While the trade deadline creeps closer and Rasmus Ristolainen’s name continues to be floated in trade rumors all over the league, one of his main comparables has found a new home.
Tyler Myers has been sent to Dallas in order to join their playoff push, with the Canucks receiving both a 2027 second-round pick and a 2029 fourth-round pick in return. Vancouver will also retain 50% of Myers’ $3-million AAV cap hit on his contract that runs until the end of next season, in order to ship off a 36-year-old veteran defender that no longer fits their timeline.
Myers has long been a coveted asset for playoff teams given his wealth of experience, right-handedness, and six-foot-eight frame. He’s averaged over 20 minutes a night for a Canucks team that has struggled this season, but he remains a steady hand that can also kill penalties in key spots.
What the Tyler Myers trade means for the Flyers moving Rasmus Ristolainen
Ristolainen shares a lot of the same traits, including the length of his contract running until the end of the 2026-27 season, but he is also younger and, at this point, better than Myers is at his advanced age. The 31-year-old Ristolainen has proven he still has gas left in the tank, with the Flyers, and got a pre-deadline showcase (along with a bronze medal), with Team Finland at the Olympics. He should carry more value than someone like Myers, especially with teams who are looking for a bit more than just a short-term rental. While Myers is under contract until 2026-27, there is no guarantee that he’ll still be able to log 20 minute nights consistently or effectively. Ristolainen, health permitting, should give a team this level of play for the rest of his contract, at least.
Dallas was previously mentioned as a possible destination for Ristolainen, but their acquisition of Myers should take them out of the hunt. The price they paid, however, is a positive for the Flyers chances of maybe fetching a first-round pick or equivalent asset for Ristolainen. Myers is a very limited player at this point in his career, and the Canucks were still able to grab a couple relatively meaningful picks from a position where their season is totally lost.
The Flyers, as slim as the chances may be, are still competing for a playoff spot heading into the deadline, and they have seemingly tried to leverage that position to try and squeeze as many assets as possible out of a possible Ristolainen deal. Whereas the Canucks were basically backed into a corner with Myers, it isn’t out of the realm of possibility that the Flyers could keep Ristolainen.
Pierre LeBrun: Re Rasmus Ristolainen: The current asking price from the Flyers is a first round pick and a prospect – Insider Trading (3/3)
— NHL Rumour Report (@NHLRumourReport) March 4, 2026
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The Flyers have made it clear that they are looking for quite a haul for him, and with this Myers move to Dallas, the possibility of getting a first-round pick and more is not out of the question.
For teams like the Red Wings or Sabres, who have been rumored to be interested in Ristolainen, the obvious options are running thin if they want to truly upgrade their back end. Brett Kulak, Connor Murphy, and now Myers have all already been dealt in the days leading up to deadline day, and teams like the Maple Leafs have yet to fully commit to dealing their veteran defenders, so the Flyers could possibly find a soft spot in the remaining market that allows them to maximize the value they get back.