'Steady' Loktionov delivering for Hurricanes

The Star-Ledger reflects on the trade which saw the New Jersey Devils receive veteran Tuomo Ruutu from the Carolina Hurricanes for Andrei Loktionov and a condition draft pick.

“It wasn’t so much with Ruuts. It was what we needed here,” Hurricanes coach Kirk Muller explained. “It was just more fitting the puzzle.

“We needed a guy who could run our power play. Some of our people here saw Lokti in junior and in L.A. They said if he gets a little freedom… He’s played in New Jersey and L.A. so he has great structure in the five-on-five game. It’s his playmaking. We needed a couple playmaking forwards and he’s been great on the power play. He’s been great five-on-five He’s been steady.”

Source: Rich Chere, Star-Ledger