Flyers’ Ristolainen Secured for Team Finland’s Olympic Squad as NHL Players Return to Global Stage
Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen is officially set to don the blue and white jersey, embracing a pivotal role on Team Finland’s blue line for the upcoming Winter Olympics. The selection serves as a validation for the veteran blueliner, who views the invitation not just as a national duty, but as a critical opportunity to showcase his evolved game on the world’s biggest stage.
For Ristolainen, this selection marks a significant career milestone following years of rebuilding his reputation. Known for his punishing physical play and ability to log heavy minutes, the 6-foot-4 right-shot defenseman offers the Finnish squad a distinct element of grit. His tenure in Philadelphia under head coach John Tortorella has seen him transform into a more defensively conscious rearguard—prioritizing positioning and net-front battles over risky offensive pinches—a maturation that likely swayed the Finnish national team management.
This tournament carries historical weight as it marks the return of NHL participation to the Olympic stage for the first time since 2014. While Finland captures the Gold Medal at the 2022 Beijing Games, that victory was achieved without the availability of the world’s premier league players. Consequently, Ristolainen joins a roster looking to prove their dominance holds up in a true best-on-best tournament format, aiming to defend their title against star-studded lineups from Canada, the United States, and Sweden.
However, Ristolainen’s inclusion is not without its detractors within the hockey analytics community. Critics have long pointed to his polarizing advanced metrics and historical struggles with possession exits as potential liabilities against speed-driven teams. With a Finnish defensive corps that boasts elite puck-movers like Miro Heiskanen, skeptics argue that the roster spot might have been better utilized on a defender with higher transition upside. Despite these objections, Finnish leadership has evidently prioritized size and toughness to police the defensive zone, banking on Ristolainen’s physical edge to neutralize the high-end talent present in the Olympic tournament.
