Ristolainen traded to Flyers by Sabres for Hagg

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Rasmus Ristolainen was traded to the Philadelphia Flyers by the Buffalo Sabres on Friday for Robert Hagg.

Buffalo also received a first-round pick (No. 14) in the 2021 NHL Draft and a second-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft.

The Sabres also have the No. 1 pick in the 2021 draft, which will begin with the first round on Friday (8 p.m. ET; ESPN2, SN, SN NOW, TVAS). Buffalo has 11 selections in the draft, which will continue Saturday with rounds 2-7 (11 a.m. ET; NHLN, SN, SN NOW).

“I’m really excited to go to Philadelphia,” Ristolainen said. “I’m going to do everything I can to help the team make the playoffs and make a run. … I’m extremely happy it happened. I cant want to get to Philly and meet everyone.”

Ristolainen scored 18 points (four goals, 14 assists) in 49 games with the Sabres this season. The defenseman has one season remaining on a six-year, $32.4 million contract ($5.4 million average annual value) he signed with Buffalo on Oct. 11, 2016.

“We are extremely happy to add Rasmus to our blue line,” Flyers general manager Chuck Fletcher said. “He is a 26-year-old, right-shot defenseman who will immediately add grit to our team. His size (6-foot-4, 221 pounds), mobility and physicality will make him an important piece to our group going forward.”

Selected by Buffalo with the No. 8 pick in the 2013 NHL Draft, Ristolainen has scored 245 points (46 goals, 199 assists) in 542 NHL games, including 111 points (14 goals, 97 assists) on the power play.

Hagg, a defenseman, scored five points (two goals, three assists) in 34 games with the Flyers this season. The 26-year-old has one season remaining on a two-year, $3.2 million contract ($1.6 million average annual value) he signed with Philadelphia on Sept. 28, 2020.

Selected by Philadelphia in the second round (No. 41) of the 2013 draft, Hagg has scored 47 points (13 goals, 34 assists) in 236 regular-season games and has three assists in 14 Stanley Cup Playoff games.

The Flyers traded defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere and two picks in the 2022 NHL Draft to the Arizona Coyotes on Thursday for future considerations, and acquired defenseman Ryan Ellis in a trade with the Nashville Predators on July 17 for defenseman Philippe Myers and center Nolan Patrick.