Now that the Stanley Cup Final is in the books and the Kings have hoisted the cup, all teams turn their attention to picks, trades, tweaks and CBA’s.

Where does Jim Rutherford even start?

To recap; Rutherford has stated his expectation to go after a top line forward as well as iron out the bottom six forwards.  The Hurricanes have already committed to spending more money, how much?  We will get to that in the CBA discussion.

Most every summer Jim Rutherford has shopped for budget forwards hoping to find that has-been with a few games left in him, or the diamond in the rough, this would actually be a great summer to do that.  Beyond Zach Parise there are few forwards that are sure-fire top line players.  Guys like Dustin Penner and Alexandre Semin are high end talents but they come with the dreaded ‘inconsistent’ lable.  Would $6million on either of those two be money well spent?

I feel the top six forward Jim Rutherford is looking for may have to come via trade.  Jordan Staal’s name is a fixture in the Canes rumor mill and seems to be a very viable option.  Rick Nash’s name pops up and some have said Carolina is on his list of destinations.   The benefit to making a trade is that Jim Rutherford knows the contract he is getting.  Free agents will have multiple suitors and the prices will sky-rocket well over the player’s actual worth.  The drawback to the trade scenario is that you have to give something up in order to get something.  Any bids for Jordan Staal or Rick Nash may mean parting with a Brandon Sutter or similar player.

Talks of trades lead us to the draft in Pittsburgh where the Hurricanes hold the number eight overall pick.  Rutherford seemed to suggest he would not trade that pick, or look to move up.  The only scenario where that happens is if the deal of a life-time pops up, and it may.   Respected TSN analyst Bob McKenzie suggested recently that many teams will be busy at the draft.  This tends to happen during times of (CBA) uncertainty as teams have a bit of a free pass to hit the reset button.  My guess is that the Hurricanes pick at number eight, while discussing other moves and possibly making them next weekend in Pittsburgh.  I feel that the Canes cannot go wrong with the number eight pick, as most players in the top ten are gems and should all excel at the NHL level.

The CBA expires on September 15^th and both sides have yet to begin discussions.  The consensus seems to be that there is no room for any sort of work stoppage.  I expect the debates to get heated though both sides will find some common ground and get it done well before September.  As it stands today the salary cap is set to go up to $70million while a percentage bump from the NHLPA will see it rise as high as $73 million.  The cap floor may be as high as $57 million, meaning as the Hurricanes stand currently at just under $46 million they would need to spend $11 million just to reach the cap floor.  There are many who expect the new CBA to set the cap closer to where it currently is this year in the mid-low $60million range.  Unfortunately we really don’t know where the final number will stand, though the cap ceiling is likely not part of Jim Rutherford’s concern for the Hurricanes.

Jim Rutherford is doing the right thing by publicly stating that he will make a splash for a top end forward to play with Eric Staal.  Staal needs to high end talent to compliment his natural ability and lead this team… it also sends a great signal to the fan base that the team is looking to move up in the world.

Rutherford has not spoken much about his plans for the blue-line as that may be a much bigger, though less flashy, concern for the Canes.  My belief in hockey has always been to build from your goaltender out.  We all know that Cam Ward is solid, though we could solidify his back-up, but the Hurricanes defense has been consistently one of the worst in the league.  The Hurricanes are in a tough spot defensively as rising stars Ryan Murphy and Brian Dumoulin are expected to have a say in the line-up for training camp.  Next to Justin Faulk and Jamie McBain the Hurricanes could be looking at four defenseman under the age of 24.  This also leaves two spots for another four defenseman.   This is quite a conundrum for the hurricanes blue-line as the expectations of Murphy and Dumoulin (and 2012 draft pick?) make it hard to plan for training camp beyond ‘we’ll see how they play.’  That is not how you go into July with such a crucial position in need of a rebuild.

The top-tier defenseman in free agency is Nashville’s Ryan Suter.  Experts seem split as to whether he will stay in Nashville of test the free agent market and head to a city like Detroit.  I expect Rutherford to make a bid for Suter though the competition with be vast.  A player I am keeping an eye on is RFA, and teammate of Suter, Shea Weber.  I have been seeing reports that if Suter goes Weber may want to go as well.  Nashville will not let both players go without a fight but assuming Weber is qualified by Nashville and then shopped the Hurricanes will have to make a serious push for him.  At age 26 the 6’4”  230lb Weber is a solid yet versatile defenseman and considered one of the best in the league.

Of course at this stage of the off-season it is always great to shoot for the ‘stars.’ The truth is that free agent pool will be great to help us retool the bottom six forward lines and build depth but the elite talent will have to come via trade.  Who is available via trade?  We will likely not know until after they are traded.

The Rumor mill is going full force in Canes Country.

First thing, the Canes need to shed this $17 million salary from Jeremy Welsh…

seriously though…

Shortly before the end of the season TSN’s Darren Dreger tweeted, suddenly, that the Hurricanes would be making a huge effort to sign New Jersey’s Zach Parise and Nashville’s Ryan Suter upon the opening of free-agency.  Unfortunately those rumors have been put on hold since both of those teams/players are still embroiled in the play-offs.

I feel it is worth noting that my personal opinion about tweets and blogs vary based on who actually says it.  I have a lot of trust and respect in Darren Dreger and Bob McKenzie and feel their words carry a lot of weight as they are so tapped into the pulse of the league that if they say something there is great validity in even the smallest comments.  Their tweets/articles are never accidental or ‘thinking out loud.’  Bob McKenzie’s words regarding the Hurricanes also carry greater weight as he is said to know Jim Rutherford well outside of hockey.

McKenzie posted several tweets yesterday a few words on the Penguins number three center, and brother of Hurricanes captain, Jordan Staal.  The Penguins are coming up on a tough 2 year span with serious decisions to make.   In one year, from July 1^st, the Penguins will have to face both Sidney Crosby and Jordan Staal as unrestricted free-agents while considering Evgeni Malkin’s future in the following year.  Malkin and Crosby are widely known for their importance to that team while Staal has emerged as a dominate force when those players are absent.  This conundrum has been exacerbated by the Penguins first round bounce in this year’s playoffs.

Reading between a lot of lines here, it seems like Jordan Staal could be a Hurricane before July 1^st.  The risk involved is that while Staal will be in Carolina for next season until he signs an extension he may not be beyond.  Who do we trade? And if we lose him after next season will we have lost too much in that trade.

My issue with getting Staal is an already deep line of centers.  Eric Staal, Jussi Jokinen, Jeremy Welsh, Brandon Sutter, Tim Brent and Jordan Staal.  Eric and Jussi are also adept wingers… no matter who you shake it someone (two?) will have to go.   Speaking of centers…

Could the Hurricanes conceivably get both Jordan Staal and Parise?  Sure! Though we would have to shed a bigger contract to make it work, unless team owner Peter Karmanos is willing to spend to the cap.  The Hurricanes stand, as of today, around $20 million shy of today’s cap limit.  That cap limit is expected to drop by a few million when the new collective bargaining agreement is reached this summer.

Which players could the Hurricanes do without?  Note; the players I will mention are based more on financial issues and not whether I like them.  Joni Pitkanen, Jussi Jokinen, Tuomo Ruutu, and Tim Gleason all top the list in the second tier salary list.  Gleason and Ruutu both just signed extensions so for them to be moved is less likely.   Could Jim Rutherford move one of those guys and also trim salary for redundant players?  The best example of that is Chad LaRose and Patrick Dwyer.  LaRose makes $1.7mill and Dwyer has one of the lowest prices at $625k.  Both are described identically as ‘two-way, defensively responsible forwards, lacking and scoring threat.’  LaRose’s only added benefit is that he has seen plenty of top tier line time along-side of Staal which bumps his stats up a bit.  LaRose is capable of stepping up when injuries happen… but he is ultimately a 3^rd-4^th line player, just like Dwyer.  There is an extra $million right there.

Pitkanen becomes more expendable for a few reasons.  Seeing as how he missed a large portion of last season, the team soldiered on without him, successfully.  With Sanguinetti and Murphy expected to make a huge push in training camp, the Hurricanes will have more than enough offensive blue-liners than they need.  Spacek becomes less needed though he brings a calming veteran leadership to the room.  A few years ago the Hurricanes were one of the older teams in the league, now they have to worry about being ‘too-young’ and lacking in veteran leadership.

Jim Rutherford discussed the risk teams take going into July 1^st and bidding for a player.  Parise is certainly steering his own ship, as he should, though it’s a gamble for the Hurricanes to wait until July 1^st and potentially miss Parise and others in bidding wars.  Ideally Rutherford has to look to trade for their rights and re-sign them before they hit July 1^st.

Regardless of how this shakes out, Hurricanes fans have every reason to be excited, whether Parise is brought in or not.  The Hurricanes will be upgrading over the next year and while it is all up in the air now we should be ready for hockey July 2^nd!

In the wake of the trade deadline Jim Rutherford express his priority for the off-season as the need for a top-six forward to play with Staal.

I am glad to hear this as I think few will disagree with that assessment.

My next thought was who should it be?

There are two routes to go for Jim Rutherford which ostensibly include unrestricted free-agents and hockey-trades.

The list of UFA forwards is long but most are over age 33.  Here are a few notables.

Zach Parise – A name at the top of everyone’s list will see Parise command a huge contract from someone.  This alone may take us out of the running unless management opens up the checkbook more than we all expect.  At age 27 Zach isn’t the biggest guy on the ice but his work ethic and elite ability is well documented.   Parise is my first choice but the realist in me says to move on.

Jared Stoll – At age 29 Stoll is a proven leader and very adept on the power play.  He has a booming shot and plays with grit.  Stoll is more affordable than Parise, making $3.6 currently; even with a raise would be in the $4million range.  Stoll is my top choice behind Parise as a realistic get for the Hurricanes.

Dustin Penner – A close second for me is Penner who is one of the biggest forwards in the game today.  At age 29 he is 6’4” and 242lbs and is known best for banging in front of the net.   Affordable in the $4million range he would do well on this team with Staal, though has a label of inconsistency he would have to overcome.

Ray Whitney – HAS to be on this list.  At age 39 Whitney is still going strong in Phoenix.  Already this season, Whitney is nearing 20 goals and 60 points he hasn’t dropped off at all.  Would he want to sign a 1 year deal for one last hurrah in Carolina?

Other players worth mentioning:

Alexander Semin – Inconsistent, expensive winger who is always a thorn in the side of the Hurricanes.  If you can’t beat ‘em join ‘em? Maybe not in this case.

Kristian Huselius – A big guy who does not play that way Huselius is always battling injuries.  When healthy he is quick and shifty.  For the Hurricanes it would be too much of a gamble to pay too much and not know who you are getting.

Andrei Kostitsyn – I have just never been sold on Kostitsyn.  He has natural skill but does not seem consistent.  If he will sign for a similar contract (1-2 years, ($3-3.5mill) he may be a gamble worth taking.

Mikhail Grabovski – A small shifty winger with a great scoring touch… sound familiar?  The Canes have more of those than they know what to do with… many of whom are under age 25 and $1million.

The theme of most forward UFA’s seems to be older and inconsistent.  Should we go the trade route?

To discuss potential trades is tough because it is a wide open pool based on ‘…is this player available for trade by their current team…?’  Most trades of this nature are a resounding NO during the season but soften up during the off-season as long as the trade is fair.  A trade is likely the better option as we would not be competing as much with other teams driving up the price like with FA.  When you trade for a player you have time to think about it and you know exactly the terms of the contract you are taking on.

The short view is see that no transactions were made today for the Hurricanes and call it a failure.

The truth is one of the biggest moves to be made this season happened December 9th in the trade for Thomas Kaberle.  Re-signing both Gleason and Ruutu (and possibly Allen) make for a pretty busy time for Jim Rutherford despite no deadline day trades.

I was pleased to hear Rutherford’s post-deadline comments talking about off-season moves including landing a top-six forward to play with Eric Staal.  The list of potential candidates is hard to pin down as it may not necessarily be unrestricted free agents.  Rutherford spoke about hockey trades, trading existing players who have contracts beyond this season.

I feel like a trade that went with little fan fair was the acquisition of Evgenii Dadonov.  Dadonov is a skilled winger who may be ready for the NHL full time jump.  Couple him with several other AHLers and we have more battles for spots in Raleigh.

I am curious to see if Hurricanes management is looking to spend more on players salaries.  The ownership situation tends to mean a tightening of the purse strings and now that owners have been brought in we should see that relax a little bit.  Jim Rutherford also alluded to the possibility of a new media deal coming up for the Hurricanes that may also expand the budget.  This summer also brings us a new CBA in the NHL which may have an effect though we won’t know until it is settled.  Some feel the cap may actually come down a few million dollars and the revenue sharing between teams will even out more so than it is now.  That would mean good things for the Hurricanes.

With all of that said, I don’t expect the Hurricanes to be much higher than a mid-$50 million range at the most.

Assuming Jim Rutherford lands a true top six forward and is able to make some other tweaks, on top of Kirk Muller having a full off-season to get his footing in Carolina, Hurricanes fans have a lot to be excited about.

Last we heard, Jim Rutherford was hoping to sit down with pending UFA Tuomo Ruutu in hopes of finding common ground on their mutual future.

The discussion took place and many fans were pleased to find out that there is a mutual respect and interest in Ruutu staying in Carolina.

The next step, Rutherford admitted, is finding common ground on the money and terms.

Ruutu is 29 years old so this is not the last contract he will sign, though at this age it tends to be the most lucrative. This years salary is at $4.4 million and is his highest pay to date. The debate now becomes is he worth $5 million? He shows a cap hit currently of $3.8m which is comparible to many big names in the league. While Ruutu is loved and respected by many, not just in Carolina, around the league… is he worth that much?

An argument can be made that his ability to successfully play alongside Staal and Skinner up his value with the team quite a bit. He is a player that should be hitting 20-30 goals and 30+ assists, though falling short of that this season. His toughness is welcome on this team and he brings a ton of character to the lockeroom.

My main concern is that overpaying for him will hold down an already budget conscience team from being able to make further moves towards improving the team this summer.

Ruutu’s cap hit was $3.8, so to see his average salary increase to the $4.4 he is currently paid would be an adequate increase for him. To stay in Carolina Ruutu would not need to consider a ‘home-town discount’ but he would need to forgo the chance to test the market this summer.

If Ruutu is not re-signed before February 27th, his fans do not need to fear. Ruutu may likely then be traded to the highest offer as a rental. I am sure he would do Jim Rutherford the resspect, come July 1st, of hearing an offer to return to Carolina. It would be a gamble on both sides but it would not break the team if both parted ways.

Some have argued that Rutherford is staying the course with a cellar team. Signing Gleason and Ruutu, on the surface, would suggest that though one has to start out any idea of a rebuild or restructure at the top.

Muller has his coaching staff in place, with Staal and Ward as the foundation for the team. Young stars like Sutter, Skinner, Faulk and McBain show much promise for the future (and the present). That leaves the players to come in an build upon those strengths.

Gleason locks down the defense while Jokinen and Ruutu would give us a solid look to build upon our top six. Role players like Brent, Steward and LaRose help give the team energy and grit. The young stars coming out of Charlotte are the real wild cards in the futures equation. Dalpe, Samson, Dadonov, and others will really be looked at to be key pieces to future success. I feel several of those guys have proven their value but it will take an NHL level grind of 82 games for these players to really prove their long term worth.

The pieces are starting to unfold into place. I am not expecting major moves in the next two weeks. I am thinking we could see some interesting deals around the draft and into July. Rutherford hinted that a new media deal could see the teams budget increase for next season.

For a cap/trade geek like me… I am so excited for the possibilities!

As of this moment we have yet to find out if Anthony Stewart has cleared the waiver wire.

I personally like Stewart and hope he stays, though I am wondering if he has a role in Mullers system. Of the moves Jim Rutherford made this past summer the Tim Brent and Stewart signings were the ones I felt would truely impact the team. While Stewart is falling short of his performace last season he is a steady player and appears to be well liked in the locker room.

Jim Rutherford has stated publically that the waiver is not due to Stewarts performance nor is this preceeding another trade.

That segways into the daily Tuomo Ruutu rumor mill… say that three times really fast.

Rutherford has also stated his hope to keep Ruutu, at the very least discuss the future with Ruutu and see if there is room for talks regarding an extention. The ball appears to be soley in Ruutu’s court. I expect by the end of the week we should at the very least have an idea of Ruutu’s future with the Hurricanes.

Once this week shakes out we should then see Spacek and Allen hit the road as playoff rentals.

This just in: Stewart has cleared waivers and is expected to be in the lineup tomorrow night in Anaheim. Not sure if Stewart figures into and trades in the next few weeks or this summer.

Quick programing note: I was planning on writing a bit after the Gleason signing but the site appears to have been down for a few days. Since that signing I kept hearing of other possible trades for the Hurricanes ready to strike. My plan was to write an all encompassing piece once something went down… as we all know it was a week of ‘hurry up and wait,’ though the Gleason signing was a shock.

The rumors continue to have Ruutu going to a different team each day and eventually the twitter prognosticators will have it right. A month ago I expected a slow deadline day seeing all the trades in January and early February. I am re-thinking my opinion on that. Maybe it matters which GM’s are buyers and sellers to determining when the deals are made.

Jim Rutherford is very calculating and I doubt will dump any player for a value he doesn’t think will help the team. He shocked us all by going against his own law of negotiating with a player in-season, though in reality there seemed to be little negotitaion as it seems both sides were willing to get a deal done quickly and without debate.

I am still not sure how I feel about Gleason long term. Gleason is a heavy hitter, solid in his own end and a team leader. One of my main issues is with Gleason being such a tough guy he never seems to get the better of the fights he is in, which may be why his role in that sense was reduced to ‘if absolutely necessary.’ This type of player is very hard to quantify as you cannot simply pull goals and assist stats to back a claim. I certainly do not think that the team is worse with his signing though I found the price a tad on the high side. I personally like Bryan Allen’s game much better and still hope to see him as a Hurricane next September.

The next question is Spacek and Ruutu and where will they be in less than a month? Unless either are re-signed both will be gone for at least picks and prospects. I have to think the longer they go untraded, the higher their value inches up. I fell like Spacek was never expected to be a Hurricane long and he will likely be traded before his suitcase is fully unpacked in Carolina. Ruutu, on the otherhand, is an interesting situation.

I have to think that in a perfect world Jim Rutherford would love to keep Ruutu beyond this season. The question may lie in any conversations that Ruutu’s agent has had with Jim Rutherford at any time. If Rutherford feels that Ruutu will go into July 1st regardless, to test the market, then I know that Jim Rutherford will have no choice but to move him for whatever he can get.

The most recent rumors have Rutherford having meetings last week with Ruutu’s agent. My hope is that Ruutu is kept as a Huurricane, though I hope the cost is not so great that it limits the ability this summer to make further moves. Ruutu brings a ton to this team and is a huge part of recent success.

Speaking of recent success, kudos are in order for Cam Ward who flew under the radar with a huge shut-out against the Bruins. On a night only eclipsed by Gagnes 8 point explosion, Ward was poised to be top billing in all of Hockey news.

Recently Jim Rutherford spoke with The News and Observers Chip Alexander. Some of Rutherfords comments seem to have been taken the wrong way by some who feel he isn’t doing enough.

It has been said that the Hurricanes are actually within reach of the playoffs but due to the number of games in hand that our opponents have the Hurricanes playoff chances are slim. Rutherfords mentioning of making trades that make “financial sense” scare many fans who translate that into salary dumps and throwing in the towel on this season.
Jim Rutherford would not sacrifice the teams playoff chances, however slim, as any chance of playing post season hockey means money. What Rutherford is saying is that he is not just looking at trades for the sake of trades.
Rutherford goes on to say that he is “more intersted in hockey trades and not deadline trades.” This is exactly what he should be doing. Dumping Ruutu, Gleason and others for trade-deadline headlines serves no purpose. These are players which can be traded to help build the team going forward. Keeping in mind that if the team saves money this spring it can go a long way to adding to the payroll this summer. While it may not translate to a dollar-for-dollar additions to this summers budget it helps in the longrun.
Another point to be made regarding the team’s budgeting going forward is that the ownership situation appears cleared up. Over the past several years owner Peter Karmanos had been looking for minority owners to invest in the team. Generally when this happens teams will make major cuts in budgets to make the bottom line look more attractive. This is why the Hurricanes have not spent much on players in recent years… ok I know it is not JUST that but it is certainly part of the equation.
Now that a list of new minority owners are aboard the team can spend more money on players right? No word from either Jim Rutherford or Peter Karmanos as to what the budgets going forward will look like though I don’t expect drastic changes, maybe a few extra bucks. I expect the next few seasons will start with a lower summer budget and if the team is moving in the right direction the trade deadline budget will increase.
The bottom line is that Jim Rutherford is now a part owner in the team and will do what needs to be done to put together a winning team.
Jim Rutherford also stated he was not making any calls. MMany seem to take this as him sitting on his hands. The truth is, as a seller, you rarely have to make any calls. Jim Rutherford is right to wait for the top bidders for the services of Ruutu, Gleason and others to slug it out. The last ones standing will make themselves known in due time. There is no rush on Rutherfords part to make a trade, the heat is all on the buying teams who need to make their moves before their foes do.
The break it down:
Ruutu, Gleason, Allen, and Spacek will be traded.
We will likely see a steady stream of picks and prospects in return.
There will not be a lot of glitz and glamour before the trade deadline.
The draft could see the Hurricanes make bolder moves.
No matter what happens hang on and enjoy the ride!

Note: I began this post a few days ago and put it on hold as I heard rumors of a trade close to happening. While a trade still could be in the works I got tired of waiting. The rumors these days, mostly via the internet, seem too good to be true… while I shouldn’t beleive them I find myself hopeful that they pan out.

Earlier this week the Hurricanes made their first move of 2012 in hopes of both building for the future and paving the way for the plethora of young soon-to-be NHL stars.

The past few weeks have been full of rumors and ‘hurry up and wait’ mentalities surrounding anyone following the Hurricanes. While Gleason and Ruutu are the most used names in the rumor mill Ponikarovy was the first Hurricanes NHL-er to be shipped out.

Ponikarovsky was traded to the New Jersey Devils, for a 4th round pick and minor league defenseman Joe Sova, minutes after the Hurricanes shut out the Washington Capitals on Friday night. Two nights before that however Jim Rutherford was able to land promising prospect Evgenii Dadonov from the Florida Panthers for Checker Jon Matsumoto. That trade included the aquisition of A.J. Jenks for Mattias Lindstrom.

Dadonov has proven that he is NHL ready and will likely be gunning for a spot in September in Raleigh. Matsumoto has his strengths but at age 25 was getting lost in the depth chart of centers the Hurricanes have been able to stock pile. Dadonov’s arrival does create some interesting questions for guys like Zach Boychuk who are poised to break through but just have not done so yet. Dalpe and Samson have shown their worth and are right along side of Dadonov in the running for forward spots next season.

By moving Ponikarovski out, Jim Rutherford dumped a little less than half of his $1.5 mill salary from the books and signaled a likleyhood that he will not be back next season.

Tuomo Ruutu, however, is very likley to be traded though there is hope that he may be re-signed this summer. Jim Rutherford has not tipped his hat as to whether he plans to bid for Ruutu this summer, and once Ruutu is gone via trade Rutherfard cannot likley discuss that until July 1st.

I keep playing around with my projections of the Hurricanes lineup for next season as it stands now and where the likley holes are for any moves going forward. This becomes tough because we all know the organizations feelings towards Chad LaRose but economically Patrick Dwyer makes more sense than bringing back LaRose for virtually the same position. LaRose is signed through next season at $1.9mill ($1.7 cap hit) but if Rutherford is clearing overpriced contracts off the books it is certainly one to take a look at.
Not to completely run LaRose out of town;
He is a solid coachable player.
Great on the kill.
Tons of energy and spirit.
He brings a lot to the locker room.
The Hurricanes are comepletely in the right to want a player likel that in the room. I take issue with LaRose playing top line minutes. I have always liked LaRose and felt he fits well with out team … as a 3rd line guy. I have never had confidence in top six minutes for LaRose, while you can certainly count on him to step up to the top six for injury situations.

Going forward with the roster, knowing the players that are likley to be kept and re-signed seems up in the air now. Sure Ruutu, Spacek, Gleason and Allen are likely to be dealt by the deadline but which of those players are going to be returning this summer? That list includes half of our defense and a solid top six winger. Couple that with the question mark over Pitkanen and the Hurricanes are poised for another interesting summer.

The Chicago Blackhawks just announced that winger Dan Carcillo will be out the rest of the season with a torn ACL.

How does this affect the Hurricanes?

Over a month ago Chicago was rumored to be interest, or at least a possible destination for Tuomo Ruutu.  For one reason or another a deal never materialized and other teams continue to line up in the rumors as destinations for the gritty Carolina Winger.  One has to think Chicago, currently second in the West (3rd overall) in the standings, is going to stock up on players for a long post-season run.  I would bet they would have to have their sights set on Ruutu now.

If I am Jim Rutherford my asking price for Ruutu just went up!