RistLOLainen
- Feds91Stammer

Yes, because he's the only D man in the league to be on the ice with 4th liners sometimes.
- sbroads24

So he played 186 minutes with a waiver claim and you see that as the same thing as other team's 4th lines. Every top minute defenseman plays with every teammate, the fact that you can't accept our quality of teammate is hurting him is the troubling part. It's such a no brainer.

RistLOLainen
- Feds91Stammer

RistoLOLnen flows a little better

Risto is only 23 so I have to disagree with him being labeled as not worth taking a chance on. He has been on a terrible team as a number 1 D-man at a very young age. I think its way too soon to say he isn't going to be good. Maybe not a true number 1 but definitely a top 4 guy.
- Mino42

YUP, Nailed it

Keith Yandle I think is a good example of what Risto is.

Yandle, 3rd year in the league: 69 games, 30 pts, -4. (Phoenix went 36-39-7)
Yandle, 5th year in the league: 82 games, 59 pts, +12 (Phoenix went 43-26-13)

I'd go on but I think this shows that despite a player's attributes, the success of the team can determine the success of the players as well. Yandle on a bad team is a 35pt guy, on a good team he's at 45-50.

He didn't start off as a dud, just as Risto does do some things well, but he needed other parts around him to work with. Risto isn't a Karlsson, he does not have the skill to play 25m a night by himself. As the team improves you will see him improve. I pray he is not traded.
- RhinoFan

nah

Yandle>>>Risto

Risto is only 23 so I have to disagree with him being labeled as not worth taking a chance on. He has been on a terrible team as a number 1 D-man at a very young age. I think its way too soon to say he isn't going to be good. Maybe not a true number 1 but definitely a top 4 guy.
- Mino42

"Only 23"

peak age is 24...

dude is a glorified PP specialist

trying to blame his supporting cast for his inability to effectively move the puck out of his own end or defend the blue line is hysterical

RistoLOLnen flows a little better
- mattmoulson

Nah sound it out.

Rist-LOL-ainen

you added a syllable

Nah sound it out.

Rist-LOL-ainen

you added a syllable
- Feds91Stammer

I agree with your version. Rolls off the tongue better. Like Bustolainen.

Buffalo's adding Dhalin...so like, why the frank wouldn't they want to see how those two pan out together??
- mgriffen

Cause Risto is a bum and way overrated so they could get a more useful player/package in return.

"Only 23"

peak age is 24...

dude is a glorified PP specialist

trying to blame his supporting cast for his inability to effectively move the puck out of his own end or defend the blue line is hysterical
- Feds91Stammer

so you watch a lot of Sabres Games the last few years??

I agree with your version. Rolls off the tongue better. Like Bustolainen.
- RafiDRW

Nah.

Bustmus RistLOLainen

so you watch a lot of Sabres Games the last few years??
- hehateme

No I don't follow the AHL that closely

Nah.

Bustmus RistLOLainen
- Feds91Stammer

Yes!

No I don't follow the AHL that closely
- Feds91Stammer

So how do you comment on a player that you don't watch?

Risto is a flat-out awful player. The only dman in the league that I’d trust less than him is Bogosian. Also a Sabre

Taking Risto on for free would make any team worse

No I don't follow the AHL that closely
- Feds91Stammer

The Sabres have been a DUMPSTER fire Top to bottom for years, you can not look at stats to determine a players worth when they play with historically bad players surrounding them.

Risto may not be a true #1 D-man but he is for sure a solid top 4.

Risto is a flat-out awful player. The only dman in the league that I’d trust less than him is Bogosian. Also a Sabre

Taking Risto on for free would make any team worse
- AxlRose91

Your trolling used to be funny.

Risto is a flat-out awful player. The only dman in the league that I’d trust less than him is Bogosian. Also a Sabre

Taking Risto on for free would make any team worse
- AxlRose91

Stop smoking synthetics... make you do/say crazy things...

So how do you comment on a player that you don't watch?
- hehateme

What year is it?

The Sabres have been a DUMPSTER fire Top to bottom for years, you can not look at stats to determine a players worth when they play with historically bad players surrounding them.

Risto may not be a true #1 D-man but he is for sure a solid top 4.
- hehateme

If by top 4 you mean a #4 PP specialist yeah.

Fact is he is terrible at 5v5

He cannot defend the blueline and he struggles with exiting his zone as well.

Those are facts. Doesn't matter if I have seen him play 10 games or 100 games.

If by top 4 you mean a #4 PP specialist yeah.

Fact is he is terrible at 5v5

He cannot defend the blueline and he struggles with exiting his zone as well.

Those are facts. Doesn't matter if I have seen him play 10 games or 100 games.
- Feds91Stammer

now compare him to all the players on the Sabres... See how he fairs.

now compare him to all the players on the Sabres... See how he fairs.
- hehateme

Also he plays 25 Min a game in all situations, Maybe just maybe he if his playing time goes to 18-20 mins a game, his stats would look a lot better....

If by top 4 you mean a #4 PP specialist yeah.

Fact is he is terrible at 5v5

He cannot defend the blueline and he struggles with exiting his zone as well.

Those are facts. Doesn't matter if I have seen him play 10 games or 100 games.
- Feds91Stammer

Another one that doesn't need to watch hockey to make up an opinion, just have to look at the stat sheet.

Another one that doesn't need to watch hockey to make up an opinion, just have to look at the stat sheet.
- RhinoFan

easier that way I guess.

Also he plays 25 Min a game in all situations, Maybe just maybe he if his playing time goes to 18-20 mins a game, his stats would look a lot better....
- hehateme

nah

his rate stats are bad so they will still be bad