The Philadelphia Flyers might be missing a key defenseman at the beginning of the next season.
According to a team announcement on Thursday, defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen had arm surgery and is anticipated to be sidelined for six months.
The surgery, performed on March 26, was to repair a torn right triceps tendon. Previously, the team had listed him as week-to-week with an upper-body injury.
Consequently, Ristolainen will not be available for the start of next season`s training camp.
This past season, the 30-year-old Finnish blueliner recorded 19 points (four goals, 15 assists) in 63 games for the Flyers. His average ice time was 20:31 per game, ranking him fourth on the squad.
Although he was selected for Finland`s roster for the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament, he was unable to participate due to injury.
Ristolainen is currently under contract with the Flyers until the end of the 2026-27 season, carrying a $5.1 million cap hit.
In the Eastern Conference, the Flyers finished tied for last place with a record of 33-39-10, earning 76 points. They have a 9.5% probability of securing the first overall pick in the upcoming draft.
