Who is Rasmus Ristolainen?
HOCKEY player, Rasmus Ristolainen, has come quite a long way from Finland.
On Thursday, March 10, 2022, The Philadelphia Flyers granted the defenseman an extension to his contract with the team.
Who is Rasmus Ristolainen?
Rasmus Ristolainen, 27, was born in Turku, Finland on October 27, 1994.
He is a professional ice hockey player who was selected eighth overall by the Buffalo Sabres in 2013 during the National Hockey League (NHL) Entry Draft.
Ristolainen is a defenseman for the NHL Philadelphia Flyers and was traded by the Sabres on July 23, 2021.
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Is Rasmus Ristolainen sticking with Philadelphia?
Just over 10 days before the March 21 trade deadline, The Philadelphia Flyers signed the "Finnish defenseman to a five-year, $25.5 million extension," according to NBC Sports.
The team acquired Ristolainen last summer while he was on the final year of a six-year, $32.4 million contract.
Flyers general manager Chuck Fletcher told NBC Sports in late January that, "well, when we traded for him — look, clearly I paid a big price, I recognize that. It's difficult to get physical defensemen, never mind physical, right-shot defensemen.
"There were other teams that were offering similar type of packages to ours and we had the highest pick, so we got him."
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What have people said about Ristolainen's playing?
Philadelphia Flyers left winger, Joel Farabee, said "when Risto's playing that physical game, he's in guys' faces and things like that, it's really tough for an opposing team to play against.
"I know when he was in Buffalo, I hated playing against him. When he's playing well, it's really tough to play against."
Flyers interim head coach Mike Yeo told NBC Sports last month that he loves "Risto and what he brings to the lineup...
"I think he's playing really good hockey for us. He's a warrior, he shows up to play night after night and, to me, that is what I think of the Flyers being and what I want the Flyers to be and I think what we all expect the Flyers to be. For me, I know that he loves being here and we love having him."
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