It’s here. The Philadelphia Flyers are doubling-down on their Rasmus Ristolainen experiment less than two weeks before the trade deadline.
According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, the Flyers are close to signing the 27-year-old defenseman to an extension that will come with a cap hit around the $5-million AAV range.
Hearing another UFA-to-be may be coming off the board: Rasmus Ristolainen and PHI grinding closer to an extension. Expecting AAV in the $5M range.
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) March 10, 2022
Friedman did not mention a term of the new contract, but with that salary, it should be expected anywhere from three to six years, from what recent reports have been detailing.
Ristolainen was — when this deal gets finalized — set to be an unrestricted free agent this summer with his current six-year, $32.4-million contract ($5.4-million AAV) expiring. There were initial rumors of the Flyers shopping him ahead of the trade deadline as they start to sell off the parts of this horrible team, but that option is gone with this extension.
The brutal Finnish defender was acquired this summer for Philadelphia’s 2021 first-round pick, a second-round pick in 2023, and blueliner Robert Hagg. Ristolainen has two goals and 13 points through 49 games this season.
More to come.
