NSFV Flyers coach John Tortorella’s response to Rasmus Ristolainen’s criticism

Philadelphia Flyers defender Rasmus Ristolainen was the target of criticism for the team this season, but head coach John Tortorella strongly defended him when he talks to the media.

“You (the media) are going to hate him,” John Tortorella said, per TheScore’s Kyle Douglas. “You guys write all this shit. Well, I shouldn’t say hate. It’s not the right word to use in today’s world. I’ve just felt that he’s been under the microscope since I’ve been here. … My first year (2022-23), it was a tough year for me with him, but since then he’s been a pretty consistent player.”

Ristolainen’s fundamentals aren’t great when looking at his time with the Flyers, but Tortorella is standing by his defenseman. Despite the criticism he receives as a player, Tortorella seems to see some value in Ristolainen in the lineup.

“Big, strong, right-handed defender,” Tortorella said, according to Douglas. “I think once he started moving his feet consistently, he became a really good player for us.” And not just lately, he’s been a pretty good player for us for a long time.”

Tortorella even touched on the idea that Ristolainen’s contract, which has him at $5.1 million through the 2026-27 season, is an albatross. He withdrew the idea.

“Everything I’ve read, his contract is an albatross, I think we’ve got him on a pretty good contract right now, the way it’s gone in this league as far as defensive player contracts go,” Tortorella said, per Douglas. “He was good for us. I worry that it would be a big hole for us if he was out of our lineup.

Tortorella has a reputation for being tough on players, and it’s sometimes well-founded. However, he will also have his players’ backs and be very open in defense when he feels it is right. His defense of Ristolainen is probably appreciated by the dressing room.

The Flyers are 19-20-5 overall. They are back in the Eastern Conference playoffs after a rough start to the season and will play the Columbus Blue Jackets on the road on Tuesday, riding a two-game winning streak.