Matt Karash: Canes bits:Ruutu trade option, schedule ahead, Khudobin/goalie situation...

There are reasons Borque is being shopped. The games I've seen him play this season would be enough for me to stay away from any trade with name involved unless you're desperate to dump your own boat anchor.

There are reasons Borque is being shopped. The games I've seen him play this season would be enough for me to stay away from any trade with name involved unless you're desperate to dump your own boat anchor.
- magmoo

I get the question marks with Bourque.

Money aside, I would much rather keep Ruutu.

But the tougher question that I go back and forth on is whether I would rather have Ruutu or have Bourque plus an extra $2.5M/year (real $ not salary cap hit) to spend on something else each of the next 2 years. As I said in the blog, that could be roughly Khudobin money if he does not prefer to chase a #1 (without letters/question marks) on the open market this summer like I fear.

The Ruutu for Bourque I would have to say no for the reason he is 2yrs older than Ruutu and only has 9 pts, Ruutu has 14 and we thought he was having a bad year! Plus the team needs a 3C above any other position.

The Khudobin vs Ward is at the point now in which there is simply no way that JR can justify keeping Ward and paying him $6.3m to be the starter when he can trade him which would clear out the cap space to sign Khudobin/Faulk and along with trading Ruutu and Peter's JR would have enough to make huge upgrades in the top 6/9 without even sniffing close to next year's cap number of $71m and, likely staying not much over the $64m cap of this year so, it comes down to a more bang for the buck issue and with PK that is BIG!

Cam Ward has been a good soldier and model citizen in Raleigh but, after 8yrs it looks like that is about to come to an end after all it comes what's best for the team and Oh yeah JR keeping his job as GM as Imo Khudobin has won over Muller and the team as to who is the real starting goalie that can carry the team into the playoffs this season and beyond.

The Khudobin vs Ward is at the point now in which there is simply no way that JR can justify keeping Ward and paying him $6.3m to be the starter when he can trade him which would clear out the cap space to sign Khudobin/Faulk and along with trading Ruutu and Peter's JR would have enough to make huge upgrades in the top 6/9 without even sniffing close to next year's cap number of $71m and, likely staying not much over the $64m cap of this year so, it comes down to a more bang for the buck issue and with PK that is BIG!


- elaeskimos

Best comment I have ever read. Sadly, Ward will come back ( conditioning stint started today ), play us out of the playoffs, and Dobbi will be traded at the deadline. Loyalty is great until it becomes cutting off your own nose, which here it has.

Matt, this idea of trading ruu is a non-starter IMO! Nothing about the trade makes sense to me! Bourque-NO, Ward staying-NO (TRADE HIM, waive him, is there another way to lose him?) I'm not really interested in seeing Ruu go, but if they can't find another option, then they have to get something pretty good- for THIS year! His play has been good lately (takes a long time to recover from hip surgeries) and it'd be crazy to trade him now, short of an offer you can't refuse!
Pitkinen has had to miss the whole year due to his injury, and Ruu has tried to come back and play his physical game (probably too early)...now is NOT THE TIME to quit on him!
Money shouldn't be a problem if they use their heads and move Ward...or let the year play out and worry about it later!!!

Matt, this idea of trading ruu is a non-starter IMO! Nothing about the trade makes sense to me! Bourque-NO, Ward staying-NO (TRADE HIM, waive him, is there another way to lose him?) I'm not really interested in seeing Ruu go, but if they can't find another option, then they have to get something pretty good- for THIS year! His play has been good lately (takes a long time to recover from hip surgeries) and it'd be crazy to trade him now, short of an offer you can't refuse!
Pitkinen has had to miss the whole year due to his injury, and Ruu has tried to come back and play his physical game (probably too early)...now is NOT THE TIME to quit on him!
Money shouldn't be a problem if they use their heads and move Ward...or let the year play out and worry about it later!!!
- randycane

Ruutu & Ward's cap number thanks to JR is waaay to much and when the team needs a 3C ,size winger and upgrade the D and, not to mention Faulk will cost Imo around $4m per year there's no possibility JR can keep either Ward or Ruutu around be it buy-out or trade as JR has to rid the team of his bad contracts or it's likely PK will rid himself of JR who Imo is under more pressure than is publicly known as he seemed he was being squeezed in the local TV interview about a week or so back.

I would hate to see either player go but in JR's case you have to make tough choices that will help the team and, this choice has unfolded before our eye's in Khudobin's case he has more than earned it.

http://www.thefourthperiod.com/news/car140130.html

Question...does anyone have any idea on the likely cap numbers for next year?

The Ruutu for Bourque I would have to say no for the reason he is 2yrs older than Ruutu and only has 9 pts, Ruutu has 14 and we thought he was having a bad year! Plus the team needs a 3C above any other position.

The Khudobin vs Ward is at the point now in which there is simply no way that JR can justify keeping Ward and paying him $6.3m to be the starter when he can trade him which would clear out the cap space to sign Khudobin/Faulk and along with trading Ruutu and Peter's JR would have enough to make huge upgrades in the top 6/9 without even sniffing close to next year's cap number of $71m and, likely staying not much over the $64m cap of this year so, it comes down to a more bang for the buck issue and with PK that is BIG!

Cam Ward has been a good soldier and model citizen in Raleigh but, after 8yrs it looks like that is about to come to an end after all it comes what's best for the team and Oh yeah JR keeping his job as GM as Imo Khudobin has won over Muller and the team as to who is the real starting goalie that can carry the team into the playoffs this season and beyond.
- elaeskimos

ok, serious question...who is lining up to trade for ward and that contract? I think if JR could find a partner he would be helping Ward pack and driving him to the airport...but it isn't that simple...

ok, serious question...who is lining up to trade for ward and that contract? I think if JR could find a partner he would be helping Ward pack and driving him to the airport...but it isn't that simple...
- nickgregory

Seems to be a lot of interest in Cam...Where's there's smoke there's fire.

http://www.thefourthperiod.com/news/car140130.html

Seems to be a lot of interest in Cam...Where's there's smoke there's fire.

http://www.thefourthperiod.com/news/car140130.html
- elaeskimos

As much as I would like to believe this, in just about every other interview JR has made it clear he has no intention of trading Ward. There is some sort of emotional attachment there that cannot be broken. Also, that contract is an albatross like no other.

At this point if we could simply move him for some prospects and a 2nd, w/o having to eat any money, I would be ecstatic.

If Ward is trade, what is the guarantee the Hobby signs with the Canes?

If Ward is trade, what is the guarantee the Hobby signs with the Canes?
- BIg-Daddy-Cane

Khudobin wants to be a number one goal tender for a team. With Ward traded he has a clear path to number one. I don't think he's worried about being a backup to Peters. Speaking of Peters, if Ward is gone IMO we have a hole for a backup goalie. Apart from his one hot streak his track record at the NHL level is terrible and I have no confidence in Peters.

If Ward is trade, what is the guarantee the Hobby signs with the Canes?
- BIg-Daddy-Cane

There is obviously no guarantee, but you have to figure he is looking for 3 things:
1) A #1 job ideally with the caveats (1A, 1B, another high-poid hopeful starter, etc.)
2) A fair contract.
3) Somewhere he wants to play.

IF (that is obviously a big if and complicated) the Canes were to trade Ward, Khudobin becomes a clear #1, the Canes can afford to pay him $2.5-3M or even a tiny bit more which should be close enough to what any bidding war could yield. And between the combination of having a year to get comfortable with the team/organization and the positive that he has mentioned about having a friend/fellow Russian on the team in Semin, I think the chances of the Canes keeping him is pretty high.

I would expect that Rutherford is also talking to Khudobin's agent to figure out the various scenarios with and possibly without Ward in the mix to know exactly what the options are.

There is obviously no guarantee, but you have to figure he is looking for 3 things:
1) A #1 job ideally with the caveats (1A, 1B, another high-poid hopeful starter, etc.)
2) A fair contract.
3) Somewhere he wants to play.

IF (that is obviously a big if and complicated) the Canes were to trade Ward, Khudobin becomes a clear #1, the Canes can afford to pay him $2.5-3M or even a tiny bit more which should be close enough to what any bidding war could yield. And between the combination of having a year to get comfortable with the team/organization and the positive that he has mentioned about having a friend/fellow Russian on the team in Semin, I think the chances of the Canes keeping him is pretty high.

I would expect that Rutherford is also talking to Khudobin's agent to figure out the various scenarios with and possibly without Ward in the mix to know exactly what the options are.
- CarolinaMatt63

JR needs to sign him before the free agent season starts or JR might have to enter into a bidding war with a hand full of teams.

JR needs to sign him before the free agent season starts or JR might have to enter into a bidding war with a hand full of teams.
- BIg-Daddy-Cane

If my guess is right that the top priority of his next contract is signing into a #1 role, then it is not clear that it is even possible to sign him given the current situation.

If my guess is right that the top priority of his next contract is signing into a #1 role, then it is not clear that it is even possible to sign him given the current situation.
- CarolinaMatt63

I agree and Imo he'll sign Khudobin this year before he hits FA and, If it happens before the deadline that's a sign Ward is being traded.