Blackhawks Ink Rutta To One-Year Extension
On Thursday morning the Blackhawks announced a one-year contract extension with defenseman Jan Rutta. The deal is reportedly with $2.25M.
Rutta, 27, is in his first season on North America and has 19 points in 43 games with the Hawks.
Wow first impression is that seems like a lot of money but maybe he had some leverage since he is an older player and could just go back to Europe.
Almost $3.5M in cap space for him & Gustafsson next season, instead of using those monies and then some on a top flight, 1000% D-man to steady the ship?
Cannot blame Q in any form or fashion on this one, this is all on Bowman. Rumor has it Bowman has been on a mini-bender in Arizona w/ Epstein from Cubs, this is why he overpaid Gustaffson & Rutta by at least $1M in next year’s cap space.
Lastly, how is it Rutta is worth $1M more in cap space than Gustaffson, he spent part of the season as a turnstile along with Forsling. What’s next, $3M per year for Oesterle???
P.S. I wonder what Kempny and his agent are thinking, this is pure lunacy.
I sure hope the cap increases as much as expected, we have been burned in the past. I wonder if these deals are for trade chips
a million doesnt matter until Bowman’s NMC cotracts expire Hawks are not playoffs team so or so, almost 50M obstructed cap space until 2023…. .Also 15M fixed in untradeable Keith, Seabrook and Murphy are the issue, not couple of 100K extra money for Rutta and Gus.
$3.5 is a hell of a lot of money for Ruuta and Gus.
Look at the deals Yzerman swings and glance at Tampa Bay’s roster. Every little bit helps if you are trying to stuff your roster as full of talent as possible.
The Hawks rode on the tails of sweetheart cap hit deals they had with Hossa and Keith for years. Now they only have half of that advantage, as well as full market price deals on pretty much all of their other stars.
They have to figure out a way to be cost effective somewhere, but it appears they are not doing so even at the very bottom of the roster. That seems dumb to me.
Beginning of moves for blueline or the end of them and Bowman has the defense he wants? I hope theres more to come.
This means Bowman has some inside on the cap. There will be trades at draft and summer believe it or not.
TB hasn’t won nothing yet.
I’m with Morrison here, the group of defenseman we have now will likely be different to start next season.
Well when you look up at the press box at some point and Gus and Rutta are sitting in there with their $3.5 mil cap hit, remember any UFAs we couldn’t go after or RFAs of our own we can’t extend early to save money.
Just because the economy is getting better doesn’t mean I fill my gas tank at the highest priced gas station either.
Can someone take a shot at explaining the rationale for spending $3.5m on Gus and Rutta? I have long been a solid SB supporter but I can’t figure this one out. I have no problem with a one year deal for Rutta but how in the world can his performance demand $2.25m?
If nothing changes, nothing changes gotta think something is in the works.
A 1.325M raise? Quite surprised – perhaps because he’s a R-hand defenceman and we’re lacking those and/or there’s a limited supply in the upcoming free agent class? Otherwise, I’d say no thank you Stan.
I like both rutta and Gus. And I understand both players have some leverage being both unrestricted and restricted but it seems like both we bid against ourselves again ala panik.
Can’t wait to see what they do during the draft and free agency.
Seems way too high. I like Rutta but was hoping for 1.5M. Yikes.
Now that I see the further posts, let’s remember Bowman threw $2.8M I want to say per year cap hit for Panik re: one hit wonder, the guy who overslept in Florida first game with Hawks, and was traded for my bff Morin.
As much as I point out Q’s misgivings, give me a break Bowman. Other than Calgary & Arizona GMs, who in their right mind would take on Rutta for that absurd cap hit for a turnstile?
I was OK with he Gus signing-although one year would have been better. But not this-
Iceman hit it on the head-Kempny could play before these two and save some money. I guess there must be a grand plan, that makes more sense.
Now Jurco gets 2.25, and Seabrook extended two more years to 2025-26
So now the Hawks have 6 d-men under NHL contract for next season – Keith, Seabrook, Murphy, Oesterle, Gustafsson and Rutta. They have Forsling in the AHL, Jokiharju in the WHL and a top-12 draft pick in the draft top heavy with d-men prospects.
On top of that, the notion that the Hawks can go into next season with the same d-corps and expect a better result is nonsense. There must be a plan to trade one or more of these d-men to get a legit top-4 d-man for next season. I hope.
Maybe Stan wants to get fired and become the new Monty Hall because that is about the only way this makes sense.
While everyone loses their collective shit about the extensions the last couple days, keep in mind that there’s another expansion draft coming….
Wow….I guess the defence was rock solid this year? Bowman’s santa claus routine continues on.
John Moore and many better veterans will be avaible at the end of the year. Osterle must go! And I thought Snuggerud, Gilbert, Dalhstrom and Joku from Portland would get a look next year.
Shea Theodore??? Mike Reilly??? Calvan DaHaan???
Ultimately the lack of home grown development of defensemen has led to these undrafted signings each year.
The Gustafsson deal is not egregious. The organization must collectively think he is truly NHL-ready.
If Ruuta gets his confidence back in the last 15 games, that would be helpful. He was a much different player before getting run and getting hurt. He lost some of fearlessness.
Mr. Fenn nailed it about the money. The Hawks were bidding against themselves with these two players. The Athletic’s Scott Powers talked with a league source who was surprised by the money.
I do like the fact, that Snuggerud, Henri J., Gilbert, Hillman and others are not going to “rushed” to the NHL just because they are prospects. Let each marinate a bit in the AHL and bring them up when they are 100 % ready.
What yr is cba thing, that’s another thing. We have so many assets and more coming our way.
trade paniks 2.8 for 1.2
no player bonuses/72
cap going way up to 80ish (prob not 77 or 82)
hoss caphit to cap floor team
high top pick, another 1st and extra picks from deadline players
more picks from draft trades
cba
expansion draft
That’s ammunition right when we need to.
Mo June 2020 is likely date for draft, arena to be ready fall if 2020.
Right now 19, 88, 7 and 2 have nmc clauses automatic and 8 and 12 be eligible with 20 and 15 if still on team would be under contract. If Sikura signs this year he would be eligible , looks like the 5 or 6 of the forwards. Anybody signing an elc starting next season be exempt. Murphy would still be under contract but hard to say who be in picture. No goalies right now as Crows will be up that year. If Hossa still on ltir he won’t require a protected spot.
Seabrook
I for one Hossa RETURNS!
hope*
Did you really think Stan was going to do anything right this year ? Hell no ,Rutta is a 5,6,7, d`man on any other team , Rutta makes Leddy and T.V.R look like Norris Champs . Stan has his head up his arse .
At this rate we`ll be wrestling Buffalo for last place .
Ian- what about Seabrook????
Ruuta- was fine pre-concussion… and still is the Hawks Best Offensive D guy this year (shot wise)…
Ruuta- must really “Grade” high on film– Q sees this…. money seems a little high…
but NOT crazy… and – It’s only one year… Hardly a terrible sign when compared to
Seabs/Bickell/
One thing to consider when evaluating how Bowman is handing out these contracts is how a player responds to his coaching. It seems that the guys who respond positively to being scratched or sent back down to Rockford are being rewarded for their work. Rutta and Gustafson didn’t seem to complain for their yo-yo treatment and worked on what they needed to work on. I’m not suggesting that is the only reason guys get re-signed, but it has to factor into it. That sends a message to the rest of the team that if you put in the work the team responds in kind. I’m not trying to suggest that talent and production on the ice are being ignored, I’m just suggesting there may be value in showing other players that your team will recognize when you are a team guy and that taking criticism positively can and will be rewarded.
Wall was watching 1st goal when was posting. If Rutta can play the way he started this year and improve on that be good insurance.