big_e

Jack Johnson and Oleg Tverdovsky for Eric Belanger and Tim Gleason.

Was Jim Rutherford nuts?

He trades away one of the best NHL prospects for a 30-year old centre who has never scored more than 40 points in a season and was slated to become a UFA at season’s end and a defenseman who had scored only 2 goals in his first 120 games and is known and was drafted for his offensive abilities? What was he thinking?

Jack Johnson has the potential to become a franchise defenseman in the NHL. At 6’1” he isn’t the biggest guy, but he plays a lot bigger. He has an edge to his game, just look at the Canada/U.S. round robin game at the 2006 World Juniors. He has great offensive instincts and can put points on the board.

Carolina drafted him 3rd overall in 2005, behind only Sidney Crosby and Bobby Ryan. They obviously had high hopes for the guy, but dished him off only a year later.

Forget Pittsburgh, they could have had a potential dynasty down in Raleigh. With guys like Eric Staal, Andrew Ladd and Cam Ward, they already won a cup. Imagine if they would have kept Johnson around that would have been unreal. A potential franchise centre in Staal, a potential franchise winger and elite power forward in Ladd, a potential franchise D-Man in Johnson and a potential franchise goalie in Ward. They would have been set.

I know the ‘Canes were having some trouble getting him signed, but they could have gotten a helluva lot more for him than what they did. A lot of teams would have given up a lot for him and probably would have overpaid for him IMO.

I have a feeling in a couple of years people will look back and say “Carolina got those two nobodies for one of the top defenseman in the NHL?!”

When the dust settles how do you guys think this trade will look?

Phish4

I think the main reason for the trade was Carolina floudering in and out of the playoff picture for so much of the season that the Canes' GM was willing to mortage a large part of their future just to spare the embarassment and loss of dough that would come from Carolina missing the post-season after their first and only Cup.

I have another take on the subject, but as my opinion on Johnson can't be expressed with the swear filter in place, I'll keep it to myself.

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sentinel20

On the surface this does look like a stupid move for Carolina, but lets keep in mind that this team did win a Cup ust one year ago, so Rutherford does know what he is doing. I think it became a matter of Johnson himself not wanting to play there for whatever reason. Everyone knew he has a bit of a chip on his shoulder and comes across as a bit cocky, and other teams realized this too. However the return looks week when you look back on it, especially given the fact that Carolina would later deal Belanger to Nashville for Vasicek, then Belanger would be dealt to Atlanta a day later, so he was well travelled this season.
If Johnson does become a franchise player in LA, Rutherford will be forever rememebred for that deal, hope he can take the heat.

big_e

Yeah but that gets back to the fact that he could have gotten a lot more than he did. I can't remember but was it made public that he wasn't going to sign with the Hurricanes? If that's true that would make a bit more sense.

kermit

Well, The Canes did not get anything that will do anything for them in the future; or will become a big superstar.

But it all comes down to, Did the guy want to play there?
I've heard various things, and from the sounds of it, he did not want to play there.

IMO, the canes could've gotten a lot more for this guy... maybe a few picks.

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It was like a Brittany Spears Cocert but trashier

Sheff

I can understand the logic of trading him to aquire some instant help to propel your team into the playoffs, but they basically got back 15 cents on there dollar. I have to imagine there was something more then Rutherford just making a trade to improve his team for a playoff push. I wouldnt be suprised if Johnson let them know he didnt want to play in Carolina.