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: the Penguins’ gamble on draft night is paying off, at least for now. Horcoff is producing like a top-tier prospect, and if he keeps this up, he won’t be flying under the radar much longer.
Bottom Line
Across the Metropolitan Division, young talent is making waves-from a promising third line in New York to a breakout college scorer in Pittsburgh. And in Philadelphia, a veteran defenseman’s return to the ice signals hope for a more balanced blue line. December might just be the start of some compelling storylines that could shape the second half of the season.