Final season was a troublesome one for veteran defenseman Jan Rutta. He handled some lower-body accidents, and when he was within the lineup for San Jose, he was usually on the third pairing. That has definitely contributed to his going unsigned by means of the primary seven weeks of free company, however that’s coming to an finish. Earlier this week, Blick’s Gregory Beaud (h/t The Hockey News) reported that the blueliner is signing with Geneve-Servette in Switzerland.
Rutta performed in 54 video games for the Sharks final season, choosing up simply three targets and 6 assists in somewhat over 17 minutes an evening. Nonetheless, he took an everyday activate their penalty kill and performed some powerful defensive minutes. Speculatively, NHL groups may very well be eyeing him as a PTO candidate to fill a sixth or seventh function if issues went effectively in coaching camp however clearly, a full contract provide has but to materialize and in some unspecified time in the future, a assured deal abroad may very well be considered as
a greater possibility than attempting to earn a contract off a tryout.
Rutta debuted pretty late within the NHL together with his first season coming on the age of 27 with Chicago. Since then, he has suited up in 417 regular-season video games between 4 totally different golf equipment, placing up 23 targets and 75 assists together with 479 blocked pictures. He additionally has a pair of Stanley Cup rings from his time with Tampa Bay.
Rutta would be the third veteran NHL participant to hitch that group this offseason. Beforehand, it signed wingers Jesse Puljujarvi and Jimmy Vesey and has one import slot remaining that it seems they need to use to herald a veteran defender.
