Report: Ristolainen extension ‘first domino’ in doable roster makeover

The Flyers made a big transfer Thursday by signing defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen to a five-year contract extension price $5.1 million yearly, and it sounds just like the Ristolainen contract may very well be the primary of a sequence of strikes that in the end reshapes the Flyers’ whole again finish.

According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman on his 32 Thoughts podcast (on the 32:50 mark), much more strikes may very well be coming now that Ristolainen is locked up for 5 extra years.

What does that imply? Well, it might imply Ivan Provorov, amongst others, might quickly be on the way in which out.

“I have a feeling that they are gonna be reshaping their roster a bit more, and I do wonder about Provorov,” mentioned Friedman.

“I made a couple of calls about him, and he’s actually struggling. And I had folks saying to me, if he didn’t have the pedigree he did — a excessive draft decide, somebody who is meant to be a franchise cornerstone, who they hope could be a franchise cornerstone and any person who they’re paying a big sum of money — they assume he may need been scratched (towards the Florida Panthers). And he has actually struggled.

“I think they’re facing a decision on what to do here. I never think it’s all Provorov’s fault. It’s just been a really hard year there — (Ryan) Ellis has only played a few games — I just wonder where it’s gonna go with him. (…) The Flyers are definitely thinking here, ‘What’s his future?’ And I’m sure Provorov’s thinking it too. Like, ‘Is this the right fit for me?’ And so I just wonder if signing Ristolainen is a sign that there’s just a big defensive makeover coming here. Because one of the things I’ve heard was that if they sign Ristolainen, it’s the first domino in some other things. So I wonder what are those other things?”

It’s no secret that Provorov has struggled mightily as of late, however his struggles aren’t distinctive to only the 2021-22 marketing campaign. He’s regressed ever since Matt Niskanen, his former defensive companion, introduced his retirement forward of the 2020-21 season. He’s struggled with turnovers all through his profession, however his egregious errors have solely turn into extra frequent this season. In reality, a pair of pricey errors practically price the Flyers a win towards the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday. And an unpleasant turnover really did price the Flyers a victory towards the Minnesota Wild final Thursday.

Only 5 defensemen in all the NHL have dedicated extra giveaways than Provorov this season, and out of 238 defenders with at the very least 200 minutes of 5-on-5 ice time, the 25-year-old ranks 163rd in Corsi For proportion, 168th in Goals For proportion and 179th in Goals For per 60.

As a the Flyers’ prime blueliner, these numbers are merely unacceptable.

Provorov isn’t the one Flyers defenseman who may very well be on the transfer, both. Friedman additionally hinted that there may very well be curiosity in Travis Sanheim, who has arguably been the Flyers’ prime blueliner this season.

Sanheim, who turns 26 on March 29, is tied with Provorov for the crew lead in factors by a defenseman with 20 and at present leads all Flyers defensemen in a number of key superior statistical classes at 5-on-5 (Corsi For proportion, Goals For proportion, Expected Goals For proportion).

Selected within the first spherical of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft, Sanheim has turn into a key cog on the Flyers’ again finish in latest seasons. He is probably not the game-changing presence many followers hoped he’d turn into, however he’s nonetheless comparatively younger and might play vital minutes on the penalty kill, in addition to on a second energy play unit if wanted.

Of course, there’s no assure Provorov or Sanheim finally find yourself getting moved, however with the March 21 commerce deadline shortly approaching, the commerce chatter will solely intensify.