Boston Bruins Showing Interest in Right-Shot Defenseman | Inside The Rink
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As is typical when the trade deadline nears, the Boston Bruins have had rumored interest in many players. It has yet to be determined if the Bruins will be buyers or sellers after the club has overachieved this season and currently holds a playoff spot. The needs of the team are primarily top-six forward and right-side defense. One defenseman on the trade market has reportedly drawn some interest from Boston General Manager Don Sweeney.
The Bruins were heavily involved in trade talks with the Calgary Flames earlier in the season for defenseman Rasmus Andersson, but lost out when Andersson was dealt to the Vegas Golden Knights. Boston continues to try to shore up the right side, and Daily Faceoff reports that the Bruins have also checked in on Philadelphia Flyers’ blueliner Rasmus Ristolainen.
Ristolainen has one year left on his contract that carries a salary cap hit of $5.1 million. Anthony DiMarco of Daily Faceoff reported that he “got the sense that Ristolainen wasn’t someone the Bruins are especially high on, though they are ‘checking in on everyone’ at this stage.”
The 30-year-old defenseman has a goal and five assists in 19 games with the Flyers this season. The 6-foot-4 blueliner played for Team Finland at the Olympics, where he registered three assists and a team-leading plus-9 rating during the tournament. Finland won the Bronze Medal.
Ristolainen has not been able to stay fully healthy the last couple of seasons and missed the first 31 games of this season with a triceps injury. Two seasons ago, Ristolainen missed 51 games. When healthy, Ristolainen plays heavy minutes and is at just under 20 minutes per game this season.
Reports are that the asking price for Ristolainen is as high as it is with most right-shot defenseman. Boston has two first-round draft picks this season and another two next year. The Bruins are also in on St. Louis Blues’ defenseman Justin Faulk and Calgary Flames’ blueliner MacKenzie Weegar. Boston has Charlie McAvoy on the right side, but after that, Andrew Peeke is in the last year of his contract, and Henri Jokiharju is the third-pair defenseman. Boston is still trying to replace Brandon Carlo, who was traded to Toronto at last season’s trade deadline.
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