In 1995, when I was working for a pair of Maclean Hunter radio stations in Ottawa, Rogers bought the company and laid off a ton of good people. I sat in the newsroom and watched co-workers disappearing all around me. The boss would come in and say, “Uh, Dave? Gotta sec?” Dave wandered out with him, never to return. The boss did that all day, one at a time, until 12 of my co-workers were gone. He finally came over and spoke to me and said, “Don’t worry. You’ve got nothing to worry about.”Thanks, Chief. Could have used that info 6 hours ago, though. It was a pretty nerve wracking day.
It must be, to a far lesser degree, how the Senators are feeling right now after yet another teammate was jettisoned out of town today. Almost every one of them know, there’s a chance they could be next. This won’t help the team fragility that Cory Clouston speaks of every single day. It must be like living trade deadline day over and over. Beware the ides of March? Pfft! The Sens cannot wait until March when the deadline has passed. They’re expected to go out like lambs, by the way.
The Sens traded winger Jarkko Ruutu to the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for a sixth-round pick in the 2011 NHL entry draft. The 35-year-old was minus-2 with two goals and eight assists in 50 games this season for the Senators. Mike Fisher and Chris Kelly were also traded this week but the Sens got substantially more for them.
In reality, Ruutu is no longer of value to the Sens. He’d have been a free agent and there'd be no point re-signing and giving a raise to a guy his age. He’ll be done when the Sens get good again.
But why even bother dealing Ruutu for a 6th round draft pick? What’s left by round 6? Nothing left of the NHL draft carcass then, right? Just buzzards still picking away at the remains. Most of the time the 6th round brings you a guy you’ve never heard of and never will again. But 6th rounders have panned out for this team more frequently than you’d think.
2001 – Brooks Laich
1999 – Martin Prusek (Trivia: Ruutu’s brother Mikko was actually drafted by the Sens right after Prusek in round 7 that year. Never played in the NHL, though)
1998 – Chris Neil
1996 – Andreas Dackell
And in 1994, some punk named Alfredsson.
The Sens have chosen in the 6th round 15 times and found 5 good players (including one future hall of famer). Not bad. Again, Ruutu is no longer an asset. This I know. But you never know with draft picks. A six isn't sexy but it's better to get something than nothing. Granted, it's not MUCH better than nothing, like someone buying you a lottery ticket. Probably worthless. But you dont' throw it out either.
To Ruutu, for bringing much needed feistiness, with a side order of quirkiness, I had planned to give his stay here the thumbs up. But Andrew Peters thinks I’d be better off patting him on the back.
