Player Discussion Rasmus Ristolainen

[jc17]

I really hope we win a few games off the bat for their mental health's sake. I get they're paid millions of dollars and don't need pity but I really feel for some of them. Like Risto isn't flawless but I don't question his effort and how much losing has probably eaten at him.

 

[sabrebuild]

I really hope we win a few games off the bat for their mental health's sake. I get they're paid millions of dollars and don't need pity but I really feel for some of them. Like Risto isn't flawless but I don't question his effort and how much losing has probably eaten at him.

Let’s say Bogo is ready to go and stays relatively injury free.

And one of the unknown rookies shows up as a 25-30 goal candidate.

A hot start could really blow open the floodgates for the young core.

 

[26CornerBlitz]

8-27: Rasmus Ristolainen (5:44)

 

[26CornerBlitz]

A Ripped Risto!

 

[sincerity0]

Hide your girlfriends and wives from these Risto pictures

 

[Jim Bob]

Let’s say Bogo is ready to go and stays relatively injury free.

And one of the unknown rookies shows up as a 25-30 goal candidate.

A hot start could really blow open the floodgates for the young core.

And if I win the Mega Millions I can retire!

 

[Jim Bob]

A Ripped Risto!

If Risto gets hurt this season, that article will have people asking questions.

 

[jc17]

I'd rather have a risto with a little bit of body fat and more defensively responsible

 

[OkimLom]

Great to hear he's getting better with his speed and explosiveness(That's been regressing the past 2 years IMO). But the question for me is what's happening between the ears. What is he doing to improve on that, and improving on his reactionary timing? There's never been an issue with his strength. It's always been about improving his reading the play and not making the same mistake twice of who to cover in front.

 

[Moskau]

I thought he got away from hypertrophy training last season?

Seems like year after year we see these "trainers" putting young players on a hypertrophy program because they're tiny only to turn around after 2 years and tell them they need to slim down. If I was an NHL team I would rather see these kids go from 175 to 185 in lean muscle over a Summer than see them go from 175 to 200 in just mass.

 

[Icicle]

I thought he got away from hypertrophy training last season?

Seems like year after year we see these "trainers" putting young players on a hypertrophy program because they're tiny only to turn around after 2 years and tell them they need to slim down. If I was an NHL team I would rather see these kids go from 175 to 185 in lean muscle over a Summer than see them go from 175 to 200 in just mass.

Mittelstadt.

 

[Seele]

How has Ristolainen played in preseason games?

 

[sufferer]

How has Ristolainen played in preseason games?

Solid against the Wilkes-Barre Pens, poor against the Toronto Marlies.

 

[Sabre the Win]

How has Ristolainen played in preseason games?

Solid against the Wilkes-Barre Pens, poor against the Toronto Marlies.

Adding some numbers to context of what sufferer mentioned.

@ Pittsburgh
CF% : 65.38
REL CF% : 10.84

@ Leafs
CF% : 43.75
REL CF% : -10.80

 

[Seele]

Thanks for the responses.

Preseason sounds like Ristolainen's career so far.

 

[GrierIsGod123]

He's just not very good. I think he's a Number 4-5 guy on a great team. He's a passable second pair guy on a borderline playoff team, but not a contender.

For the Sabres to take that next step, I think he'll need to move down the lineup a bit more. Meaning we need Guhle, Dahlin, Borgen and/or whomever we draft in the next year to overtake him.

 

[tsujimoto74]

He's just not very good. I think he's a Number 4-5 guy on a great team. He's a passable second pair guy on a borderline playoff team, but not a contender.

For the Sabres to take that next step, I think he'll need to move down the lineup a bit more. Meaning we need Guhle, Dahlin, Borgen and/or whomever we draft in the next year to overtake him.

This feels like a wild overreaction to me. We have no clue how much better he'd look playing as a #2-3 with slightly reduced ice time and difficulty of competition/easier zone starts because he's always been ran into the ground with usage like he's a league-wide top 5 defenseman. I think the fact that he pretty much always starts strong and fades as the season goes on is indicative of that fact that the minutes he's playing are just too much for him (and really, too much for anyone other than Ryan Suter, probably). Give him minutes and a role that are sustainable, and maybe he puts together an entire strong season.

ETA: Not to mention the fact that last year was the first time he's gotten to skate those minutes next to an NHL-caliber partner. He's been tasked with a really, really difficult job--one that not many defenseman in the league could do with a high degree of success. I don't think it's a major slight against him that he's not one of that small handful of players.

 

[Paxon]

He's just not very good. I think he's a Number 4-5 guy on a great team. He's a passable second pair guy on a borderline playoff team, but not a contender.

For the Sabres to take that next step, I think he'll need to move down the lineup a bit more. Meaning we need Guhle, Dahlin, Borgen and/or whomever we draft in the next year to overtake him.

Like it says above me, how about we give him a chance to just simply be a top 4 defenseman with a top 4 defense partner before saying he is nothing but a 5 or 6.

 

[GrierIsGod123]

Like it says above me, how about we give him a chance to just simply be a top 4 defenseman with a top 4 defense partner before saying he is nothing but a 5 or 6.

I'm just not seeing it at Even Strength, as I think he struggles with high end, fast players. Like I said, I think he'll be totally passable on the second pair going against easier competition.

That said, he's an excellent Power Play guy and will likely remain good for 40+ points, especially as the team gets better.

He's an interesting story line for this year. He'll be counted on for Top Pairing minutes once again, but hopefully can start getting some of the help he needs as the season progresses.

 

[Seele]

I think it's good to remember though:

• Ristolainen is still 23 years old. I don't know if there's statistics, but my impression has been that it takes time for defensemen to mature.
• Ristolainen has played since he was 17 years old in teams which have been sitting near the bottom of the standings the entire season. I know that he has a fundamental role in how Sabres performs, but he's still one player among others. I'd like to see him once playing in team which has its **it together. Where everyone can rely on good strategy that helps them to be the best version of themselves.

Let's see how the season goes.

 

[Nate070]

I think it's good to remember though:

• Ristolainen is still 23 years old. I don't know if there's statistics, but my impression has been that it takes time for defensemen to mature.
• Ristolainen has played since he was 17 years old in teams which have been sitting near the bottom of the standings the entire season. I know that he has a fundamental role in how Sabres performs, but he's still one player among others. I'd like to see him once playing in team which has its **it together. Where everyone can rely on good strategy that helps them to be the best version of themselves.

Let's see how the season goes.

I almost feel a bit sorry for him but then I remember he earns millions to do this

 

[26CornerBlitz]

 

[SnuggaRUDE]

Step 1: Decrease his minutes
Step 2: Coach him to step up at the line
Step 3: Red light his pinches
Step 4: Pass to half wall rather than shoot

The way he and Bogo (who's playing well) fish at the puck carrier on DZ entries, in almost identical ways, in the identical locations suggests they're being coached to do so.

The idea isn't even awful, they're playing to force a cut to center of the ice where the trailing back checker, of whom Eichel has been noticeably more efficient this year, has an opportunity to strip the puck.

He's been caught several times on shaky pinches or with bad give aways going across the offensive blue line. Put an end to those plays while stabilizing his usage.

As bad, in general he's not getting his shot through, and the forwards are crashing without the possibility of a pass wide, so teams are 100% cheating on his shot. Punish that tendency with adjustments.

 

[Dirty Dog]

Ability to play 25+ minutes.
Not deserving of a roster spot.


That space between the lines is where you’ll find other roles nhl players can play and have substantial value to their team.

 

[MayDayMayDay]

I agree with everything in this article.

Risto's minutes have unequivocally GOT to come down. No more top pair minutes or matchups. Give him mid pair and PP2 time. No more than 20, and he never sees the ice in OT unless it's a 4 on 3 man advantage.