Sportsnet posted a story where the author expressed his opinion that the Leafs should trade for Rasmus Ristolainen. A cynical person might call that click bait, and it might be. But there is a constituency of fans and media who keep saying this because Risto shoots right and is a defenceman they have heard of, and Buffalo doesn’t want him. Yes, it is weird that we’re supposed to have a use for a guy Buffalo doesn’t want and who isn’t a goalie prospect. But that’s hockey, and name recognition is everything.
You can make up your own minds about how valuable Ristolainen would be to the Leafs. I don’t care about that exactly, I want to know if there is a deal that would get you to say yes to a trade.
For reference, Ristolainen turns 26 this fall, and has two more years on his six-year contract at $5.4 million in AAV. There is one signing bonus, due whenever they will be paid this summer, of $1 million, and in all other years his salary equals the AAV, making this a very unusual contract by today’s standards.
So, now to the question: What’s your threshold on this deal.
Would you trade the following for Rasmus Ristolainen
| An NHL roster forward making over $3 million and a 4th round pick | 197 |
| Just the NHL player making over $3 million | 63 |
| An NHL roster forward making less than $3 million and a 5th round pick | 40 |
| Just the player making less than $3 million | 14 |
| Frederik Gauthier and a sixth-round pick | 89 |
| Jeremy Bracco and a seventh-round pick | 120 |
| Just Bracco | 43 |
| Just a seventh-round pick | 16 |
| Any of the above if the Sabres retain 50% | 225 |
| Sign him to more than $1 million after the Sabres buy him out | 105 |
| Sign him to minimum salary after the Sabres buy him out | 127 |
| None of the above | 148 |