Veteran Flyers Defenseman Undergoes Surgery

The Philadelphia Flyers shared that a veteran defenseman underwent surgery and revealed his injury timeline.

Mar 8, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen (55) in action against the Seattle Kraken in the second period at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images / Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

The Philadelphia Flyers will be without one of their veteran defensemen for the start of their 2025-2026 season. Rasmus Ristolainen, one of the highest-paid blue liners in the organization, underwent successful surgery to correct a ruptured right triceps tendon.

The Flyers announced that the surgery was performed a month prior and also shared his expected rehabilitation timeline. His recovery will take roughly six months.

With the expected timeline, Ristolainen is at risk of missing the start of next season. The team shared that they don't expect him to be ready for training camp. If all goes according to plan, his return should happen at the beginning of the regular season schedule.

Injury update: Defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen underwent successful surgery on his right triceps tendon rupture on March 26.

He is expected to miss 2025 training camp and be out about six months. He is expected to make a full recovery. https://t.co/THgVH8FQKp

— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) April 24, 2025

The 30-year-old defender is hoping to remain healthy once he returns to the lineup in the fall. He was limited to 63 games this past campaign and recorded four goals and 19 points in those contests.

It was at least an upgrade from his availability the previous season. He played just 31 games in 2022-2023, recording just four points.

The Flyers need Ristolainen to return and be effective. They owe him $5.1 million for two more seasons. His trade value is at an all-time low, making a trade an unlikely option. The best way forward is for him to rehabilitate his repaired triceps, return to the lineup, and attempt to boost his value one game at a time.

Ristolainen is a veteran of 776 NHL games. Originally drafted in the first-round by the Buffalo Sabres, he played his first eight seasons with the organization before being traded to Philadelphia. Upon his arrival, the Flyers envisioned him being their lock-down, top-pairing defender. Instead, they've had to deal with him coming in and out of the lineup and failing to live up to expectations.

The update is the latest move in the Flyers' offseason overhaul. The organization has several major decisions to make while they wait for their veteran defender to return from his latest injury.

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