Maple Leafs Missed Out on Landing Premium Defenseman at the Trade Deadline
Photo credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images
The Toronto Maple Leafs' defense this postseason could have looked a lot different, as they were reportedly close to acquiring Rasmus Ristolainen from Philadelphia.
The postseason didn't end as well as the Maple Leafs had hoped, and though they made some key additions at the trade deadline, they weren't enough for Toronto to get though the pesky Florida Panthers in the Eastern Semis.
Adding Scott Laughton and Brandon Carlo were both pretty savvy moves for Brad Treliving, though it did cost him a couple top prospects. In acquiring Laughton though, it seems he wasn't the only Flyer the team was targeting.
Rasmus Ristolainen Trade Rebuffed By Philadelphia At Trade Deadline
According to The Sun's Bruce Garrioch, who recently wrote an article regarding Ottawa's need for a right-handed defenseman listed Ristolainen as an option, but mentioned a potential deal that was nixed:
League executives also suggested the Senators could try to see if they can find a fit with the Philadelphia Flyers for right-shot blueliner Rasmus Ristolainen, who has two years left at $5.1 million per season.
But it should be noted that the Toronto Maple Leafs tried desperately to get Ristolainen at the trade deadline in March, and were rebuffed.
«The Leafs offered the moon and couldn't get him out of there,» a league source said.
But it should be noted that the Toronto Maple Leafs tried desperately to get Ristolainen at the trade deadline in March, and were rebuffed.
«The Leafs offered the moon and couldn't get him out of there,» a league source said.
It's hard to imagine what the moon might have entailed when it came to acquiring Ristolainen, but we can certainly take a look at some options.
Philadelphia Doesn't Budge On Toronto's Out Of This World Offer
Offering the moon for Toronto might seem like a bit of an overstatement given how little of a pool they have for prospects, but if there was a potential to see a name like Matthew Knies or Easton Cowan headed to Philly; that's a different story.
Toronto ended up sending Nikita Grebekin to Philadelphia for Laughton, and if they were to have gotten both him and Ristolainen in a package deal, the potential cost would have skyrocketed.
Knowing the cost of Laughton was Grebenkin and a first round pick, it's not too unfeasible to see a package involving Grebenkin, Fraser Minten, Nick Robertson, and multiple picks.
Is that an overpayment? Perhaps, and we wouldn't have gotten the impact of Carlo, but adding a player like Ristolainen would have been huge.
The Leafs desperately needed another puck-moving defenseman, and with the strides he made actually playing defense, there's no doubt he would have added a new facet to Toronto's postseason roster.
Speaking of, it would have given Ristolainen his first taste of the postseason in his career, having gone from Buffalo to Philadelphia and finding minimal success.
Though Morgan Rielly needed a shutdown partner to help him out, it's feasible to see Oliver Ekman-Larsson or Simon Benoit be the odd man out, and may have called for a split between Jake McCabe and Chris Tanev.
That duo was fantastic this season, but giving Rielly one of them would have added that partner he needed while also adding some much needed offense.
While Ristolainen struggled this season with only 19 points (4G, 15) and hasn't had a crazy season since 2018-19, he's been solid.
In 776 games, he's registered 304 points, 1900 hits, 1254 blocks, and 383 PIM in 22:39 TOI.
Obviously we won't know how well Ristolainen would have helped the Maple Leafs this postseason, but with a new vision and focus towards 2025-26:
Don't be surprised to see the Maple Leafs take another crack at him this summer.
| POLL | ||
MAI 24 | 535 ANSWERS Maple Leafs Missed Out on Landing Premium Defenseman at the Trade Deadline Would Rasmus Ristolainen had been a good trade target for the Maple Leafs? | ||
| Yes | 356 | 66.5 % |
| No | 179 | 33.5 % |
| List of polls | ||
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