John Tortorella's Roster Move Signals a Defensemen is About to be Benched
On Saturday, the Philadelphia Flyers suffered a tough loss in overtime to the Carolina Hurricanes, and it seems that defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen may have cost them the game with a costly mistake.
With just 0.3 seconds left in play, Ristolainen got caught puck watching and left two players wide open in front of goaltender Felix Sandstrom, the Hurricanes would end up tying the game..
As a result, head coach John Tortorella is reportedly considering benching Ristolainen and giving his roster spot to Egor Zamula.
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Tortorella says that Zamula will get games this week, and probably head back to the minors on Sunday.
Ristolainen, who was acquired by the Flyers in the offseason, has had an up-and-down season so far. While he has shown flashes of the offensive talent that made him a top draft pick in 2013, he has also struggled defensively and has been a liability at times.
If Ristolainen is indeed benched, it could be a golden opportunity for Zamula to make an impact at the NHL level. The 23-year-old defenseman has been playing well in the AHL with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, and has been called up to the Flyers in the past. If he does take Ristolainen's spot on the roster, he will have a chance to prove himself as a reliable defenseman for the struggling Flyers.
Overall, Ristolainen's mistake may have cost the Flyers a win on Saturday, but it could also be the catalyst for a much-needed change in the team's defensive lineup. With Zamula waiting in the wings, the Flyers have a promising young player who could round their future defensive core.
| POLL | ||
20 MARS | 228 ANSWERS John Tortorella's Roster Move Signals a Defensemen is About to be Benched Should the Flyers attempt to move Ristolianen and his $5m+ contract this offseason? | ||
| Yes | 187 | 82 % |
| No | 41 | 18 % |
| List of polls | ||
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