The Boston Bruins aren't going to stop with their pursuit of a right-shot defenseman. They were one of the closest runner-ups in the Rasmus Andersson sweepstakes, landing on a deal with the Calgary Flames but failing to sign the defender to a long-term extension. Rasmus Ristolainen is the latest right-shot blueliner to hit the market, and it looks like Don Sweeney kept a close eye on him in Milan.
Ristolainen's value skyrocketed after his work with the Finnish National Team at the 2026 Winter Olympics. The Philadelphia Flyers defenseman is currently one of the hottest targets in the league, and there are upwards of six teams circling the wagons to acquire his services, according to Anthony Di Marco via Daily Faceoff.
"Speaking with a source close to the situation in Boston, I got the sense that Ristolainen wasn't someone the Bruins are especially high on, though they are 'checking in on everyone' at this stage," Di Marco reported. "Given that they were in on Rasmus Andersson before his eventual trade to the Vegas Golden Knights, it makes sense that the Bruins would at least do their due diligence on Ristolainen as a right-shot defenseman."Â
Ristolainen isn't the first defender linked to the Bruins this week. Justin Faulk and Braden Schneider are two other blueliners who have recently been rumored to be on Sweeney's radar. It's an interesting group of players Boston is targeting, as it shows they are casting a wide net over their options.
Rasmus Ristolainen isn't what the Bruins are looking for
The Bruins' target should be a right-shot puck-moving defenseman. While Faulk isn't the best option either, he fits the bill better than Ristolainen. To me, Ristolainen feels like a right-shot version of Nikita Zadorov. Zadorov is a valuable player as the lone player of his style on a defense core, but when you have two of them on two different lines, it doesn't serve the same purpose.
The footspeed of the Bruins' defense is already a question mark. Ristolainen will only compound that problem, and if he is their only option through trade, they are better off just staying put. Boston's front office is going to think they need to force themselves into making the team better with the playoffs so close, but some of the trade rumors coming out of Milan are a bit concerning.