Within the weeks leading as much as the NHL’s trade deadline, there have been several big-name players who were likely be moved by the March 6 date of decision. Perhaps essentially the most outstanding name mentioned was Nazem Kadri of the Calgary Flames, and he was traded to the Colorado Avalanche in the course of the final moments on Deadline Day. Defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen of the Philadelphia Flyers was also mentioned prominently as certainly one of the highest players prone to be traded.
“I wasn’t attempting to dump Risto.” 👀
Flyers GM Danny Briere explains why the Flyers didn’t trade Rasmus Ristolainen on the deadline. pic.twitter.com/64jHOMrpBW
— NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) March 6, 2026
Nonetheless, because the deadline got here and went, Ristolainen remained with the Flyers. Team president Danny Briere was not about to trade the tough defenseman unless he got full value for a blue liner who could hold hip position within the defensive zone, win the battle within the corner and protect the space in front of the web. The Flyers didn’t get the type of offer that it might have taken for the team to send Ristolainen to a different team.
Briere explained that the Flyers did take numerous calls on Ristolainen, but there was no reason for the Flyers to trade him unless they got a full package in return.
“We weren’t seeking to dump Risto,” Briere explained. “We’ve a 6-4, right-shot defenseman and he’s under contract with us next yr. After all teams are going to call about him. But we weren’t about to present him away for anything under full value. We got some serious calls, but we didn’t get what we considered full value.”
The 31-year-old Ristolainen is in his thirteenth season within the NHL. He played eight seasons with the Buffalo Sabres and he’s in his fifth season with the Flyers. He is basically a defensive defenseman, but he has scored as many as 45 points in a season.