Why the **** are getting risto???

If you look at the toolset:

He's big, physical, very mobile, can move the puck well, and has the ability to provide offense.

If you look at the stats:

Was a top 10 defensive D last year when used primarily in a defensive role on a team lacking talent. Also started his career with very solid offensive production.

Reason people don't want to:

Internet memes that make them feel like they know something without actually educating themselves on the matter.

He also was terrible for a long time, is paid 5.1 million dollars for 4 years. What would happen if he reggressed defensively and went back to the risto he was for 10 years? Also he hasnt been good offensivly since like 2019.

He was never terrible, he was usually used in a top 2 role and asked to carry a lot of the defensive and offensive responsibility from a young age. The fact is, most people judge a player on his talents and toolset. When you look at Risto's a lot of people might think ****, that guy could look really good on a more talented team, with better defensive structure, while paired with a solid puck moving D. People were making the exact same criticisms about Lyubushkin, Schenn, H. Lindholm, Gavrikov etc. before they were traded to better teams and showed their value in top 4 roles.

The difference here is that Risto is more talented than all those players save for maybe Lindholm, and rather than us betting on his potential based only upon his skillset, we have the benefit of seeing him prove what many thought he was capable of already - literally becoming a TOP TEN defensive defenseman statistically when paired with a puck moving D in Sanheim, under Torterella.

His issues have always been correctable and look to have been corrected. We've seen what being paired with Rielly has done for Schenn and Bush, and Risto brings that same element and then some. At the very least he's still a top 4 D, and still has the potential to outplay his contract on a team like the Leafs with a rising cap. He's capable of bringing everything we lack and I'd be willing to make the bet that he does. Most of his criticism comes because of the standard his talent has set, and now that he's living up to his potential, I'd be more than happy to replace Brodie's contract for a guy like Risto.

Hm. I was skeptical but you are starting to sell me on Risto. What stats are you using that is grading him out at as a Top 10 defensive D-man though? I’ve heard nothing that positive about his game.