It was all the way back in October when TSN’s Darren Dreger first reported that Carolina forward Tuomo Ruutu could be traded. And since then, we’ve waited patiently for a deal to be made.
Well, folks, today is the finally the day…that TSN’s Bob McKenzie says Ruutu could be traded this week.
General manager Jim Rutherford has been talking to teams about Ruutu (who is an unrestricted free agent this summer) and the asking price has been steep - a significant draft pick and a solid prospect or a top prospect alone. Ruuttu has the ability to both score goals and play a physical game, so a lot of teams have interest - including the Vancouver Canucks, Los Angeles Kings, Chicago Blackhawks, Minnesota Wild and New York Rangers amongst others.
Of course, it’s also possible Ruutu signs an extension and stays with the Hurricanes, says McKenzie.
So to recap, Ruutu might be traded this week. But on the other hand, he might not be traded.
We suppose if there’s one takeaway from all this, it’s that Rutherford is asking a lot for a rental with 16 goals and 11 assists.
Related: Ruutu on trade talk: “I’ve heard rumors I’m going to every team in the NHL”