Todd Cordell: Guessing The Forwards

Damien Brunner on the 4th line

call me old fashioned, but I like my 4th line with some grit.

That fourth line is wild. So many monies and I'd rather ruutu playing on the third than Ryder

Didnt see much (if any) Devils hockey last season, but i would think that Brunner and Ruutu should be on the 3rd line.

The names arent bad if they play anything close to what they're supposed to play like. But Havlat gets hurt every time he steps on the ice, Elias is getting long in the tooth, Clowe is a (frank)in loser, and who knows how long Jagr can keep up his stellar play.

That fourth line is wild. So many monies and I'd rather ruutu playing on the third than Ryder
- shvingter88

second that.

Didnt see much (if any) Devils hockey last season, but i would think that Brunner and Ruutu should be on the 3rd line.

The names arent bad if they play anything close to what they're supposed to play like. But Havlat gets hurt every time he steps on the ice, Elias is getting long in the tooth, Clowe is a (frank)in loser, and who knows how long Jagr can keep up his stellar play.
- BlazinMike

Clowe is awesome when he's not concussed

so the real question is how can we get Ryder off this team.

Clowe is awesome when he's not concussed
- shvingter88

Clowe is an ass. And he's probably still got the loser stink on him from his San Jose days.

the problem is who is even looking for forward help ? any team who is is right againdt the cap and every single other team is in the same boat with way to many forwards. what would a buy out of ryder or brunner look like since this is both of their last year on their contracts ? also the only time ruutu threw a check was the two games he played against hos former team the canes but other then that he looked exactly like olesz out there

the problem is who is even looking for forward help ? any team who is is right againdt the cap and every single other team is in the same boat with way to many forwards. what would a buy out of ryder or brunner look like since this is both of their last year on their contracts ? also the only time ruutu threw a check was the two games he played against hos former team the canes but other then that he looked exactly like olesz out there
- blizzzard

Ruutu is so wasted on a 4th line... Especially when the talent ahead of him isn't THAT great.

Ruutu is so wasted on a 4th line... Especially when the talent ahead of him isn't THAT great.
- BINGO!

honestly wasnt impressed at all with him

Clowe is an ass. And he's probably still got the loser stink on him from his San Jose days.
- BlazinMike

ok thanks for stopping by

so the real question is how can we get Ryder off this team.
- TheJerseyDevil1

Ruutu is so wasted on a 4th line... Especially when the talent ahead of him isn't THAT great.
- BINGO!

Thank you. NJ fans are too hard on Ruutu. He only played 19 games, and managed 10 points, but everyone hates him for some reason.

Actually, I kinda like your combos Todd although the 3rd line is pretty slow.

I think the philosophy about the 4th line is really interesting. If I were a GM, I think that I'd always try to use that for guys that just made the team or are still trying to hang on to a spot (probably first and second year guys with league-min or so salaries) - not for over-the-hill types. The line that you proposed is a bit more "advanced" than my "kiddie corps" but I certainly don't have a problem with a fourth line that's dangerous enough to score every 3rd game or so.

Question #1 really is what move(s) does Lou make? Is he really interested in bringing Carter back? Holy Logjams Batman!! Of course, the guys that we'd love to see moved (Ryder and Clowe) have nearly no value (okay, maybe Ryder does at the deadline). That pretty much leaves Zubrus, Brunner, and Ruutu as the tradeables and the market can't be that great for those guys unless they're simply given away for late picks.

Decisions will be a lot easier next year to be sure!

honestly wasnt impressed at all with him
- blizzzard

case in point

the problem is who is even looking for forward help ? any team who is is right againdt the cap and every single other team is in the same boat with way to many forwards. what would a buy out of ryder or brunner look like since this is both of their last year on their contracts ? also the only time ruutu threw a check was the two games he played against hos former team the canes but other then that he looked exactly like olesz out there
- blizzzard

Yeah but what a game that was

Thank you. NJ fans are too hard on Ruutu. He only played 19 games, and managed 10 points, but everyone hates him for some reason.
- TheJerseyDevil1

I don't hate him

case in point
- TheJerseyDevil1

hey dont worry i know how you feel with everyones crush on brunner

Edit: I was looking in the wrong column, he had 8 points. Bring on the hate train

Thank you. NJ fans are too hard on Ruutu. He only played 19 games, and managed 10 points, but everyone hates him for some reason.
- TheJerseyDevil1

He's a solid 3rd line contributer. His body is too beat up to play with the crazy physical edge he had at the beginning of his career, but his hands are better than he gets credit for. He's not an ideal top-6 guy anymore, but he's easily a 3rd line wing/center (He can play all three forward positions, broke into the league as a C)

honestly wasnt impressed at all with him
- blizzzard

Well, I mean, what were you expecting? You're not getting the physical terror that was 26 year old Tuomo Ruutu.

He's a solid 3rd line contributer. His body is too beat up to play with the crazy physical edge he had at the beginning of his career, but his hands are better than he gets credit for. He's not an ideal top-6 guy anymore, but he's easily a 3rd line wing/center (He can play all three forward positions, broke into the league as a C)
- BINGO!

i loved him when he was captain of the hawks

Well, I mean, what were you expecting? You're not getting the physical terror that was 26 year old Tuomo Ruutu.
- BINGO!

While you're here, porque no Loktionov? Do you think its just cause of that shoulder injury? Didn't watch many Canes games after the trade but I thought he'd fit in decently.