The Maple Leafs’ search for help on the blue line may have found an unexpected name, and the fit is hard to ignore.
With Chris Tanev injured and still battling availability issues, Toronto is staring at a real problem on defense. The need for a right-shot blueliner is obvious, especially with the team’s defensive group carrying plenty of age and not enough youth. That’s where Rasmus Ristolainen enters the picture.
According to Frank Seravalli, Ristolainen will not be extended by the Philadelphia Flyers and is set to hit the trade market sooner rather than later. Philadelphia’s rough 0-5-2 start has only added to the sense that changes could be coming, and Ristolainen now looks like one of the clearer names to watch.
Ristolainen, 31, was selected eighth overall by the Buffalo Sabres in the 2013 NHL Draft. Early in his career, he was a regular source of offense in Buffalo, putting up 40-point seasons with the Sabres. Since moving to Philadelphia, his role has shifted more toward shutdown duty, and his scoring has dropped off.
Still, the appeal for Toronto is easy to see. Ristolainen is a 6-foot-4 presence who would bring size, a right-handed option, and some offense from the back end.
In a spot where Tanev doesn’t provide much creation, that matters. He’s also younger than Tanev and, from the source material, has shown a better ability to stay healthy.
The catch is the contract situation. Ristolainen is currently on a deal that carries a $5.1 million cap hit per season, and any trade would likely come with the added step of signing him to a new contract right away. That number could rise on his next deal.
Toronto has not publicly shown interest in Ristolainen, but the connection isn’t new. He has been linked to the Maple Leafs before, and with a right-handed defenseman now a clear need, he’s the kind of player the front office at least has to talk about.
In Other News...
Maple Leafs Suddenly Face A Blue Line Problem Without Chris Tanev
The Maple Leafs have had to reshuffle their blue line after veteran defenseman T.J. Tanev left Saturday nights win over the Avalanche in the first period with an upper-body injury. Toronto has since placed him on injured reserve, a development that forces the team to lean on its depth a little earlier than planned and puts added pressure on a defense group that has already been working through adjustments under coach Jim Hiller.
Marshall Rifai was recalled from the Marlies to give the Maple Leafs another option on the back end, while Nick Blankenburg has been asked to take on a bigger role in Tanevs absence. For a team that values stability on defense, the mix-and-match look is not ideal, and it leaves Toronto waiting to see how quickly it can settle its pairings once Tanev is available again. [Read more 🡒]
Auston Matthews May Be Unlocking Something New Under Jim Hiller
Auston Matthews has wasted little time giving the Maple Leafs a reason to look twice at what has changed around him. In a short run under Jim Hiller, Matthews has already produced two four-point games, a burst that stands out next to the more limited high-end scoring he had across two seasons under Craig Berube. The sample is tiny, but it is hard not to notice the difference when one of the leagues most dangerous finishers starts flashing that kind of ceiling again.
The explanation may not be simple, and it probably is not just about Matthews suddenly seeing the ice differently. Coaching style, ice time, linemates and power-play usage all come into the conversation here, because those are the details that can either feed a scorer or starve him of chances. The Leafs are still early in this evaluation, but if Hiller is opening up new offensive lanes for Matthews, it is the sort of adjustment that could matter well beyond a six-game snapshot. [Read more 🡒]
William Nylander Is Driving Why The Maple Leafs Look Dangerous Again
William Nylander keeps giving the Maple Leafs the kind of offensive push that changes the feel of a game before it even settles in. In Torontos 6-3 win over Colorado, he was central to everything, helping fuel a stretch that has the Leafs looking far more dangerous early in the season and making life easier for teammates who have been able to build off that momentum.
The scoring burst also fit neatly into the bigger arc of Nylanders career in Toronto, where his production has become the kind of steady force this team can lean on. With the way he is driving play right now, the Leafs are getting both immediate results and a reminder that their top-end skill can tilt a night quickly when he is rolling. [Read more 🡒]