Buffalo Sabres Players Year In Review: Rasmus Ristolainen

By Jacob D. Strozyk | Jul 13, 2015

When the Buffalo Sabres selected Rasmus Ristolainen with the 8th overall pick in 2013, they believed that they were drafting the defenseman that would be the cornerstone to their future blue line. After all, a team without a top level defenseman usually does not go far. Over the past couple of seasons Ristolainen has developed very well and will be looking to improve further this year.

Related – New Player Profile: Jamie McGinn

Last season, Ristolainen had it very tough. He was in training to be one of the top defenders for Buffalo’s future, but he kept getting knocked down by the lack of communication and the lack of scoring by the offense. There seemed to be so much pressure on him to succeed and he was taking it to heart. Thankfully, it only drove him to be even better than he was.

Rasmus Ristolainen was a very steady defenseman for Buffalo, but he struggled with his two way style he is used to. He posted typical numbers for a top four two way defender, (8G, 12A) and he even had four of his goals on the power play (an area where he can excel). Here’s an Example:

More from Sabres News

His season was tough merely because of the lacking support from his offense, and the inconsistency of his defensive partners. He wasn’t paired up with veteran defender Josh Gorges, like anticipated for a good portion of the year, but was instead paired with (recently traded) young defender Nikita Zadorov. Though that combination would have been dangerous from size alone, it was not the correct path for Ristolainen’s learning needs.

Risto’s skill package should not be lost by burying him with a slower defenseman like Zadorov or Mike Weber. He would benefit from playing with a guy like Gorges who can keep pace with him, but also be able to hold down the defensive end should Ristolainen decide to jump up in the rush.

Having him play alongside of Zadorov and Meszaros like he was did not help him. Neither of those two players were defensively sound last year and it showed up on Ristolainen’s stats with a plus-minus of -32, one of the worst of the team. Ristolainen is much better than that number shows and it should not be too much of a concern to Sabres fans.

With free agent defenseman Jonny Oduya still out there, it would be a great assist to Ristolainen if Oduya was acquired and paired with him. With a great defensive mentor and the ability to create offense from the back end, Ramsus Ristolainen will continue to be one of the best threats Buffalo has moving forward.

Come next year, there will be a significant upswing in Ristolainen’s game. He will be stronger, quicker, and more prepared for the season. This was his first full season as an NHL defenseman and now he knows what to expect and how to react to everything. I expect great things from Risto next season and so should every other Sabres fan.

Next: Blue vs Gold Scrimmage Game Standouts

More from Sabre Noise

Home/Sabres News