As a result, there might as well have been a turnstile to and from the head coach’s office. Approximately every two years Ristolainen had a new boss, from Ted Nolan to Dan Bylsma to Phil Housley to Ralph Krueger to Don Granato.

The deal sent first- and second-round picks, along with defenseman Robert Hagg, to Buffalo. Less than a year later, Ristolainen agreed to a five-year contract extension worth an average of $5.1 million annually. He is set to become an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2027.