Who Is "Teddy Ruth," Alex?

by J.P. on Feb 13, 2009 11:50 AM EST

From the Columbus Dispatch's Bob Hunter:

It doesn't look like the Blue Jackets will be getting defensive help any time soon from Notre Dame sophomore Teddy Ruth. Ruth, acquired from the Washington Capitals in a trade deadline deal for Sergei Fedorov last season, had a lackluster two games against Ohio State last weekend.
Members of the Blue Jackets' brass watched him both days, but there wasn't much to watch. His absence on the Irish's penalty kill would seem to be a bad sign for a player billed as a shutdown defenseman.

One theory is that Ruth, a second-round pick out of high school, was trying too hard to impress Blue Jackets officials and to live up to being traded for Fedorov. Either way, any plans he might have had to play college hockey for only two seasons before turning pro seem unlikely now.

At the moment, it looks as if Ruth may forever be best known as the answer to a trivia question.

If this FanPost is written by someone other than one of the blog's editors, the opinions expressed in it do not necessarily reflect those of this blog or SB Nation.

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A surprising turn. I always liked Ruth as a prospect, too. I wonder what kind of effect being traded in general has on a player like him, not even speaking to the fact that he was traded for a living legend.

by brs03 on Feb 13, 2009 12:35 PM EST reply actions

I don’t know. I mean, if I traded DMG to Puck Daddy for Wyshynski, I’d think DMG would be somewhat honored and motivated to prove to everyone he was worth it.

Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world

by J.P. on Feb 13, 2009 12:44 PM EST up reply actions

You can’t just sit back and take the DMG :)

I can’t imagine it has to much effect on him as a player… its not like he had a significant relationship with the Caps.

by Sct112 on Feb 13, 2009 12:50 PM EST up reply actions

Don’t worry – I gave DMG a NMC. He’s a tough negotiator.

Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world

by J.P. on Feb 13, 2009 12:57 PM EST up reply actions

It makes sense to comment on the length of a player’s term with an organization. Players are developing within certain systems and certain roles.

With all of the talk about Mike Green’s Norris credentials, I wonder if he’d experience a significant drop off were he separated from BB.

by Natty Bumppo on Feb 13, 2009 1:00 PM EST up reply actions

He was experiencing a significant drop off under Hanlon

Green talks openly about how much Bruce’s system and specifically Bruce’s confidence in him as a player has in his success.

by Wisper on Feb 17, 2009 2:51 PM EST up reply actions

I think there’s a pretty good chance I’d quit within two days. I mean, part of Wyshynski’s job is reading the comments on his blog, right?

by David Getz on Feb 13, 2009 1:21 PM EST up reply actions

and doing yourself and us a great disservice

Wyshinski stinks! : )

by bigonetimer on Feb 13, 2009 5:27 PM EST up reply actions

Give the kid a break, he’s 20 years old… let’s see how he is after 4 years at Notre Dame. Sure, he’s not likely to make it to the NHL, but when I was 20, I thought I was going to be doing something very different than what I’m doing now.

by MikeL-Pivonka on Feb 13, 2009 1:41 PM EST reply actions

If the Caps got Federov for a guy that likely won’t see significant time playing with the big boys I would say it should go down as one of GMGMs best moves.

by Sct112 on Feb 13, 2009 1:50 PM EST up reply actions

it should go down as one of GMGMs best moves

After slightly less than a year, I think it already has. What a remarkable get for this team and worth every cent

by bigonetimer on Feb 13, 2009 5:30 PM EST reply actions

Did anyone else watch the WJC? He looked terrrrrible. He obviously has time to grow but in his own age group his foot speed was noticeably deficient and he was getting beat wide regularly. I don’t care how physical he is supposed to be, you can’t hit if you can’t catch people.

by Rob Parker on Feb 13, 2009 5:31 PM EST reply actions

And Team USA didn't want John Carlson...

…I’m glad they didn’t get a medal, honestly. Morons.

by brs03 on Feb 13, 2009 6:12 PM EST up reply actions

I can never root against Team USA...

but I can root for karma to teach bad management a lesson. Team USA needs to get off this nepotism crap. It was a little annoying to watch JC win rookie of the month in the OHL while hes compatriots flopped in the WJC. Hopefully Team USA learns from their mistakes at some point.

by Rob Parker on Feb 13, 2009 6:32 PM EST up reply actions

I often root against team USA~

But it’s because of birth, not because I hate America.

How the HELL does Shaone Morrisonn keep getting a sweater?

by Whiter Mage on Feb 16, 2009 1:26 AM EST up reply actions

What really be funny...

…is if the Blue Jackets let him go and he signs with Hershey. Hey, if Patrick Wellar could show up again….

by Forsch31 on Feb 13, 2009 5:38 PM EST reply actions

Maybe this year...

…Joe Finley for Teemu Selanne? I know, I know, I don’t think Teemu is going anywhere (but I don’t know if he has NMC). If Anaheim is blowing up the ship I don’t see why there hasn’t been more discussion of Selanne. He is a PP stud on a ridiculously affordable contract.

by Rob Parker on Feb 14, 2009 2:39 PM EST reply actions

If Selanne were available I think he would command more than a guy who has never played above the NCAA level and who is now dealing with concussion issues.

by David Getz on Feb 15, 2009 2:17 AM EST up reply actions

Wow, I had never thought of him. I don’t think Anaheim would trade him even beyond hockey reasons but GMGM should kick that tire.

by grapejoos on Feb 16, 2009 3:24 PM EST up reply actions

Probably, but Federov should have commanded more than Teddy Ruth and Huet should have commanded more than an ’09 2nd round pick…

by Rob Parker on Feb 15, 2009 5:04 PM EST reply actions

For Huet, I agree. For Fedorov, I’m not so sure. He was a free agent at the season’s end and Columbus had no shot at the playoffs, so they were looking to get whatever they could for him and felt Ruth was the best offer. Was he? Hard to say, but there’s no doubt Columbus was in a situation where they had to take what they could get.

by David Getz on Feb 15, 2009 7:05 PM EST up reply actions

I also recall the Columbus media praising the move for getting a good American prospect. They said the team needed someone that the fans could relate to, and a “Theo Ruth” from Notre Dame for their (Really, at the time) underachieving player who’s heart was no longer into it with a monster contract wasn’t bad. I doubt this trade could ever “Haunt” the Caps. It could, on the off-chance that the Isles move out west, as the most likely chip to fall would be Columbus coming East to take their spot (As much as we’d like the Preds to take our spot in the SE).

I don’t look at that Huet trade as a “2nd round pick for Huet.” I look at it as Brian Sutherby, a struggling forward who is still struggling to find a niche on the Ducks for Huet. Granted, we didn’t get him for a while, but last years “Deadline deals” were holy crap awesome. Cooke for Pettinger (And, frankly, I think we should have taken Cooke over Bradley, if not for salary cap issues) was a steal. Fedorov for Ruth was like walking up to a three year old and taking his father’s millions of dollars and giving him in return a timeshare on a lollipop.

Here’s hoping we get similar magic this year.

How the HELL does Shaone Morrisonn keep getting a sweater?

by Whiter Mage on Feb 16, 2009 1:32 AM EST up reply actions

Cooke is terrible. He played OK for us but Brads is a much better player for this team. Cooke will not drop the gloves and in general is a little rat. Brads is a team guy that will do whatever he is asked to do. Maybe he doesn’t get under other people’s skin as much as Cooke does but he has no class and half the toughness of Brads.

by Rob Parker on Feb 16, 2009 9:33 AM EST up reply actions

I love having a little rat. Cooke is like a Berube that doesn’t fight.

How the HELL does Shaone Morrisonn keep getting a sweater?

by Whiter Mage on Feb 18, 2009 7:40 PM EST up reply actions

I hate those guys, the “well you hate playing against him but you’d love to have him on your team” types. J.P. and I are going to have to avoid discussing Della Rovere when he gets to DC. (not really, I think Della Rovere is significantly less of a chickenshit player than Cooke)

by David Getz on Feb 19, 2009 12:05 AM EST up reply actions

Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world

by J.P. on Feb 18, 2009 10:20 PM EST up reply actions

I look at it as Brian Sutherby, a struggling forward who is still struggling to find a niche on the Ducks…

I would imagine he’ll continue to struggle to find a niche with Anaheim given that he’s in Dallas now. :-)

Sutherby-for-Huet was a very, very slick move on the part of the Caps front office. Huet for a second round pick was inexplicable on the part of Montreal’s front office.

by David Getz on Feb 16, 2009 2:10 AM EST reply actions

Huet for a #2 was inexplicable at the time….but look what they got, and what the Caps got for Huet….

It was the right deal at the time. Think about this, late in the 1987-88 season Calgary traded one of their younger forwards to get Rick Wamsley to be their back up goaltender. During the following season Mike Vernon got hurt and Wamsley was the #1 for awhile there and the Flames would not have won the Cup without Wamsley.

The prospect the Flames traded: Brett Hull.

Would things have been different in Calgary had they not traded Hull? Sure, but I doubt they would have won the Cup in 1989 without Wamsley…

by MikeL-Pivonka on Feb 17, 2009 11:21 AM EST up reply actions

And Sutherby has been coming on lately

He was okay for Ducks and the Stars are leaning on him. His name is mentioned as one of the players that will be called up to a higher line now that they’ve lost Richards.

by Wisper on Feb 17, 2009 2:53 PM EST up reply actions

I didn’t even know he was in Dallas.

How the HELL does Shaone Morrisonn keep getting a sweater?

by Whiter Mage on Feb 18, 2009 7:41 PM EST up reply actions

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