The Philadelphia Flyers might find themselves without one of their defencemen to begin the upcoming season.
The team announced on Thursday that defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen recently underwent arm surgery and is projected to be sidelined for a period of six months.
The procedure, which took place on March 26, was performed to repair a ruptured right triceps tendon. Earlier in the month, the team had indicated he was week-to-week with an upper-body injury.
Consequently, Ristolainen is expected to miss the commencement of training camp for the next season.
The 30-year-old blueliner from Turku, Finland, registered 19 points (four goals and 15 assists) across 63 games for the Flyers this season. His average ice time of 20:31 per game placed him fourth among team skaters.
He was named to Finland`s roster for the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament but ultimately did not participate due to the injury.
Ristolainen is currently under contract with the Flyers through the 2026-27 season, carrying an annual salary cap hit of $5.1 million.
The Flyers concluded the season tied for the lowest points total in the Eastern Conference, finishing with a record of 33-39-10 for 76 points. Their performance grants them a 9.5 percent probability of securing the first overall pick in the upcoming NHL Entry Draft.
Tristan Blackwood