What does Jan Rutta add to the Pittsburgh Penguins defense?
The Pittsburgh Penguins have spent the past week reworking their blue line, bringing in three new faces on the back end. Jan Rutta signed on the opening day of free agency last week to a three-year contract worth $2.75 million per season.
Rutta brings versatility to the Penguin's blue line, having played both sides throughout his NHL career and can move up and down the lineup.
On his former team, the Tampa Bay Lightning, the 31-year-old defenseman was a defensive buffer alongside Victor Hedman on the Bolts' top pairing. Rutta averaged 16:23 of ice time, and while he's not much of an offensive threat, he did collect 18 points (3-15) in 76 games.
Multiple defensemen on the Penguin's blue line would benefit from playing with a defensive defenseman like Rutta. We've seen it work wonders for the Penguin's top pairing of Brian Dumoulin and Kris Letang for over half of a decade. With Dumoulin beginning to show signs of a decline, Rutta could step in and play with Letang if Dumoulin continues to regress.
Apart from that, Rutta projects to be a solid defense partner for either of the Penguins' other defensive acquisitions over the weekend in Ty Smith or Jeff Petry. No matter where he plays, Rutta figures to make a significant impact on the Penguin's back end.
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