The Philadelphia Flyers’ defensive unit has been much improved over the last month or so and a lot of that has to do with Rasmus Ristolainen and Nick Seeler stabilizing their defensive pairings.
Going into the season, there were a lot of questions all throughout the lineup but when it came to the defensive side of things, Jamie Drysdale and Egor Zamula were going to be under a microscope. Everyone knew what they were going to get from Travis Sanheim and Cam York more or less, Seeler has been as dependable as anyone in the last two seasons, and Ristolainen has turned a corner.
However when it came to Drysdale and Zamula, they left a lot to be desired at the end of the 2023-24 season. Drysdale came over from Anaheim in the Cutter Gauthier trade and didn’t look the same after suffering a shoulder injury that sidelined him for nearly a month, while Zamula had stretches of very inconsistent play that marred some of his better qualities or better games.
According to MoneyPuck.com, the Flyers have used 25 different defensive pairs ranging from 12 minutes played to 538 minutes. 7 of those 25 pairs have played over 100 minutes, with Ristolainen having had 4 different partners and Seeler having had just 2 in those 7.
Among the 100+ minute pairs, in terms of xGoals% the pairing of Ristolainen and Emil Andrae are at the top at 61.9% followed by Seeler-Drysdale at 60.4%, Ristolainen-Zamula at 57.3%, and Sanheim-York at 58.6%. The latter three pairs are currently being deployed on a game-by-game basis and have been a key component into why the Flyers have had so much success lately.
League-wide, the Seeler-Drysdale and Ristolainen-Zamula pairing are ranked 15th and 33rd amongst pairings that have skated over 100 minutes together. They’re ranked 9th and 19th amongst pairings that have skated over 150 minutes and 7th and 14th amongst pairings with over 200 minutes – Sanheim and York are 10th – respectively.
The same things can be said when factoring in xGoals against per 60 minutes with Ristolainen-Zamula being 12th-best with a minimum ice time of 100 minutes, 7th-best at 150 minutes, and 5th-best over 200 minutes. Where Drysdale and Seeler differ is when they calculate xGoals for per 60 minutes where they’re ranked 12th, 8th, and 8th, respectively in the same time slots.
After tinkering with the formula for months, Tortorella has finally found the solution, at least for the time being as all three pairs are amongst the best in the NHL. Sanheim and York were expected to carry the load but what the Flyers are getting out of their bottom-2 pairs far exceeds their expectations.
The current version of Ristolainen is exactly what Chuck Fletcher expected to see when he initially traded for the Finnish defenseman ahead of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. Unfortunately through inconsistencies, coaching, and injuries, it took Ristolainen quite some time to get acclimated to Philadelphia but he hasn’t looked back since the hiring of Brad Shaw.
He’s improved steadily each season and has now regained the top-4 role he had long been used to in Buffalo for well over 8 seasons. His game has changed almost completely from his earlier days as he no longer takes penalties, his power play role diminished, and his offensive game is no longer at the forefront.
Ristolainen has transformed into a defensive defenseman who blocks a lot of shots, still delivers a lot of checks, is responsible with the puck, and plays a very disciplined game. He has an even rating, just 6 PIM, and has averaged 20:35 TOI across 48 games to go along with 2 goals and 13 points.
His play has also recalibrated his trade value with several teams knocking on the Flyers door with the trade deadline fast approaching. Daniel Brière has mentioned that he doesn’t anticipate moving on from Ristolainen just yet but he is taking calls and listening to what other teams are offering.
As for Seeler, we witnessed his renaissance when the Flyers gave him a shot in 2021-22. The veteran defenseman thought about calling it quits after having not played during the 2020-21 season, however Fletcher gave him the opportunity and he never looked back.
He has been a steady, dependable, and consistent force on the back-end over his 4-year tenure with the Flyers and his play has improved on a similar trajectory to Ristolainen’s, so much so that he earned himself a 4-year contract instead of being moved ahead of the 2024 trade deadline.
Through 43 games this season, Seeler is just 1 goal and 1 point away from his career-highs he set in 2022-23 in 77 games. He’s been less brash and more disciplined this year with just 16 PIM to his name, where 10 of those came through fighting majors, giving him just 3 minor penalties all year – which is substantial considering his style of play and 16:18 ATOI.
He’s a focal point on the penalty kill, blocks shots like nobody’s business, can chip in offensively – which is where Drysdale has helped – and he’s an energy guy who can bring the team back from a lull if need be. Some questioned why the rebuilding Flyers decided to keep him around instead of trading him at his highest value but I think that question has been answered.
Stability on the back-end has been tough to find over the years for the Flyers and not only is it a good sign for the aforementioned quartet but it helps the goaltending as well. Samuel Ersson has rattled off 7 wins over his last 8 games and has only allowed 12 goals in that span, which certainly goes hand-in-hand with the defense improving.
With Drysdale and Zamula playing better, the Flyers have no issues rolling out three balanced defensive pairings, which helps the likes of Sanheim and York who no longer have to play close to half the game. They both still play the lion’s share of the minutes but compared to their first-half numbers, Sanheim has gone from 25:33 to 23:20 while York has seen his minutes slashed from 22:25 to 20:34.
It should also be noted that the Andrae-Ristolainen pairing was amongst the league’s finest as they were ranked 8th in xGoals% with minimum ice time of 130 minutes, 5th in xGoals against, and 15th in xGoals against per 60 minutes.
Most of the Flyers’ pairings that have succeeded this year involve at least one of Ristolainen or Seeler. Both veterans simplifying their games, going back to the basics, and becoming shut down defensive minded defenders have helped the Flyers immensely. Shaw deserves a lot of credit for being able to turn a weakness into a strength, which has seemingly been his forte since assuming the position.
With several tough matchups leading into the 4 Nations Face-Off, the playoff-hopeful Flyers will be leaning on their improved defensive pairings as they look to make a run with games against bitter rivals upcoming, starting in New York on Thursday and then Long Island on Friday.
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