The Buffalo Sabres have completed what can only be viewed as yet another incredibly disappointing season, and some of their players, including veteran defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen, are currently undergoing exit interviews.
Ristolainen was one of the Sabres who had his own exit interview on Monday, and after speaking with Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams, he talked to members of the gathered media, giving some candid answers about the discussions he had with his GM. When asked about the conversation, Ristolainen hinted that he had told Adams that he would be open to being traded by the Sabres this offseason.
"I'm open for all the ideas," said Ristolainen on Monday. "Right now, it's hard. Obviously, the season just ended so, yeah, I'm frustrated and I'm pissed and it sucks. So I told him I'm open for all the scenarios: staying or if he trades me, I'm fine with that, too."
That's a lot to ask of a player with nearly 550 NHL games under his belt, particularly one who was such a highly touted prospect heading into the 2013 draught. It remains to be seen if the Sabres will trade him in the summer, when every team in the league will be faced with a flat salary cap once again.
