# Rasmus Ristolainen

Rasmus Ristolainen (born 27 October 1994) is a Finnish professional ice hockey defenceman for the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected eighth overall by the Buffalo Sabres in the 2013 NHL entry draft.

## Playing career

Ristolainen made his NHL debut with the Buffalo Sabres on the opening night of the 2013–14 season, on 2 October 2013, against the Detroit Red Wings. He scored his first career NHL goal on 25 October, in a 3–1 win over the Florida Panthers. He scored his first NHL hat-trick on 10 December 2015, in a 4–3 loss against the Calgary Flames. In doing so, he became the first Sabres' defenceman to score a hat-trick since Hockey Hall of Famer Phil Housley did so in the 1987–88 season.
On 21 March 2017, Ristolainen delivered a check to Pittsburgh Penguins forward Jake Guentzel. Guentzel suffered a concussion on the play, and Ristolainen was given a three-game suspension for interference by the league.
On 23 July 2021, Ristolainen was traded by the Sabres to the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for Robert Hägg, a 2021 first-round pick and a 2023 second-round pick. On 10 March 2022, he signed a five-year contract extension with the Flyers.

## International play

On 5 January 2014, Ristolainen scored the overtime winner in the final of the 2014 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships against previously undefeated Sweden, giving Finland the gold medal.

## Career statistics
### Regular season and playoffs

| | | | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs |
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| 2009–10 | TPS | FIN U18 | 24 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 12 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| 2009–10 | TPS | FIN U20 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2010–11 | TPS | FIN U18 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 13 | 5 | 3 | 8 | 8 |
| 2010–11 | TPS | FIN U20 | 27 | 0 | 12 | 12 | 30 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2010–11 | TPS | SM-l | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2011–12 | TPS | FIN U20 | 8 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2011–12 | TPS | SM-l | 40 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 78 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2012–13 | TPS | SM-l | 52 | 3 | 12 | 15 | 32 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2012–13 | TPS | FIN U20 | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 |
| 2013–14 | Rochester Americans | AHL | 34 | 6 | 14 | 20 | 22 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| 2013–14 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 34 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2014–15 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 78 | 8 | 12 | 20 | 26 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2015–16 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 82 | 9 | 32 | 41 | 33 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2016–17 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 79 | 6 | 39 | 45 | 58 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2017–18 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 73 | 6 | 35 | 41 | 48 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2018–19 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 78 | 5 | 38 | 43 | 38 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2019–20 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 69 | 6 | 27 | 33 | 46 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2020–21 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 49 | 4 | 14 | 18 | 36 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2021–22 | Philadelphia Flyers | NHL | 66 | 2 | 14 | 16 | 38 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2022–23 | Philadelphia Flyers | NHL | 74 | 3 | 17 | 20 | 32 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2023–24 | Philadelphia Flyers | NHL | 31 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Liiga totals | Liiga totals | Liiga totals | 93 | 6 | 17 | 23 | 110 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| NHL totals | NHL totals | NHL totals | 713 | 52 | 233 | 285 | 369 | — | — | — | — | — |

### International

| Year | Team | Event | Result | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| 2010 | Finland | U17 | 10th | 5 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| 2011 | Finland | U17 | 7th | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| 2011 | Finland | IH18 | 4th | 5 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 10 |
| 2012 | Finland | WJC | 4th | 7 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| 2012 | Finland | WJC18 | 4th | 7 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 10 |
| 2013 | Finland | WJC | 7th | 6 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 20 |
| 2014 | Finland | WJC | | 5 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 8 |
| 2016 | Finland | WCH | 8th | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Junior totals | Junior totals | Junior totals | Junior totals | 40 | 9 | 12 | 21 | 56 |
| Senior totals | Senior totals | Senior totals | Senior totals | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |