Flyers confirm news about veteran defenseman

The Philadelphia Flyers have announced that defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen has undergone surgery to repair a ruptured triceps tendon. He’s expected to have a three-month recovery period and be fully ready for the start of 2024 training camp. Ristolainen has been out since Feb. 10 with the injury, moving to injured reserve on Feb. 26.

Ristolainen appeared in just 31 games this season, recording one goal, four points and eight penalty minutes. This season marked the fewest games and tied for the fewest points of his NHL career, rivaling his rookie season when he totaled four points in 34 games. It’s an unfortunate step backward for Ristolainen after he scored 20 points in 74 games last season, his highest point totals since the 2019-20 season.

Ristolainen’s injury opened a lineup spot that Philadelphia never found a perfect fill-in for. They cycled between a list of defenders as the end of the season approached, awarding Ronald Attard, Louis Belpedio, Adam Ginning and Emil Andrae NHL ice time in their search. It was ultimately Attard and Belpedio who received the most action, each appearing in 12 games. Belpedio managed four points, split evenly, while Attard recorded two assists.

The Flyers now get an early relief from that lineup decision, missing out on the playoffs after a disappointing 4-9-3 end to their season. Ristolainen’s $5.1M cap hit will earn him an NHL role next season, but Attard and Belpedio could add extended pressure to his bottom-of-the-lineup role.