Matt Karash: Carolina Hurricanes blog: Pre-Olympic break trade deadline possibilities

How has Liles looked in a red and black uniform?

Seemed like a nice guy - I'm really hoping he can find his game again.

Who is going to take Ruutu and his 5M salary?

Me thinks, nobody.

Who is going to take Ruutu and his 5M salary?

Me thinks, nobody.
- shinoix

It would have to be a deal in which the Canes took an unwanted contract back in a "change of scenery" deal like the Liles/Gleason trade.

How has Liles looked in a red and black uniform?

Seemed like a nice guy - I'm really hoping he can find his game again.
- Atomic Wedgie

I would call it a mixed positive. I think the biggest thing is that Gleason just was not able to find his way into lineup and stay (partly due to injuries), so the fact that Liles has done that while the team has been winning is a plus.

He is playing in the top 4 right now with Hainsey. You get bits of the loose play here and there, but overall he has been good enough, and the Canes have been winning with him playing 20 minutes/night.

I would call it a mixed positive. I think the biggest thing is that Gleason just was not able to find his way into lineup and stay (partly due to injuries), so the fact that Liles has done that while the team has been winning is a plus.

He is playing in the top 4 right now with Hainsey. You get bits of the loose play here and there, but overall he has been good enough, and the Canes have been winning with him playing 20 minutes/night.
- CarolinaMatt63

Good to hear.

I haven't seen him in any of your games, but looking at the stats, it looks like he's on your first PP unit, although he doesn't have much to show for it yet.

He was fantastic when he first arrived in Toronto - he had a bit of "loose play", but he was able to use his speed to cover up for it.

After the concussion, it just seemed like his confidence was gone.

I've liked Liles so far. He's not gonna' wind up on many highlight reels, but he gets the job done. And he's one of the better guys on our team (along with Sekera and Jordan Staal) at moving the puck during the power play.

Ruutu is immovable in any situation scenario but 1.

Carolina eating 1/2 his salary for the remaining term & then still taking back another teams bad contract.

Why Rutherford ponies up this much cash for this player is mind boggling.

The only real out is a bit out. I'm not sure any team would even want Ruutu at 1.5. Put a fork in it. It was done before this contract was signed.

--With Cam Ward back in the mix, do you think Peters now gets dealt for whatever possible even if it is just a late round pick? Or could we see a bigger surprise with a healthy Ward being the goalie to go?

As there is now a considerable amount of bench rot and in his last start, he looked like he remembered that he was Justin Peters, I do not believe there is much of/if any market for him now. I see something similar to the Jussi deal, where we basically get nothing for him and like it. Ill be super happy with a 4th.

I don't want Cam near ANY games that matter( 4pt games ). Preferably, barring a complete collapse by Dobby, I only want to see Ward on the back end of B2B or to break up a long stretch of starts. Outside of that, I don't want him near the net.

I hold no hope that JR will part with his favored son. Ward is this team's goalie barring him requesting a trade or JR getting fired.

--Do you think there is a market at all for Tuomo Ruutu? Do you think I am right that Rutherford will let him go with only a $ savings in return? Or do you think he will be more patient to see if he can rebound after a summer off?

Ruutu has been injury plagued throughout his career and just had TWO hip surgeries. If you can get anything for him, take it. If not, utilize a buyout this summer. He's great when he's healthy, which is only about 60% of the time. This team simply cant afford to pay a guy 5mil to be Chad Larose.

--Who do you like for the center addition that is probably the most likely deal to happen at some point?

Cullen is the only recycling project I wouldn't complain about. He always played better here and would shore up the 2nd PP unit well. I dont know if he will be available however.

--Do you think I am right that Rutherford is more likely to wait until closer to the final trade deadline?

I am guessing the organization does what it always does ( save for 2006 ). Sit on their hands, and then make a marginal deal that doesnt really address anything. I would like to be completely wrong here, but I have seen this movie too many times to truly believe the ending will be any different.

The only way I see ruutu moved is if we take on a contract like Brian Campbell. We could add harrison or bellemore to go with ruutu. Its a win for florida as they lose 2 mil a year in a bad contract. Canes win because we add a top 4 dman with only gaining 2 mil in contract. Campbell is overpaid but, when you look at is he a 2 mil upgrade over ruutu i say yes. Campbell isnt doing too bad as far as +\- on that bad team.

Ruutu prolly wont want to go florida but this is a message board. We would add a top 4 dman while not losing much.

All of the Ruutu trade options sound pretty bad for Carolina. (but they make sense)

What about using a compliance buy-out on Ruutu this summer? That makes more sense to me than taking a bad contract back in a trade and also paying part of Ruutu's salary long term.

Also I think Peters will need some additional starts where he can prove he can play like he did earlier in the season. Otherwise I don't think he trade value is even a 5th rounder.

Thoughts?

All of the Ruutu trade options sound pretty bad for Carolina. (but they make sense)

What about using a compliance buy-out on Ruutu this summer? That makes more sense to me than taking a bad contract back in a trade and also paying part of Ruutu's salary long term.

Also I think Peters will need some additional starts where he can prove he can play like he did earlier in the season. Otherwise I don't think he trade value is even a 5th rounder.

Thoughts?
- caniac11

I don't see the Canes using compliance buyouts. The structure of those is really only designed for teams that could care less about real $ and are willing to pay a big premium to get more salary cap $. For a team like the Canes that will likely spend a bit less than the cap anyway (so they don't really get salary cap relief that they need/use), they just do not usually make any sense.

In the case of Ruutu, the choice becomes, would you rather pay $1.67M/year to keep him or just let him go. You have to pay 2/3 of the contract whether he stays or goes (under buyout), so the real savings is small. At $1.67, I would be happy to keep him. He would only be slightly overpaid as a quality character guy, energy and 4th-line role (the minimum). For that price you also get the upside if a few months off gets him back to being his old self.

Same goes for Cam Ward if/when that inevitably comes up. I am on record as preferring to trade him if a decent return is available. It is not that I have given up on Ward but rather that I think any (if any actually) downgrade in net paying Khudobin $2.5-3M is small and that the $3-3.5M saved could provide a bigger upgrade at another position. But again, I do not think it makes any sense to buy him out. The decision in his case is whether or not you want to keep him for about $2.4M. If the Canes are really at a point where they are willing to eat $4.5M of his contract (don't think so), he would certainly have decent trade value at a cost to an acquiring team of only $2.4M. So you eat contract and trade him to at least get something back versus buying him out.

It would have to be a deal in which the Canes took an unwanted contract back in a "change of scenery" deal like the Liles/Gleason trade.
- CarolinaMatt63[/quote

I agree, remember Kaberle to the Habs?..If JR pulled that off trading Ruutu is a done deal!

How has Liles looked in a red and black uniform?

Seemed like a nice guy - I'm really hoping he can find his game again.
- Atomic Wedgie

Liles is another deadline sweetner...3 more years for the Canes not a chance but, he's been soild nothing to rattle the sabres yet.

Ruutu is immovable in any situation scenario but 1.

Carolina eating 1/2 his salary for the remaining term & then still taking back another teams bad contract.

Why Rutherford ponies up this much cash for this player is mind boggling.

The only real out is a bit out. I'm not sure any team would even want Ruutu at 1.5. Put a fork in it. It was done before this contract was signed.
- striker777

If eating that much salary was the only way he'll be just bought out...JR moved Kaberle and he couldn't even skate so, moving Ruutu is a cinch and Ward/Ruutu have to be moved due to there $11m cap hit as there's just so many improvements to the team can be made with that cap space.

All of the Ruutu trade options sound pretty bad for Carolina. (but they make sense)

What about using a compliance buy-out on Ruutu this summer? That makes more sense to me than taking a bad contract back in a trade and also paying part of Ruutu's salary long term.

Also I think Peters will need some additional starts where he can prove he can play like he did earlier in the season. Otherwise I don't think he trade value is even a 5th rounder.

Thoughts?
- caniac11

That's Imo what will happen unless JR can get a UFA center like Legwand as a rental back...Cullen has 2yrs left at $3.5m at 37 I think it's NO to that recycling trade.

Well, i've not heard much that i agree with! Starting with Ruutu...this year's start for him was NOT good! However, if you've watched all the games like i have, then you know his play NOW is like night and day compared to early on! I don't see the need AT ALL to trade him and his salary! He's virtually the ONLY guy on the team with multiple hits every night! Next years salary cap will likely be considerably higher than this year, which allows for extra $ for Faulk's new contract! If the choice becomes Ward vs. Ruutu...then that's an easy one, Wardo's gone!
Assuming Ruutu is done, as many of you seem to think, is a very bad bet! He has heart, and has lately shown he's recovered from his injuries! I hope JR hasn't listened to any of you!

Unfortunately, the Canes will do very little prior to the trade deadline. We have all seen this before, the team plays good for a while, management says "we are good enough", they sputter down the stretch and finish a few points out of the playoffs, again!
My money says only minor trade(s) involving Peters, Komisarek, Dvorak, Bowman, and/or Nash is likely. If JR can trade Ruutu for so much as a popcorn vendor he should be awarded "GM of the Century" (unless the Canes have to eat 50% of his salary). I don't think there are any buyers for Ruutu so a summer buy out is the best hope.
Interesting trade targets are Ray Whitney, Jamie McGinn, Mikael Backlund but they will be more expensive than the aforementioned list of players. Hainsey could be involved in one of those trades. A trade involving Ward would be a miracle.
I don't understand why this teams goal is the make the playoffs, the goal should be to win the cup, every year...think like the successful teams i.e. Detroit, NYR, Pitt, etc...
Note to Cane's management: "Good enough, NEVER IS!"

Unfortunately, the Canes will do very little prior to the trade deadline. We have all seen this before, the team plays good for a while, management says "we are good enough", they sputter down the stretch and finish a few points out of the playoffs, again!
My money says only minor trade(s) involving Peters, Komisarek, Dvorak, Bowman, and/or Nash is likely. If JR can trade Ruutu for so much as a popcorn vendor he should be awarded "GM of the Century" (unless the Canes have to eat 50% of his salary). I don't think there are any buyers for Ruutu so a summer buy out is the best hope.
Interesting trade targets are Ray Whitney, Jamie McGinn, Mikael Backlund but they will be more expensive than the aforementioned list of players. Hainsey could be involved in one of those trades. A trade involving Ward would be a miracle.
I don't understand why this teams goal is the make the playoffs, the goal should be to win the cup, every year...think like the successful teams i.e. Detroit, NYR, Pitt, etc...
Note to Cane's management: "Good enough, NEVER IS!"
- thestormchaser

answer...if you make the playoffs then you can win!
with a good goalie a good team can beat a great team!

Well, i've not heard much that i agree with! Starting with Ruutu...this year's start for him was NOT good! However, if you've watched all the games like i have, then you know his play NOW is like night and day compared to early on! I don't see the need AT ALL to trade him and his salary! He's virtually the ONLY guy on the team with multiple hits every night! Next years salary cap will likely be considerably higher than this year, which allows for extra $ for Faulk's new contract! If the choice becomes Ward vs. Ruutu...then that's an easy one, Wardo's gone!
Assuming Ruutu is done, as many of you seem to think, is a very bad bet! He has heart, and has lately shown he's recovered from his injuries! I hope JR hasn't listened to any of you!
- randycane

I hope other GM's see what you are seeing in Ruutu. The problem with Ruutu is not that he is not skating now or hitting, the problem is he is unable to play well in our top six like he is being paid to do. If we can trade Ruutu for someone who is cheaper and meets our needs better (3C, scoring) then it would benefit Ruutu and the Canes to move him. I like him, but I don't think he fits what we need right now.