Ristolainen Signed, 6yrs 5.4mil per

[Georgia Blizzard]

I think the bigger issue is not when Risto will sign and report it's whether he'll turn corner and be true top pairing D-man that we all thought he'd be 2 years ago.  His play has NOT trended in that direction the past 2 years, that's the concerning headline !

[LGR4GM]

True, but I think the state of our D without him and his performance in the WC inflates his value more than we are willing to admit. I'll be absolutely shocked if he signs for less than 6.5 x 8.

I think anything over 6 is questionable but 6.5 would be my absolute limit

Risto has officially not reported to camp

Uhg

[TrueBlueGED]

I think the bigger issue is not when Risto will sign and report it's whether he'll turn corner and be true top pairing D-man that we all thought he'd be 2 years ago.  His play has NOT trended in that direction the past 2 years, that's the concerning headline !

 

What in the world? He's shown tremendous year-over-year growth. How is he not trending in the right direction?

[jsb]

Marchand with Boston gets 8 years 49M. No way Risto deserves more money. His potential is top notch but he hasn't produced as a 6.5M average per year Dman yet. As much as I like him, he's no where near Ekblad in talent nor what he has produced so far.

[LGR4GM]

I think the bigger issue is not when Risto will sign and report it's whether he'll turn corner and be true top pairing D-man that we all thought he'd be 2 years ago. His play has NOT trended in that direction the past 2 years, that's the concerning headline !

What direction has his play trended in?

[Samson's Flow]

What direction has his play trended in?

The non-Myers direction.

[Georgia Blizzard]

What direction has his play trended in?

 

I think even the most ardent Risto supporters would admit that his play in 2nd half last year was concerning and his plus / minus and Corsi are both troublesome --- again, he's looking for Ekblad money, he's no Ekblad.  He's a legit top 4, hopefully he'll develop into top 2, not so sure anymore

[Radar]

The longer this goes the more value posters will give him. He is good and potentially very good but not deserving of Ekblad money. I trust Murray to know his value and ownership to pay it.

[LGR4GM]

I think even the most ardent Risto supporters would admit that his play in 2nd half last year was concerning and his plus / minus and Corsi are both troublesome --- again, he's looking for Ekblad money, he's no Ekblad. He's a legit top 4, hopefully he'll develop into top 2, not so sure anymore

Were you more sure before last year. I'm confused here. I get not giving him Ekblad money, he doesn't deserve that. I don't get what you were sure of and now aren't.

[Georgia Blizzard]

Were you more sure before last year. I'm confused here. I get not giving him Ekblad money, he doesn't deserve that. I don't get what you were sure of and now aren't.

 

So, to the extent you can be "more sure" about a 19-year old his first season (1/2 season), YES, I was.

 

But, you have to remember, he exceeded the expectations of what an 8th overall pick would look like as a 19-year old 6 months after being drafted, so, you immediately reset his trend line and say. wow, he's a can't miss top-2 Dman.

 

He settles in for his 2nd season as a 20-year old, and for the most part, he looks like he is progressing along that same (reset) trajectory.

 

Last year, it appeared as though he didn't make the necessary progress during the 1st half, and actually regressed in the 2nd half of the season.

 

Defense is hard to project and typically take longer to develop.  I want to see him cut down on the defensive lapses, get more physical and push the puck more.  I'm hoping a stronger pairing with Kulikov will allow him to make more progress.

[WildCard]

Dis gon' be good

[Weave]

The longer this goes the more value posters will give him. He is good and potentially very good but not deserving of Ekblad money. I trust Murray to know his value and ownership to pay it.

 

My money is on the opposite.  The longer it goes on, the more justification there will be on this site for the team being better served by replacing him. Those weak metrics will be brought up more and more.

Edited September 26, 2016 by We've

[woods-racer]

He's a bum, get rid of him!

 

 

 

 

 

 

To early  soon?

Edited September 26, 2016 by Woods-Racer

[LGR4GM]

So, to the extent you can be "more sure" about a 19-year old his first season (1/2 season), YES, I was.

 

But, you have to remember, he exceeded the expectations of what an 8th overall pick would look like as a 19-year old 6 months after being drafted, so, you immediately reset his trend line and say. wow, he's a can't miss top-2 Dman.

 

He settles in for his 2nd season as a 20-year old, and for the most part, he looks like he is progressing along that same (reset) trajectory.

 

Last year, it appeared as though he didn't make the necessary progress during the 1st half, and actually regressed in the 2nd half of the season.

 

Defense is hard to project and typically take longer to develop. I want to see him cut down on the defensive lapses, get more physical and push the puck more. I'm hoping a stronger pairing with Kulikov will allow him to make more progress.

I completely disagree with your assessment of his game last year.

[pi2000]

So, to the extent you can be "more sure" about a 19-year old his first season (1/2 season), YES, I was.

 

But, you have to remember, he exceeded the expectations of what an 8th overall pick would look like as a 19-year old 6 months after being drafted, so, you immediately reset his trend line and say. wow, he's a can't miss top-2 Dman.

 

He settles in for his 2nd season as a 20-year old, and for the most part, he looks like he is progressing along that same (reset) trajectory.

 

Last year, it appeared as though he didn't make the necessary progress during the 1st half, and actually regressed in the 2nd half of the season.

 

Defense is hard to project and typically take longer to develop.  I want to see him cut down on the defensive lapses, get more physical and push the puck more.  I'm hoping a stronger pairing with Kulikov will allow him to make more progress.

I completely agree with your assessment of his game last year.

[GASabresIUFAN]

His second half play is why the deal isn't done. His agent and he think he is Ekblad and he isn't yet even Vatanen. Maybe the thing for both parties to do is step back do a 2 yr 7.5 to 8 mill deal and move on. If he continues to develop then he'll get big money two years from now and if he doesn't develop his d zone work, then both parties can move on.

[Randall Flagg]

So, to the extent you can be "more sure" about a 19-year old his first season (1/2 season), YES, I was.

 

But, you have to remember, he exceeded the expectations of what an 8th overall pick would look like as a 19-year old 6 months after being drafted, so, you immediately reset his trend line and say. wow, he's a can't miss top-2 Dman.

 

He settles in for his 2nd season as a 20-year old, and for the most part, he looks like he is progressing along that same (reset) trajectory.

 

Last year, it appeared as though he didn't make the necessary progress during the 1st half, and actually regressed in the 2nd half of the season.

 

Defense is hard to project and typically take longer to develop.  I want to see him cut down on the defensive lapses, get more physical and push the puck more.  I'm hoping a stronger pairing with Kulikov will allow him to make more progress.

No chance we were watching the same player through the first half of last season. No chance. Risto was a beast. 

 

On his regression: Show me a 21 year old that didn't get worse around game 50 with 25 minutes a game against top lines with a partner in over his head with high defensive zone starts. Show me a single 21 year old. Not named Orr. 

 

Erik Karlsson, Drew Doughty, Duncan Keith, Shea Weber have hours of footage showing gaffs and poor plays leading to goals against. It's going to happen, often. Players in this league are good. Risto consistently made incredible plays against elite NHL players every single game last year, even when he was slumping. All the evidence is there that he is and is going to be a stud. You just have to watch and realize that he's not going to be Lidstrom. Sure, he needs to improve. Sans Orr, which defenseman his age didn't? Which of the players I list here were even in the NHL at this point, let alone taking on top lines for a huge amount of ice time that even the coach admits was way too much, but that he couldn't stop feeding him, because he's a rock?

[Hank]

No chance we were watching the same player through the first half of last season. No chance. Risto was a ###### beast. 

 

On his regression: Show me a 21 year old that didn't get worse around game 50 with 25 minutes a game against top lines with a partner in over his head with high defensive zone starts. Show me a single 21 year old. Not named Orr. 

 

Erik Karlsson, Drew Doughty, Duncan Keith, Shea Weber have hours of footage showing gaffs and poor plays leading to goals against. It's going to happen, often. Players in this league are good. Risto consistently made incredible plays against elite NHL players every single game last year, even when he was slumping. All the evidence is there that he is and is going to be a stud. You just have to watch and realize that he's not going to be Lidstrom. Sure, he needs to improve. Sans Orr, which defenseman his age didn't? Which of the players I list here were even in the NHL at this point, let alone taking on top lines for a huge amount of ice time that even the coach admits was way too much, but that he couldn't stop feeding him, because he's a rock?

Yeah, what he said.

[Neo]

I love it when the youngins reference Robert Gordon Orr of Perry Sound, Ontario. Most truly.

[LGR4GM]

I completely agree with your assessment of his game last year.

yea, we know how much you love that +/- stat

[WildCard]

yea, we know how much you love that +/- stat

You spelled sh!t wrong

[TrueBlueGED]

His second half play is why the deal isn't done. His agent and he think he is Ekblad and he isn't yet even Vatanen. Maybe the thing for both parties to do is step back do a 2 yr 7.5 to 8 mill deal and move on. If he continues to develop then he'll get big money two years from now and if he doesn't develop his d zone work, then both parties can move on.

 

Not even Vatanen? Vatanen got soft cushy minutes on a much better team and still got out-produced by Risto.

 

No chance we were watching the same player through the first half of last season. No chance. Risto was a ###### beast. 

 

On his regression: Show me a 21 year old that didn't get worse around game 50 with 25 minutes a game against top lines with a partner in over his head with high defensive zone starts. Show me a single 21 year old. Not named Orr. 

 

Erik Karlsson, Drew Doughty, Duncan Keith, Shea Weber have hours of footage showing gaffs and poor plays leading to goals against. It's going to happen, often. Players in this league are good. Risto consistently made incredible plays against elite NHL players every single game last year, even when he was slumping. All the evidence is there that he is and is going to be a stud. You just have to watch and realize that he's not going to be Lidstrom. Sure, he needs to improve. Sans Orr, which defenseman his age didn't? Which of the players I list here were even in the NHL at this point, let alone taking on top lines for a huge amount of ice time that even the coach admits was way too much, but that he couldn't stop feeding him, because he's a rock?

 

I was going to rant, but....basically this. It's amazing to me how many people ignore the context in which his performance took place. Duncan Keith didn't even play a single second in the NHL until he was 22 and didn't average over 25 minutes of ice time until he was 24! Risto did it at 21! And seriously, when you face the best of the best, they're sometimes going to make you look silly. It's not like Risto was getting roasted by the Nic Deslauriers of the league. 

[bunomatic]

Yeah, what he said.

What Hank said.

[7+6=13]

Not even Vatanen? Vatanen got soft cushy minutes on a much better team and still got out-produced by Risto.

 

 

I was going to rant, but....basically this. It's amazing to me how many people ignore the context in which his performance took place. Duncan Keith didn't even play a single second in the NHL until he was 22 and didn't average over 25 minutes of ice time until he was 24! Risto did it at 21! And seriously, when you face the best of the best, they're sometimes going to make you look silly. It's not like Risto was getting roasted by the Nic Deslauriers of the league. 

 

Good take

[Georgia Blizzard]

No chance we were watching the same player through the first half of last season. No chance. Risto was a ###### beast. 

 

On his regression: Show me a 21 year old that didn't get worse around game 50 with 25 minutes a game against top lines with a partner in over his head with high defensive zone starts. Show me a single 21 year old. Not named Orr. 

 

Erik Karlsson, Drew Doughty, Duncan Keith, Shea Weber have hours of footage showing gaffs and poor plays leading to goals against. It's going to happen, often. Players in this league are good. Risto consistently made incredible plays against elite NHL players every single game last year, even when he was slumping. All the evidence is there that he is and is going to be a stud. You just have to watch and realize that he's not going to be Lidstrom. Sure, he needs to improve. Sans Orr, which defenseman his age didn't? Which of the players I list here were even in the NHL at this point, let alone taking on top lines for a huge amount of ice time that even the coach admits was way too much, but that he couldn't stop feeding him, because he's a rock?

 

Amazing how saying he wasn't a top-2, but a top 4 is met with such harsh objection.  I still think Risto is a stud, I just have a lot of questions on whether he'll ascend to a legit top-2 for a playoff team -- again, he and his agent are attempting to position the negotiations based on the quality of Buff D last year and where he stacked up -- the D was not good, being the best of an average group of D men, does not warrant a huge contract ---