https://www.hockey-refere.../players/r/ristora01.html

Some basic possession analytics here. Ristolainen's best statistical season was, coincidentally (not) when he had an overabundance of offensive zone starts. He was the least amount of detrimental in 17-18.

This is what the eye test reflects. Once Risto is in the offensive zone, he becomes useful.

If you want to keep Ristolainen, this is the way you deploy him in order for him to not damage you. Or find a team that wants to deploy him this way.

there is nothing in place to prevent america from not letting ships back to american ports w/o quarantine like last spring
- homiedclown

Thank you.

He’s not even Barrie
- sbroads24

He’s the Toronto Maple Leafs version of Tyson Barrie, whom was not QB PP1 like he is/was Edmonton and Colorado

they lost last night...scored zero goals...had zero shots on goal with a 6-on-3 for over a minute
- Michael Pachla

It's the Goaltending man.
C'mon.

Ristolainen is Tyson Barrie.

Stick him on PP1 and he’ll get 40 points because he is good at that.

Both defenceman aren’t good at much of anything else though.
- Pegullaville

So, every player needs to be good at every facet of the game? 40 points and grit isnt enough?

How about bringing in a mike Ramsey or jay McKee type defensive defenseman? Anytime in the last 8 years.

Risto runs and stops the run. Maybe he fumbles occasionally. Now you want him make highlight catches too?

Are they the only two? Vegas? Boston? Tampa? Nashville - did they ignore analytics for the first half and then find analytics heaven and were reborn recently?
- TC4145

No those teams found solid players.

Analytics love Vegas. Mark Stone is a god analytically.

Boston has Marchand, Bergeron, Pasternak and all three are probably top 20 if not top 25 in terms of impacts in the entire league. Analytics love them too.

I don’t think you need me to tell you analytics think of Brayden Point, Anthony Cirelli, or the cast of players they have their too.

Nashville is riding Jusse Saros.

So he sucks relatively?
- TC4145

Kind of, yes.
Obviously in a Cap world economics come into it...that is the relative part.
At $2m, one could justify limiting his risk exposure by sheltering him and lowering his minutes to say 15:00 per game as an affordable 3rd pairing
Lesser competition, favorable deployments and reduced time would all serve to reduce the absolute number of boneheaded plays.

At $5.4m per, a team doesn't have the luxury to play him as a 3rd pairing.

So, every player needs to be good at every facet of the game? 40 points and grit isnt enough?

How about bringing in a mike Ramsey or jay McKee type defensive defenseman? Anytime in the last 8 years.

Risto runs and stops the run. Maybe he fumbles occasionally. Now you want him make highlight catches too?
- Boss34

If we could trade Risto for such a player I'd do it in a second. Not being good at the offense does not at all imply he is good at the defense.

Kind of, yes.
Obviously in a Cap world economics come into it...that is the relative part.
At $2m, one could justify limiting his risk exposure by sheltering him and lowering his minutes to say 15:00 per game as an affordable 3rd pairing
Lesser competition, favorable deployments and reduced time would all serve to reduce the absolute number of boneheaded plays.

At $5.4m per, a team doesn't have the luxury to play him as a 3rd pairing.
- IonSabres

But for $6M, they had the luxury of playing Okposo on the fourth line and for $9M, under Krueger, they had the luxury of burying and benching Skinner?

If we could trade Risto for such a player I'd do it in a second. Not being good at the offense does not at all imply he is good at the defense.
- Slump Buster

Jayke Macabre

Jayke Macabre
- TheSabresTaco

I hope Kjell's kid turns into something close to McKee: good at the D, fairly physical yet with a bit more O than we might be expecting.

Jayke Macabre
- TheSabresTaco

5yrs 4mill Avv

I hope Kjell's kid turns into something close to McKee: good at the D, fairly physical yet with a bit more O than we might be expecting.
- Slump Buster

Gotta make sure we give him time to kjell with his teammates, and not try to rush him. Same with Borgen.

But man the potential and goodness and youngness of our D now gives me goosebumps and I am so psyched about the D for the first time since 2006 or so.

I hope Kjell's kid turns into something close to McKee: good at the D, fairly physical yet with a bit more O than we might be expecting.
- Slump Buster

Me too, looks a little hesitant out there right know, afraid to make a mistake. Would like to see him unleash the beast against Boston but understand just trying to get his feet wet.

Hm, well if you don't trust analytics tracking it's tough to go any further with it

¯\_(ツ)_/¯
- jcragcrumple

Same can be said to those who trust it TOO MUCH

Yeah, because most 2nd pairing tweener, 40 point defenseman make $ 2,000,000 on a better team.

With a stud ahead of him.

And then 2 or 3 other guys better than him.
- Boss34

Having a bad day, lol?

Heis defensive play renders him as a 3rd pairing. Plain and simple.
THAT is what counts the most when playing Defense.
He is horrible at the transition game and is not defensively sound in front of the net.
He needs a stud Dman ahead of him so he can play against lesser competition and be deployed in favorable conditions (sheltered) to limit the ill-effects of his faults...low hockey IQ, bad at the D.

His 46% of all his points on the PP is good and he is perfect for the front of the net...he is unmovable there. Dahlin takes his spot up top on the PP..which likely reduces his points going forward.
He plays tough, so that is good as well.

Now the economics.
He is expensive for a 3rd pairing guy who gets PP time.
At $2m, a decent pay for 3rd pairing guys, he can can fit in financially.

As far as 4 guys better than him...he plays on the right, so forget the 3 on the left.
He isn't a 1st pairing for sure...that ship left the dock a long time ago.
I like Joker at 2RhD better, especially at a much, much lower cost.

Don't take it so hard Boss. It's reality.

It's the way this is supposed to work...analytics are overrated because they don't tell the whole story..and not only that, while the amateur hockey scouts here and across social media continue to tout analytics as the Rosetta Stone of scouting, no one can here can tell me who compiles those stats, what criteria is used and how the final results are tabulated
- Michael Pachla

GREAT post 👏👏👏

Same can be said to those who trust it TOO MUCH
- jdfitz77

That's how you end up in Tannerville with Franson takes

That's how you end up in Tannerville with Franson takes
- jcragcrumple

There’s ppl here who started liking Franson too
It was bananas

Lots of Pysyk fans too

Me too, looks a little hesitant out there right know, afraid to make a mistake. Would like to see him unleash the beast against Boston but understand just trying to get his feet wet.
- Buff36

I was actually encouraged that - not unlike Bryson - he did not hesitate to jump up in the offensive zone.

I was actually encouraged that - not unlike Bryson - he did not hesitate to jump up in the offensive zone.
- Slump Buster

I liked that, just from what I saw in Rochester to the last few games here, just looks a little hesitant. But it will come.

But for $6M, they had the luxury of playing Okposo on the fourth line and for $9M, under Krueger, they had the luxury of burying and benching Skinner?
- TC4145

Not sure what your point is.

Okposo isn't worth $2m let alone $6m
Skinner is worth ..? But certainly not anywhere near $9m, last 2 season would be about $2-3m

They could ship both down to the AHL and save about $2.1m of that $15m....then pay someone else at those two positions, probably resulting in a higher overall cap hit.
They can't get out of those contracts and they are virtually untradeable.
I'm sure you agree with all this.

Can they trade Risto? If so, they should for virtually anything given performance/cost.
Same with the other two...but they can't.

What would you do?

I liked that, just from what I saw in Rochester to the last few games here, just looks a little hesitant. But it will come.
- Buff36

It will definitely come. To be honest I am thrilled where he is at. I saw him play a couple of years ago and I thought that he didn't have the skating to be a prospect. I think he is going to be a nice D for a long time.

Not sure what your point is.

Okposo isn't worth $2m let alone $6m
Skinner is worth ..? But certainly not anywhere near $9m last 2 season would be about $2-3m

They could ship both down to the AHL and save about $2.1m of that $15m....then pay someone else at those two positions, probably resulting in a higher overall cap hit.
They can't get out of those contracts and they are virtually untradeable.
I'm sure you agree with all this.

Can they trade Risto? If so, they should for virtually anything given performance/cost.
Same with the other two...but they can't.

What would you do?
- IonSabres

My point - the post stated the Sabres did not have the LUXURY of pushing an expensive Risto down a pair or two. YET, they did that with two other players who cost more.

If Risto is serviceable at a 2/3 pairing, move him down. Stop playing him top tier and work on sending him out the door. I, do not mind him.

And, maybe, just maybe, all these awesome trade offers that everyone knows about (I have no knowledge of the inside of the front office) also came/come with a caveat that the Sabres could not stomach.

Basically, I do not know.

It will definitely come. To be honest I am thrilled where he is at. I saw him play a couple of years ago and I thought that he didn't have the skating to be a prospect. I think he is going to be a nice D for a long time.
- Slump Buster

I agree, I was amazed how much his skating improved. I think he has a bright future. I hope to see him and Laaksonen getting big minutes together next year in Rochester. We could have a very young D core in a few years that brings a little of everything.