Woodhouse
Registered User
Was already a presence on D at the 2011-12 World Juniors, where he was the right point-man on the number one power play, and was asked to step up and fill in at a spot usual occupied by the older junior defenseman. He is big, physical and skilled, and has a low-panic level and shoots the puck hard and fast. He is very mobile and agile as an attacker and power-play pointman. He already plays in a league with grown men and successfully competes. Gets used on both points on the power play. You may not be getting an elite up-ice guy, but more of a highly capable two-way guy who will surprise you when he jumps up into the attack. One of the top defensive prospects of this class and clearly one of the bigger bodies.
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One of the best defensemen of his age group, Ristolainen was a top-prospect for the 2013 NHL Draft. He is a calm player with good two-way ability and a mature style of play, though his defensive awareness and positioning still need work. More mobile and offensive than Buffalo's other 2013 1st round pick Nikita Zadorov, Ristolainen moves the puck with confidence, has a good shot from the point and has displayed ability to work the powerplay in SM-liiga. Ristolainen has an NHL-ready frame and has gained a lot of strength while playing in SM-liiga and though he is not a big-time hitter, he feels comfortable playing the body and likes to get physical in front of the net.
ESPN
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The Sabres get a hulking D-man with true grit and a big-time shot from the point. He plays the game with a nasty edge and I think he'll grows more into his big body. His skating needs a slight improvement. He is the type of player you can build around and the Sabres are in need of building blocks.
FC
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Ristolainen is a big, strong blueliner that plays a calm, composed and safe game; not trying to do more than his abilities will allow him to do. A talented skater, he has a plus level athletic body with very good mobility for a player his size. His skating gives him a chance to quickly close in every possible direction within his reach defensively. Ristolainen has some room to grow with his skating as he uses short steps and moves mostly with agility rather than power. He has a good head for the game; keeps his head up and makes smart reads. He has good focus, is ready to contribute in all three zones and wants to make an impact.
HF
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Rasmus Ristolainen has the size, skating ability and shooting and stick handling skills that make him an outstanding offensive defenseman prospect. Plays with a physical component to his game and has become more disciplined as he's gained more experience. Still developing in terms of positional play and defensive responsibilities - his calling card is his willingness to be involved in the play and to push the envelope at times.
Hockey Prospect
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Ristolainen is an aggressive offensive defenseman who always looks to push the pace whenever he gets the opportunity. He loves to take chances with the puck, and provides a good presence from the backend offensively with his size, hockey sense and puck skills...read more.
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Ristolainen had a quality season in Finland, where he often logged tough, heavy minutes for TPS. That is an impressive role for an 18-year-old defenseman in that league. He is not a flashy player, but he does everything well. He best skill is his hockey sense. He thinks the game at a level well beyond his years, and he does not make many mistakes on the ice. He is an aware, effective defenseman who can close gaps with his body or with his stick. With the puck, he shows calmness, but he can process the game quickly when the situation calls for it. He can man the point on the power play. He is a solid to above-average skater (I have heard an NHL scout classify him as high end in that area). His puck handling is at a similar level; he can flash significant offensive ability, but the bulk of value will come from his work in his own zone. To that point, he will lay the body, and he can provide quality hits. He could fast track to the NHL quicker than a typical defense prospect.
[URL='http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/juniors/nhl-draft-prospects-no-16-rasmus-ristolainen/"]ISS[/URL]
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“I can’t get enough of Ristolainen,” says Ross MacLean, head scout for International Scouting Services. “He is everything you could want in a defensive prospect. He can do a bit of everything and has been doing it against men already. He is very poised, can play offence and defence, can be aggressive physically or hang back and control middle space effectively. He can play tough, he can play mean and he can play disciplined. He’s a ball of extremely talented clay that is versatile enough that he could be molded into whatever type of defender a team requires in their organization. He is right up there as one of the most NHL-ready prospects in this draft.”
McKeen's Hockey
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Big, rugged and strongly-constructed with a thick lower trunk.. plays a mature and confident game .. adept stickhandler and efficient puckmover with good puck-control abilities .. wants to make constructive breakouts and will hold the puck and shield off pressure in order to accomplish his ideas .. gets bull-headed and dead-ends himself at times .. top weapon is a heavy slapshot...read more.
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“Rasmus Ristolainen’s been a household name in the SM-liiga since he was 16,” adds David Burstyn, director of scouting for McKeen’s Hockey. “He’s improved his stats every single year, but he probably factors to be more of a shutdown guy at the NHL level. He played for TPS this year, which wasn’t that great of a team, but he got to log a lot of minutes. The one thing that scouts were a little disappointed with him is that he didn’t overly assertive himself in the second half of the year and he kind of fell off a little bit because he didn’t play with that same type of intensity. He’s a strong skater. He can log the puck up the ice, he’s not afraid to make plays but I think scouts were a little disappointed that he didn’t play up to his size, whereas he has in the past. He’s been in the spotlight for really the last three years and maybe he was unfairly dissected, but he’s got a lot of attributes to be a stout, stay-at-home shutdown defender.”
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Ristolainen plays a solid, well-rounded game. He possesses good size at six-foot-three, 201 pounds, and uses it advantageously to separate his man from the puck and to gain space. Ristolainen plays a very heady game and won’t force a play that isn’t there. He has a good shot and will jump up in the rush at a moment’s notice. His defensive game is polished, his hockey IQ is one of his greatest attributes and he will read and react to plays and situations well. Although his season finished on an underwhelming note, Ristolainen does so many things well that he should be a safe pick for a team seeking a two-way defenceman.
TSN
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Rasmus is a player who takes the initiative. He plays with a confidence and assuredness in his game that allows him to make an impact. He has good offensive skills with an excellent shot and he jumps into the attack and even initiates the attack if he feels it's necessary. He will play physical and is a big man whom if he makes contact, you are fully aware of as an opponent. He doesn't get rattled and his composure should not be mistaken for any type of 'laissez-faire' attitude because when the game becomes challenging and the moments important, he is ready, willing and capable of taking a leading role to make a positive difference. A player who is more than capable of being a top four defenceman.
A/V Club
Draft-Day Interviews
2013.06.30 – Brian Duff interviews Rasmus Ristolainen after being selected 8th overall. <1:45>
2013.06.30 – Rasmus Ristolainen meets with the media after being selected 8th overall. <4:13>
2013.06.30 – Rasmus Ristolainen speaks with Cabbie Richards in TSN's Social Lounge. <6:03>
Full Games
2012.12.31 – Finland U20 vs Sweden U20. <173:59>
YouTube Clips
Draft-Day Interviews
2013.06.30 – Brian Duff interviews Rasmus Ristolainen after being selected 8th overall. <1:45>
2013.06.30 – Rasmus Ristolainen meets with the media after being selected 8th overall. <4:13>
2013.06.30 – Rasmus Ristolainen speaks with Cabbie Richards in TSN's Social Lounge. <6:03>
Full Games
2012.12.31 – Finland U20 vs Sweden U20. <173:59>
YouTube Clips
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