The Vancouver Canucks confirmed today’s earlier news about handing James Sheppard a PTO, but there are two other names on the invite list: Tuomo Ruutu and Kevin Carr.
It’s interesting that the Canucks are taking fliers on two players who struggled a bit to live up to first-round hype.
As PHT discussed earlier, Sheppard found it difficult to live up to being the ninth pick of the 2006 NHL Draft. Interestingly enough, Ruutu was also the ninth selection five years earlier in 2001.
Ruutu’s numbers have really dropped in his last few seasons with the New Jersey Devils, managing just an assist in 33 games in 2015-16.
Sheppard may actually have a little more potential to make an impact since he’s still just 28 (Ruutu’s dealt with a lot of wear and tear thanks to his physical style and is 33 years old).
Carr, 26, is a goalie who spent last season in the ECHL and hasn’t played in the NHL so far in his netminding career.
Former New York Rangers centre James Sheppard is hoping to land on his feet with the Vancouver Canucks after signing a PTO on Tuesday. Getty Images / PNG
Looking for depth on the forward line, the Vancouver Canucks have extended tryout offers to two unrestricted free agents.
By J.J. Adams September 13, 2016
In 2006, James Sheppard was taken ninth overall by the Minnesota Wild in the NHL Draft in at the-then GM Place.
Fast-forward 10 years, and he’s back in in the same building, this time trying to resurrect a hockey career that began with so much promise.
The Vancouver Canucks signed James Sheppard, late of the Kloten Flyers in the Swiss A-League, to a PTO (Professional Try Out) contract on Wednesday, along with fellow unrestricted free agent Tuomo Ruutu.
Sheppard, a centre, has been in Vancouver all summer skating with Canucks vets as he tried to earn an invite to training camp in Whistler. The 28-year-old Halifax native been playing with Kloten in Europe, recording 11 goals and 14 assists in 37 games. He has career NHL totals of 23 goals and 68 assists across 394 games spent with New York, San Jose and Minnesota prior to that.
Ninth overall pick James Sheppard of the Minnesota Wild poses for a portrait backstage at the 2006 NHL Draft held at General Motors Place on June 24, 2006 in Vancouver. Dave Sanford/Getty Images / PN
“I still think I can play here (the NHL) and I want to play here and I’m going to work hard to prove that I can play here,” Sheppard told Province Canucks columnist Jeff Paterson over at Canucks Army.
“I’m kind of open-minded right now. As you get older, things become more important to you, and my goal is to play in the NHL right now. I think I have what it takes, and hopefully someone can see that.”
Ruutu, is a name that has been mentioned with several teams looking for forward depth over the off-season. The left winger had a single assist in 33 games with the Devils last season. It continued the death spiral his production has seen after signing a four-year, $19M contract with Carolina in 2011-12, as he saw his goal-scoring output drop from 18 to consecutive years of four, five, three, seven, and last year’s zero.
More to come on the story as it develops.
Tuomo Ruutu signed a PTO contract with the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday. Bruce Bennett/Getty Images / PN
