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PTO: Canucks Sign Tuomo Ruutu and James Sheppard to PTO

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In a bottom 6/spot start role, Ruutu is marginally effective in some aspects, but he's not reliable in any way. He's a lesser player than Zubrus at this point.

I wouldnt expect him to make an NHL team. I think its a European league, KHL, or retirement at this point.
 
Ruutu is just there to speak Finnish with Juolevi and speak well of his brother's time in Vancouver.
 
Hope Shepherd finds his game. Always had good potential, just never put it all together.
 
HarvP19 said:


Two veterans trying to get a roster spot, do you think they will get one? I dont, but then again we have jim benning as the decision maker, so who knows.

Both were drafted in the top 10(both went 9th overall) of their respective draft class. However still have not met expectations and have lot to prove on the ice.
Ruutu has 6 30+ point seasons in his career, the most he scored is 57 points in 2010-2011. He has not even gotten close to those numbers the past 5 seasons however. Sheppard is a bottom 6 guy.


what do you guys say?
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James Sheppard - There is a blast from the past. When was the last time that guy was in the league?!
 
Porn* said:
Oh James Sheppard what happened. I had high expectations when the wild drafted him.
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He was rushed and ruined. Straight from Juniors to the NHL.

He never seemed to have an ounce of confidence in his own play when he was a kid. I guess that's what happens when Jacques Lemaire doesn't like you and other injuries on the team force you to play above your ability in the NHL.

The Wild were largely a mess back then, Sheppard just got caught up in it, and wasn't able to pull himself out of it.

He had the tools to at least be an NHL forward, though likely never going to warrant his draft position. But he had zero time to build up the toolbox to be anything more than a fringe NHLer.
 
There's a chance that Ruutu would be a decent AHL player, he's a complete joke at the NHL level. He was a pretty good 4th liner in 14-15, then completely fell off a cliff last year. He looked like a 44 year old in both production and speed.


I made so many jokes about Ruutu last year. There was a stretch where the team averaged one goal per game for the first 6 or 7 games that Ruutu played last season. Maybe even the first 10 games. I would say ''Ruutu means one'' as in one goal scored per game, by the entire team when he was in the lineup. There was also ''Ruutu means 2 MPH''. And at the end of the season ''Ruutu means 1 point all season''.

He seriously looked like a 44 year old player, that retired years ago and decided to make a comeback. His only point of the season came in the second to last period of the season and in his 33rd game. It was also a complete fluke of an assist. People might say he was unlucky to go 33 games and have just a single point, but I think he was lucky to even get the one point. So the percentages evened out.



Seriously though, only Jim Benning would sign this guy to a PTO.


Sheppard should at least have some legs left and is on the right side of 30 still, despite being easily the biggest bust of his draft class. He's can probably be a decent 4th line option.
 
Vashanesh said:
He was rushed and ruined. Straight from Juniors to the NHL.

He never seemed to have an ounce of confidence in his own play when he was a kid. I guess that's what happens when Jacques Lemaire doesn't like you and other injuries on the team force you to play above your ability in the NHL.

The Wild were largely a mess back then, Sheppard just got caught up in it, and wasn't able to pull himself out of it.

He had the tools to at least be an NHL forward, though likely never going to warrant his draft position. But he had zero time to build up the toolbox to be anything more than a fringe NHLer.
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Also had an ATV accident before the 10-11 season, which was the final nail in his coffin at ever being able to reach his potential.

He'd be pretty good as a 4th liner, but he doesn't score enough offense to be played on the top 3 lines for a full season.

Devils Dominion said:
Ruutu has nothing left in the tank.
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I don't even think there's anything left OF his tank anymore, never mind anything left in it.
 
I like Ruutu but the guy is just terrible anymore

he played nearly half the year last year and didn't get a point until the last game of the season
 
What many have skipped over is the many Canucks fans stating our whole top line along with Sbisa and Hansen are playing at the World's. Guys are gonna need to rest and we need guys with enough NHL games to qualify as veteran status. Nothing to see here, maybe Shep gets an AHL shot with Utica as scoring will be hard to come by down there.
 
Irishguy42 said:
captainsheppard.jpg
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JyA0H3I.jpg
 
Funny story about Ruutu. When he was doing his draft interviews one team asked if he would be disappointed to drop in the draft. Being honest, he said it wouldn't bother him. The interviewer didn't believe him, and got a bit flustered. So he said 'surely you would be disappointed if you were drafted 30th!' Being funny, he said 'I'd be thrilled! I would join the cup champions.'

I remember when he was still starting out in Chicago, I thought that Tuomo should be played at center. It would have protected him a bit more from his over zealous style, keep him out of some of the harder board battles. I'm pretty sure he played in the middle in international play, where he excelled. But at this point he isn't an NHL'er any more. Bummer, because I always liked the guy.
 
Pheasant the peasant said:
I remember when he was still starting out in Chicago, I thought that Tuomo should be played at center. It would have protected him a bit more from his over zealous style, keep him out of some of the harder board battles. I'm pretty sure he played in the middle in international play, where he excelled. But at this point he isn't an NHL'er any more. Bummer, because I always liked the guy.
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Ruutu is the guy who couldn't make it on a line with Toews and Kane. Instead of scoring on easy set ups from Kane he was too busy boarding players and acting like his brother. That's why he was traded.
 
who_me? said:
Ruutu is the guy who couldn't make it on a line with Toews and Kane. Instead of scoring on easy set ups from Kane he was too busy boarding players and acting like his brother. That's why he was traded.
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Ya, it's surprising it didn't work out in Chicago. Any time I hear/read Ruutu's name I picture a Hawks jersey. But he hasn't been a Hawk in forever. I agree, if he played differently, he could have been a 30 goal scorer.

Trade sure worked out for Chicago, since they got Ladd and he immediately contributed to a stanley cup.
 
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