Next up for Carolina - Tuomo Ruutu
by Bob Wage on Jul 3, 2009 10:14 AM EDT
37 comments
The Carolina Hurricanes still have a couple of free agents in the mix that remain unsigned. Dennis Seidenberg is testing the marketplace and is probably out of the Hurricanes reach. Anton Babchuk is a restricted free agent who is unsure if he wants to return without a healthy pay increase. More about Babchuk later.
Last but not least for Team Carolina is restricted free agent, Tuomo Ruutu.
Ruutu could very well be the most important piece of the puzzle yet to be plugged into the Hurricanes roster. He led the team in hits last season and scored a career best 26 goals along with 58 points, which was third highest on the team. Night after night, he brought the intensity the team needed.
After the recent signings of Cole and LaRose, the Hurricanes committed payroll for next year currently stands at 46.2 million. The team budget was set at 50 million, so that does not leave much room for the Finn and a possible defenseman to be named later. Ruutu earned 2.25 million last year and is unquestionably due a raise. But how much?
It's believed that the team would love to re-sign the winger to a three year contract, probably in the range of 2.5 in year one, 3 in year two, and 3.5 in year three. Would that be enough money to get the job done? Ruutu will be an unrestricted free agent next year if he just signs a one year deal, and he could test the waters to see how deep into their pockets some other teams out there might go.
Since Tuomo is restricted right now, a deal will get done here sooner or later. But for how long of a term?
Unlike Dany Heatley in Ottawa, Ruutu has stated several times that he loves it here in Carolina. He has countrymen here to relate to in Joni Pitkanen and Jussi Jokinen. He has never ducked out of an interview and is extremely popular with the media. It's only a matter of time before a deal is completed, but the devil is in the details. Stay tuned.
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Being the “budget” team Carolina is, I think Ruu gets offered no more than 2.5 (not much of a raise in comparison to the numbers he put up last season). A three year contract sounds reasonable for all involved. (Let’s hope his thinking is along the same line as Jussi) He apparently likes it here and he is a HUGE fan fave. He brings a lot of chemistry to the team much like Rosie. I think JR will get this done, he hasn’t let us down so far, right???? :)
I’m a HUGE Ruutu fan (jersey!) and I look forward to Rutherford getting him re-signed. Love his game, love his attitude, love the physicality he brings night after night. Sign him already, Jimmy! I think your contract scenario is fair, Bubba, and I agree the Canes need to keep him out of UFA for a bit.
As for Babchuk…meh. Since he screwed himself out of arbitration, $1 mil is pretty cheap for what he brings. Hopefully he sucks it up and plays next season, but if he doesn’t I think we’ll be all right.
A 3-year would rock, but I think I might have hear JR say length could be an issue as he’s set to be a UFA in 10-11
How is the team’s salary cap calculated? Is it the cap number (for instance, LaRose’s cap number is $1.7) or is it the actual salary (for instance, LaRose’s for 09-10 is $1.5).
The team’s salary cap is calculated by taking each player’s average annual salary over the entire course of their contracts. The Canes salary cap number is a bit higher than their out of pocket number this year because Eric Staal’s contract is averaging higher than the actual payout right now.
When talking about the team’s budget, (50 million), we compare that to the out of pocket expense, not the cap, because the team will not have to actually pay the cap number this year. It’s used to compare with the mandatory number set by the NHL and NHLPA. (56.8 million).
Hope that explains it.
GM of CanesCountry.com
ahhhh That explains why you do not think the 12 yr long front loaded contracts are fair. I did not realize they took the average of all the years…
by packpigskinfan25 on Jul 3, 2009 1:03 PM EDT up reply actions
It's no secret I love this guy!
I think the $2.5mil is great. I’d love a 3-year. Mostly I just want to post this picture again.
Let's go Canes!
Hakkaa Paalle!
great picture mom! thats what a hockey player should look like.
by brass bonanza on Jul 3, 2009 1:07 PM EDT up reply actions
not to over-analyze, but...
I think it works because of the smile, and the pretty blue eye (the one that’s open) sparkles with joy. Having watched him play 95 games as Canes #15, since the first one that gave him this face, we know: what you see is what you get.
I’m with you, AP6, this is the big one. (sorta like winning the 4th game of a 7-game series). Let’s hope it goes just like Jussi’s (and soon – so we can celebrate some more).
Let's go Canes!
Hakkaa Paalle!
this is the one I have been waiting for the most… give him 2.5-3 for 3 years and maybe an optioned 4th? is that even allowed in the NHL? haha…
by packpigskinfan25 on Jul 3, 2009 12:41 PM EDT reply actions
Im almost 100 percent sure we’ll get this done, mainly like everyone says Ruutu loves it here, and he doesnt just say it, I believe he really, really loves it here. But for a guy who brings the physicality he does, the energy he does, AND still put up 60 pts, we better be glad hes RFA and not UFA. I think a guy like Ruutu could fetch close to 3.5-4 mil today if he were on the market. For some reason I think well get him for less than 3, but I think more like 2.75 for the first year. To me that sounds bout right……..I also think we go over budget by maybe a mil to 1.5 this year as well, esp if babchuk goes (which he will and I’ll save my comments on this for Bubba, Cory, or Scott’s DMan post).
Well (disclaimer), anyone who knows me knows how much I love this guy, I’m one of the biggest Ruutu fans on the planet, so it’s unpossible for me to be in any way reasonable or unbiased. I really want to see us lock him up long term, but Bubba, do you think the numbers you project (3 yrs/$9m) are going to cut it? Ryane Clowe just signed today (well yesterday now) for 4 years/$14m with very similar numbers. 26 year-old power forward, RFA, 22 goals and 52 points in 71 games. Nowhere near Ruuty’s stats for hits, blocked shots, etc. I don’t follow the Sharks closely so I really don’t know how they compare outside of the stats, and I don’t know about Clowe’s penchant for staying healthy (or out of the penalty box LOL), but I can’t imagine Bill Zito isn’t using Clowe’s numbers as his benchmark for Tuomo.
LTD,
The numbers I threw out there are where I think the team would like to be. Will they end up there? I don’t know. Maybe they will end up in a compromise, a two year deal for a total of between 6-7 million. As we know Rutherford is a tough negotiator and I don’t think he allows himself to get caught up very much in what others are signing for around the league, he just sticks to what he claims he has to work with within the budget. But in Ruutu’s case since arbitration is always a possibility, eventually JR will need to take everything into consideration. But he won’t unless he has to.
Hopefully we will all find out sooner rather than later!
Happy 4rth everyone!
GM of CanesCountry.com
agents
i agree with everyone here, however the one thing everyone is forgetting is that ruutu already said he doesnt like talking business and lets his agent handle that, given the recent contracts for guys with similiar numbers i wouldnt be surprised to see his agent wanting to test the waters
Puck Daddy
does his usual funny spin, assessing the Canes FA Frenzy results so far (as of Friday afternoon)
Full story rating all 30 teams – good stuff
Here’s what Wysh says about Jim “Rockstar” Rutherford:
Carolina Hurricanes: See that thing over there? Five digits and a palm, smacking around two guys looking to leave town? Yeah, that’s Jim Rutherford’s pimp hand. It’s strong.
The Carolina GM said both Erik Cole and Chad LaRose would test the market, and they did. Cole was the first one to come running back to Eric Staal for two years and $5.8 million, which is a pay cut from his previous deal.
After Rutherford told the media he had given up on re-signing LaRose … well, look who decided the grass wasn’t greener last night, to the tune of two years and $3.4 million?
Add that to getting Jussi Jokinen done (two years, $3.4 million) before the Frenzy, and it was a very good week for the Canes — even with the lingering questions about UFA Dennis Seidenberg and RFAs Anton Babchuk and Tuomo Ruutu. GRADE: B+
Let's go Canes!
Hakkaa Paalle!
Alex Tanguay to the Canes
Hi Bubba & Cory In Montreal we are hearing the rumors that Alex Tanguay has lower his asking price drastically and is headed to Carolina cuz he’s a perfect fit for your system. Is there any truth to these rumors. Thanks Bryan.
I would be greatly surprised. He would be a welcome addition, but the Canes already have plenty of forwards under contract and Tanguay would not replace Ruutu’s much needed grit. If the Canes moved a couple of forwards for a defenseman, they could make the signing work but I don’t see them doing it. (Maybe they should?).
You never know, stranger things have happened.
Thanks for the info.
GM of CanesCountry.com
Wouldn't this almost require Whitney to be traded?
I mean, to free up the payroll and the money wouldn’t the Canes have to move Whitney for this to happen? Sergei is another option, but I’m not sure how easy he will be to move. Whitney, on the other hand is reasonably priced and his contract expires and he plays on the first line, which is where I imagine Tanguay would slot in.
I guess what I’m asking is has anyone heard any rumors about Whitney being traded? He could potentially bring in a good defensemen, especially if coupled with Eaves, although my guess is it would be a D-man who may only be under contract for a year and would be looking for a big pay day or would be a UFA after the next season.
only way this happens is if Ruutu is let walk… I would LOVE to have Tanguay as a Cane, but I would be shocked(and a bit hurt cause Ruutu would be gone) if it did.
by packpigskinfan25 on Jul 5, 2009 6:12 PM EDT up reply actions
no way they let Ruutu walk.
Tanguay would be a nice luxury, but the Canes would have to move players to make room for him on the roster and in the budget.
GM of CanesCountry.com
Tanguay
Bubba Thanks for the heads up, that rumor doesn’t have legs cuz JR doesn’t make moves to accomadate one expensive player and the money is not there. Thanks Bryan.
I think I heard Rutherford say in one of hi talks on 99.9 this week that if Ruutu didn’t agree to the QO then they go to arbitration which would be fine and normal. Then they agree to whatever the arbitrator determines. Hopefully that’s accurate. Sorry it wasn’t as easy as Jussi. But Ruut’s agent is a little ambitious, I think I’ve read.
Let's go Canes!
Hakkaa Paalle!
by hockeymomof2 on Jul 5, 2009 10:04 PM EDT up reply actions
They can still work out a deal before the arbitration, too. That is what happened last year with LaRose if I recall correctly.
Seems like I remember hearing that too. Also I think Ruutu went to arbitration in CHI (how many times can a player be an RFA?), which is where the “difficult agent” tale came from.
Let's go Canes!
Hakkaa Paalle!
by hockeymomof2 on Jul 5, 2009 10:08 PM EDT up reply actions
A player can only go to arbitration once in his career, but there is no limit on how many times he can ask for one… kinda confusing…
http://proicehockey.about.com/od/nhlfreeagents/a/arbitration.htm
by packpigskinfan25 on Jul 5, 2009 10:53 PM EDT up reply actions
Arbitration in the new CBA
Is the previous CBA players could opt for arbitration any time after they had completed 5 seasons and before they were UFAs (usually after something like ten seasons at that point). There was also no limit to the times they could go. Arbitration awards were based on other Arbitration eligible players, which is where the awards got out of whack with players with 5 years of experience and history grouped with players with significantly more history.
Now a player can only go to arbitration once. They can’t go until after 5 seasons of service and they are unrestricted free agents after seven years. Awards are still based on arbitration eligible players, but now that pool is much tighter because of the limited window. It’s been one of the best improvements to the economic situation in hockey in my opinion.
You're correct
LaRose filed on July 5th and signed a contract on the 9th, so that one didn’t linger long. Hope this one doesn’t either.
Didn’t mean to minimize this development. It’s just that my brain is simply not open to the possibility that Ruutu won’t be back. I’m in denial that this is an option.
Let's go Canes!
Hakkaa Paalle!
by hockeymomof2 on Jul 5, 2009 10:07 PM EDT up reply actions
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