• Moderators, please send me a PM if you are unable to access mod permissions. Thanks, Habsy.

2013-14 Trade Rumours, Trade Discussion and Speculation

SlapShots

SlapShots

Well-known member
With the Olympic roster freeze fast approaching and then a March 5th trade deadline, the Hurricanes are back in familiar territory. Do they become buyers or sellers? The Canes are currently 6 points out of a playoff spot within the Metropolitan division, but have in some instances as many as three games in hand on the teams ahead of them. We have a bit of a goalie glut and a need for a real third line center. Does Rutherford make some bold trades or does he tinker around the edges? In seasons past, Rutherford couldn't get trade deadline deals done because of NTCs (see Ray Whitney) or what the Canes had, no one wanted or wanted to pay asking price. We've watched at past deadlines the Canes be sellers- Corvo, Commodore, Stillman, Cullen and we've had one luxurious season where we were buyers- Weight and Recchi.

So with that in mind, here's a Sunday rumor and we all know that Rutherford and Rutuu met earlier in the week:

Columbus GM Jarmo Kekelainen has been looking for forward help and I’m told he has held talks with Carolina GM Jim Rutherford to investigate who he would like to move. Every on the Hurricanes roster — with the exception of captain Eric Staal, his brother Jordan and Jeff Skinner — are up for discussion. The Blue Jackets need depth up front, big time, and are interested in winger Tuomo Ruutu.
Click to expand...

http://www.ottawasun.com/2014/01/18...g-plenty-of-offers-for-winger-mike-cammalleri

Now consider the source, Bruce Garrioch. But interesting to note, Jarmo Kekalainen is Finnish....
 
The Finnish connection is interesting, but the idea of "everyone" up for discussion destroys the credibility. I would add Faulk, Sekera, and Khudobin to the "guys I don't see JR even considering in any trade" list.
 
Boardwork said:
The Finnish connection is interesting, but the idea of "everyone" up for discussion destroys the credibility. I would add Faulk, Sekera, and Khudobin to the "guys I don't see JR even considering in any trade" list.
Click to expand...

Agree.
 
Boardwork said:
The Finnish connection is interesting, but the idea of "everyone" up for discussion destroys the credibility. I would add Faulk, Sekera, and Khudobin to the "guys I don't see JR even considering in any trade" list.
Click to expand...

The quote says the Kekelainen is looking for forward help.
 
Ruutu is still considered a top 6 forward here, but in reality, he's been anything but that. I'd love to see his salary dumped and a rough and tumble winger brought in, at a small fraction of Ruutu's salary. Another center would be nice, replacing Nash. I think we've seen about all Nash has to offer. And of course JR needs to unload one of his 3 goalies at some point.
 
As much as I hate to see Khudobin mentioned on any trade list, JR has to be realistic. If they have had some preliminary discussions about a future contract and they are not even in the same ballpark you have to trade him and try to get something in return. Given their current spot in the standings, I think the Canes have to be sellers for a change. I don't see them making the playoffs as there are too many teams in front of them. For once, I wish they would be sellers to try and help the future.....

That said he NEEDS to sign Khudobin, but JR probably has a decent idea if he will be able to do that and needs to react accordingly if he can't.
 
Boardwork said:
The Finnish connection is interesting, but the idea of "everyone" up for discussion destroys the credibility. I would add Faulk, Sekera, and Khudobin to the "guys I don't see JR even considering in any trade" list.
Click to expand...

Well ... he appears to be talking about just forwards, and I'd think that Semin is probably also on the "only available at a high price" list. Otherwise I'd guess that both Staals, Skinner and probably Lindholm are the only forwards who are off limits in trade talks. If Jimmy moves Lindholm before that boy has a chance to grow into physical maturity, I might just beat him with a 2 x 4.
 
Ruutu must have his bags half packed already...after the JR interview with Mark Armstrong late last week, it sounded like Rutherford could not wait to pull the trigger on any deal that involves sending Ruutu and that inflated contract out of town. With his injury history I just do not see Ruutu ever getting back to the style of play that made him the player he once was.
 
CanadaCanes said:
Ruutu must have his bags half packed already...after the JR interview with Mark Armstrong late last week, it sounded like Rutherford could not wait to pull the trigger on any deal that involves sending Ruutu and that inflated contract out of town. With his injury history I just do not see Ruutu ever getting back to the style of play that made him the player he once was.
Click to expand...

Yeah ... it's pretty clear that he has no intention of every really banging bodies again. Even when he does mess around and hit somebody, his heart's not in it.
 
When Rutuu got his bum stapled to the bench in yesterday's game and Riley Nash was out there playing, the guy's career as a Hurricane is coming to a screeching halt. What he used to contribute and what he contributes now are entirely two different products. Wear and tear, injury, age, Muller's system, unhappiness, whatever it is, too bad for us and too bad for him.
 
jeffbear said:
Yeah ... it's pretty clear that he has no intention of every really banging bodies again. Even when he does mess around and hit somebody, his heart's not in it.
Click to expand...

I went back earlier today looking for Ruutu's hits stats, curious to see if he was indeed hitting less.

Surprisingly, he's hitting at about the same rate per game as he was in earlier years.

'07-'08: 2.22
'08-'09: 2.89
'09-'10: 2.89
'10-'11: 3.77
'11-'12: 2.10
'12-'13: 3.00
'13-'14: 2.86

Perhaps its just a lessening of the ferocity and physical abandonment we are remembering that was associated with many of them that makes them less memorable now.

[Stats from NHL.com / Math by Elsker]
 
Back to Slapshot's original post (and thanks for providing a thread to talk about trades): are we buyers or sellers this season?

The odds at Sports Club Stats are not favorable (less than 1-in-5) for the Canes making the playoffs. Not impossible...but not likely.

Nonetheless, I don't see JR going into Seller mode just yet. More likely he will be in Trader mode, swapping contracts, cap hits, and salary impacts on more of a one-for-one basis, like the Gleason for Liles trade. Cap hit and salary hit neutral, but a change of hassles for all parties involved.

I don't believe there is an external move to be made that will move the needle on results as far as making or not making the playoffs. But, clearly we have holes and deficiencies that still need attention. So, balancing the talent out across the forwards, defensemen, and goalies is probably more the order of the day until we get closer to the March 5th deadline.

And, at that point, if the odds turn out to be forebodingly correct, then once again we are probably in Seller mode as JR prepares to continue the rebuild this off-season...again.

Have to say the trend is good. Forwards are better, defense is better, goalies are better. Just evidently not better enough...not yet, anyway.
 
What would we buy?

3rd line center, I'd take a defensively responsible forward who can score to play with Jordan, the rest depends on what get's shipped out.


What are we selling?

Two guys with high contracts that aren't performing to expectations: Ruutu, Ward

The following are our expiring contracts:

RFA's ToBe: Tlusty, Bowman, Gerbe, Bellemore, Faulk
UFA's ToBe: Malholtra, Dvorak, Pitkanen, Hainsey, Komisarek


Of that list, I don't see Faulk, Bellemore, or Gerbe going anywhere. I'd keep Malholtra too.

I'd keep Hainsey, but he might offer the most of the guys with an expiring contract.


Not a lot to work with......
 
Elsker said:
Perhaps its just a lessening of the ferocity and physical abandonment we are remembering that was associated with many of them that makes them less memorable now.
Click to expand...

Yeah ... drop the "probably" and mark that up to the PNC's notoriously homer blinded stat guy. He might be "hitting" guys, but he used to rattle the glass a couple of times a game, and now I don't think he's actually really popped anybody more than twice all season.
 
Third line center is certainly a screaming need. No internal candidate has passed the audition, although Lindholm may grow into the role.

As it is, a legit center would allow Lindholm to play RW to Skinner's LW. Excellent secondary scoring line that would be a handful as a match-up for most team's third lines and second/third defensive pairings.

We still have defensive role players that are actually bottom-sixers on most teams on Jordan's wings and expecting him to be a two-way center with them. So, curing that over-slotting would be an objective of any horse-trading for top-six talent.

We're not so bad on defense right now...last night's performance to the contrary.

And, Muller hasn't yet gotten his hands on the personnel for a fourth line momentum shift disturbance like he would like to have. Manny could use some better wings than what we have there now, although I like what that line has done when all forwards are healthy enough to stock it and let it run.
 
Elsker said:
Third line center is certainly a screaming need. No internal candidate has passed the audition, although Lindholm may grow into the role.

As it is, a legit center would allow Lindholm to play RW to Skinner's LW. Excellent secondary scoring line that would be a handful as a match-up for most team's third lines and second/third defensive pairings.
Click to expand...

I still don't get why Muller hasn't used Manny in between Skinner & Lindholm.
 
JFG said:
I still don't get why Muller hasn't used Manny in between Skinner & Lindholm.
Click to expand...

For at least a couple of shifts in the third period last night, Muller did that. Ditched his fourth line (after demoting Ruutu to it) and sent Manny out with Skinner and Lindholm.

You can pick it out of the shift charts around the 11:00 and the 13:28 point in the third. All three of them have a shift beginning around then.

However, if he did do that as a regular practice instead of a "we need to score" move, then we lose the benefit of letting Manny start defensive zone shifts with a defensively responsible fourth line, to take pressure off of Jordan always having to pull that duty.

Also, I LOVE having an effective fourth line as a puck-possession momentum-shifting energy line. Malhotra is a good center for such duty, especially if we could get him some bruising wingers. Hate to give that up, so would need to find a fourth line center if Malhotra gets field-promoted to the third. And Brett Sutter is probably the best internal candidate we have for that job right now.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top