Ristolainen Signed, 6yrs 5.4mil per

[nfreeman]

How about we don't over-analyze every shift Risto plays over the next 6 years?

 

How about we don't shout down those who disagree with us?

 

The questions of whether Risto is a real #1 defenseman, and whether giving him a 6-year contract was a good move by the Sabres, are very much open.  Risto -- among most of the team -- was not a positive difference-maker last night.  It's entirely reasonable to criticize his play.

 

If you want to refute the specific points that were made above about Risto's play with specific and factual points of your own -- please do.  The board will be better for it.  The board is not better for statements like "I don't want to hear about Risto's mistakes."

[qwksndmonster]

How about we don't shout down those who disagree with us?

 

The questions of whether Risto is a real #1 defenseman, and whether giving him a 6-year contract was a good move by the Sabres, are very much open. Risto -- among most of the team -- was not a positive difference-maker last night. It's entirely reasonable to criticize his play.

 

If you want to refute the specific points that were made above about Risto's play with specific and factual points of your own -- please do. The board will be better for it. The board is not better for statements like "I don't want to hear about Risto's mistakes."

I'm fine with hearing about Risto's mistakes, not so fine with hearing it through the lens of "for a 32 mil #1 defenseman." We know Pi's point of view on this, we don't need to hear about it every time Risto turns it over.

[North Buffalo]

I'm fine with hearing about Risto's mistakes, not so fine with hearing it through the lens of "for a 32 mil #1 defenseman." We know Pi's point of view on this, we don't need to hear about it every time Risto turns it over.

Fair enough but Risto played like a hot pile of manure euro trash last nite. No mcnasty from last year.

Edited October 14, 2016 by North Buffalo

[qwksndmonster]

Fair enough but Risto played like a hot pile of manure euro trash last nite. No mcnasty from last year.

That's overstating it a bit. He wasn't good, but he wasn't terribad either.

 

I'm excited to see how he looks with Kulikov as a partner.

[pi2000]

I'm sure we could find tape of each of those guys making stupid mistakes. Hell, Matthews skated right by Karlsson on Wednesday, took the puck off him, and buried it. I guess Karlsson isn't worth the money too. At 0:40.

 

For every negative play that Karlsson makes, there are half a dozen wow type plays that only a small handful of defensemen in the world could make.    I want to see more of those wow type plays from Risto.   Can you point me at youtube video of Risto highlights?   Does one even exist?

How about we don't over-analyze every shift Risto plays over the next 6 years?

 

Look, I've been critical of him because most on here believe he can do no wrong and he's a #1 franchise defenseman.     I've also heard the only reason he's a -80 the past 3 years is because of no fault of his own... "his competition is too good",   "he was young",  "his team sucks", etc.. etc...  I believe it needs to be pointed out when he's accruing minus's against guys like Gallagher... if Gallagher is "too good" for Risto to play against and be judged fairly, then Risto doesn't belong in this league... let alone a deserve $32mil over the next 6 years.     After last nights game out concern shouldn't be wether or not we can afford him after year 6... it should be wether or not he's even going to live up to his current contract... but I digress, it's one game, the entire team (including Risto) was garbage and didn't deserve a paycheck... that we can agree on.      

Edited October 14, 2016 by pi2000

[beerme1]

 but I digress, it's one game, the entire team (including Risto) was garbage and didn't deserve a paycheck... that we can agree on.      

 

 

I agree with this.

 

Trump.

[nfreeman]

That's overstating it a bit. He wasn't good, but he wasn't terribad either.

 

I'm excited to see how he looks with Kulikov as a partner.

 

I agree with both of these points.

[qwksndmonster]

Look, I've been critical of him because most on here believe he can do no wrong and he's a #1 franchise defenseman. I've also heard the only reason he's a -80 the past 3 years is because of no fault of his own... "his competition is too good", "he was young", "his team sucks", etc.. etc... I believe it needs to be pointed out when he's accruing minus's against guys like Gallagher... if Gallagher is "too good" for Risto to play against and be judged fairly, then Risto doesn't belong in this league... let alone a deserve $32mil over the next 6 years. After last nights game out concern shouldn't be wether or not we can afford him after year 6... it should be wether or not he's even going to live up to his current contract... but I digress, it's one game, the entire team (including Risto) was garbage and didn't deserve a paycheck... that we can agree on.

I agree that Risto's coverage on here is mostly good, but your arguments to the contrary have been flawed.

 

The +/- issue has been discussed to death, yet you keep bringing it up.

 

Risto's quality of competition is incredibly talented while his regular defense partner is/has been a 3rd pairing level player.

 

Nobody said Gallagher is too good for Risto.

 

My main issue with your posts about Risto following last nights game is that they have the tone of somebody hell bent to prove their opinion correct. Risto's contract is 6 years long and you've mentioned it several times. He's played one game on that contract and your posts have a tone of final judgement to them.

 

You say that last night's team was garbage and it was one game right after you say we should be wondering if Risto will live up to his contract.

[WildCard]

McKenzie discusses analytics and Risto

http://www.todaysslapshot.com/nichols-notes/mckenzie-analytics-belief-really-complex-shades-grey/

 

"The flip side of that is I never buy into – I think analytics are probably a really useful tool on a lot of different fronts. I don’t understand a lot of them as well as I should. But I try to. And I’m really open-minded on having more information as opposed to less information. But I’ve never really subscribed to the theory that – and you see this all of the time on Twitter from a lot of people over analytics – they talk about players like they’re garbage. They talk about them like they can’t even play.

 

“Rasmus Ristolainen in Buffalo just signed a six-year deal at $5.4 million, and to read what some people in the analytics community think about him, they kind of portray him as the worst defenseman ever. And if you go to a Buffalo Sabres season ticket holder and ask them who’s one of your favorite players or the best player on your blueline, they’re going to say, ‘Rasmus Ristolainen because he plays hard minutes against the best players.’ And then the analytics is going to say, ‘Yeah, but the numbers are no good.’

 

“Well, whatever. And I’m not saying Ristolainen is a Norris Trophy winner, but I’ve never subscribed to the theory that guys like Ristolainen or Kris Russell or other defensemen whose numbers suffer badly when you use some of the standard analytics that are out there are hot pails of garbage either.”

Edited October 24, 2016 by WildCard