Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen is the club's most notable trade candidate leading up to the 2026 NHL trade deadline. The veteran defenseman has been creating a lot of chatter in the rumor mill as of late. It is understandable, as playoff clubs are always on the hunt for big right-shot defenseman ahead of the deadline. Now, a new team has been linked to Ristolainen, with the deadline being less than one week away. During his most recent episode of 32 Thoughts: The Podcast [https://www.sportsnet.ca/podcasts/32-thoughts/] for Sportsnet, Elliotte Friedman mentioned that he believes the Montreal Canadiens have interest in Ristolainen. "The Canadiens, I do think they've looked at some these D. Some of these guys, like Ristolainen, and guys like that," Friedman said. With the Canadiens being one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference, it is not necessarily surprising that Ristolainen is a defenseman that they are watching. When looking at their blueline, it is fair to argue that they could use another hard-nosed right-shot defenseman, and Ristolainen would provide them with just that. Nevertheless, it will be interesting to see what happens between Ristolainen and the Flyers from here. Based on Friedman's comments, the Canadiens could be a team to watch in the sweepstakes.
