The NHL trade deadline is fast approaching and in less than 72 hours we’re going to find out whether or not the Philadelphia Flyers were involved in the action or not. Whether general manager Danny Briere made a couple of moves with a focus on the future, or stood pat because the team is suddenly within striking distance of the playoffs and the idea of an eighth consecutive year without postseason hockey in Philadelphia drives him crazy.
The biggest move that could be on the table for the Flyers is moving out defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen. He’s signed through next season at a fairly reasonable $5.1-million AAV cap hit and could bring a large body to any playoff team’s blue line and be a positive add on the ice.
But it takes two to make a trade, and lately there has been growing buzz around one specific team being the one to acquire Ristolainen before Friday’s trade deadline.
Dallas Stars eyeing Rasmus Ristolainen before trade deadline
The Dallas Stars have increasingly been linked more and more to being on the receiving end of a Ristolainen trade. On Tuesday night, The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta wrote specifically that the Stars are targeting the Flyers blueliner — and while he went on to name several teams like the Bruins, Red Wings, and Sabres, he mentioned that the Stars are at the front of the group in pursuit for Ristolainen.
And it makes perfect sense. For the last few years, the Stars have been on the hunt to stabilize the right side of their blue line and for good reason. While the left side features the likes of Thomas Harley and Esa Lindell, the right has Miro Heiskanen playing on his off side, along with Nils Lundkvist and Ilya Lyubushkin — that’s a heck of a difference comparing the two sides of the ice.
While the hypothetical acquisition makes sense on the ice, does it work off of it?
Well, thanks to the Stars placing Tyler Seguin on season-ending LTIR, it does. By ending the former second-overall pick’s season, every single dollar of his $9.85-million AAV cap hit can be used. Dallas has already dipped into it, as they have just over $7.4 million in deadline cap space and are above the annual projected cap space by just over $1.5 million, according to PuckPedia.
Of course, there is a slight hiccup.
According to Elliotte Friedman, the Stars are extremely hesitant to acquire any player with term due to star winger Jason Robertson needing a new contract as a restricted free agent this summer. With being so close to the ceiling — they are projected to have just over $16.4 million in cap space this summer to re-sign Robertson, Mavrik Bourque, Lundkvist, and fill the remainder of their roster — Dallas does not want to financially prevent them from being able to possibly retain Robertson.
But that is just one small hurdle. Something as simple as the Flyers taking back a contract the Stars don’t particularly enjoy having on their books for next season, such as the aforementioned Lyubushkin who is signed through next season at a $3.25-million AAV, could make this move work for both seasons on Ristolainen’s deal.
What do the Stars have to offer?
The Flyers have held extremely firm to their ask for Ristolainen’s services. According to TSN’s Pierre Lebrun, the Flyers want a first-round pick and a prospect in return for the 31-year-old defenseman. While the Stars do not have a treasure chest full of draft picks to hand out, they do have at least something remaining.
Dallas does not have their first-round pick this year or in 2028, but they do have their 2027 pick and that is something the Flyers would most certainly be interested in. It would be tough to go four consecutive years without selecting in the first round, but that’s the price of being a contender for the Stanley Cup.
As for prospects, the Stars do have some interesting names but it’s difficult to see them parting ways with former first-rounder Emil Hemming in addition to the high pick. That leaves space for their mid-tier prospects like center Atte Joki or defenseman Tristan Bertucci, for example. Basically, if the price is met it would be a prospect most normal people have never heard of.
But the pick appears to be the most important thing for the Flyers. While there have been reports that the Flyers would be fine with a player or prospect with similar value, the Stars really only have Hemming as a player who could be of decent value and potential.
Ristolainen trade waiting for the first defenseman domino
So, what’s the wait? It seems like this trade could happen anytime now.
Well, unfortunately we’re all just waiting around for something else to happen. Vancouver Canucks veteran defenseman Tyler Myers is also on the trade block and with a no-move clause and full control of where he gets traded to. There was a deal that was going to send him to the Red Wings, but the no-move clause caused issues and the deal stagnated.
And according to Pierre Lebrun, the Ristolainen trade might not happen until the Myers deal gets done and we’re expecting that to happen fairly soon.
“I also think that the Tyler Myers situation has an impact here,” Lebrun said of the potential Ristolainen trade. “Another right-handed defenceman, but the Myers situation might finally be resolved come the end of Wednesday.
“So whether he accepts a trade to Detroit, or Dallas makes an offer, we’ll see, but once Myers’ situation is done then perhaps we’ll get more clarity on where Ristolainen ends up.”
Myers not being traded yet is essentially causing a giant logjam for defenseman deals around the league, and the sooner the Canucks blueliner is dealt, the sooner we could see more action and Ristolainen potentially moved thanks to so many right-handed veteran defensemen being available.
