Vancouver Canucks Interested In Ottawa Senators Forward Jarkko Ruutu?

The National Hockey League trade deadline is on February 28 at 12pm PST and according to Sportsnet columnist Mark Spector, "[one] player people inside [the] Canucks [organization] want [general manager Mike] Gillis to land is Jarkko Ruutu."

Ruutu, 35, is in the final year of a three-year contract worth $3.9 million signed with the Ottawa Senators in the 2008 offseason.

With the Senators rebuilding and Ruutu being an impending free agent, it is without a doubt he will be moved.

For the price of nothing higher than a third round pick, Ruutu will be a great addition for the Canucks team, especially during the playoffs.

Ruutu has a league-wide reputation as an agitator and is bound to drive opponents crazy in the playoffs with his antics.

We saw what Dave Bolland did to Daniel Sedin the previous two seasons.

Through 51 games, the Canucks boast the best road power play percentage and have a top-three overall power play percentage. On the penalty kill, the Canucks are top-five in the league.

His agitating tactics will indulge the other team into taking retaliatory penalties, thus giving the deadly Canucks power play more opportunities to work and score.

Ruutu is an experienced penalty killer and it will only help to better the already top-five Canucks penalty kill.

His shootout prowess will help in the remaining regular season games as the Canucks try to win their first President's Trophy in franchise history. The Canucks are a dismal 2-5 in shootouts.

As a member of the 2007-08 Pittsburgh Penguins team that went to the Stanley Cup Finals, Ruutu will bring knowledge, experience, and the desire to win after being so close.

If Ruutu does not take dumb penalties himself and only draws them, he will be a key and valuable member for a Canucks team in their drive to the Stanley Cup Finals.