Moscow Menace - What's Next for the Team and Richmond?

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Moscow Menace - What's Next for the Team and Richmond?

 

Salary Cap Issues

 

The Moscow Menace have just won the cup, defeating the Toronto Legion 4-2 in the series, and bringing home a cup for the first time in 24 seasons. However, they celebration is short lived for most of the players, as it's imminent that the team won't be able to return. With the whole roster practically improving, and prospects ready to make the jump, Moscow is in a tough position. They have move on from one of their players without a doubt, as Maverick Goncalves and Jillian Woods are ready to make the jump to the big leagues. There seems to be a clear cut answer though to this solution. Moscow currently has 3 centers and one of them just won't be able to fit. We're going to look at the three options and see which one is the most reasonable to be shipped out of Moscow in this article.

 

Axle Gunner

 

Axle Gunner had a fantastic season with Moscow last season, putting up over 100 points and also being a potential playoff MVP favorite. He's been an absolute beast and heading into his fifth season, there is no depreciation to worry about for him. However, rumors are that Gunner could be moving out as again, without cap, there could be no way to keep him. Regardless, he wants to stay (I'm sure all of these three players want to), but they could fetch a decent price for Gunner if they do end up dealing him. He could change a franchise on his own so it'll be interesting to see what happens. The only thing is, he's already signed under contract unlike the other two, so there is no chance he goes to free agency. He will be on a team no matter what next season.

 

Jarmo Ruutu

 

Next up, and in my eyes, the most likely is Jarmo Ruutu. Moscow will be looking to run two centers next season and with that, I believe Ruutu has the highest chance of being traded. A solid player in his own right, putting up just around 90 points, and having 28 in the playoffs is an impressive feat. However, unlike Gunner, Ruutu isn't signed for the upcoming season and will most likely be the one on the move. An exceptional player on the market will easily garner some interest from other teams, so I don't have a doubt in my eyes that Moscow can get something good in return for Ruutu. Where they will be going is another story, but I believe Ruutu is going to be on the move.

 

George Richmond

 

The last center, and the most unlikely player to get traded is Richmond. Unlike the other two, Richmond is a S92 center and is only improving each season, where they found themselves with 71 points this season. They stepped it up in the playoffs with 25 points in 21 games played, very impressive and a great sign for Moscow fans. However, this is exactly why Richmond could be getting traded. With value at an all-time high and a very young center entering his prime in a couple seasons, he could get Moscow an absolute boat load in return for him. There is no doubt that Richmond would fetch the most value for Moscow, where they'd be able to get multiple firsts potentially and/or high tier players/prospects. On top of that, Richmond isn't signed to a contract, so he could be heading anywhere. Just like Gunner, Richmond has stated he would like to stay with the team, but who knows what's in store for the young player.

 

Conclusion

 

To conclude, I believe that Ruutu will be the one most likely traded. They are the same age as Gunner, but aren't under contract, so I believe they'll be the one shipped off. My guess on the odds would be something like:

 

Jarmo Ruutu: 50%

Axle Gunner: 30%

George Richmond: 20%

 

I believe that it's very unlikely Moscow decides to move Richmond, but if it comes down to it, they will get a ton. Gunner is in the middle ground, but him already being signed might mean he's staying with the squad. It will be interesting to see what Moscow has in plan moving forward, as they'll have to get something done before free agency, otherwise they'll lose both their centers. We'll see what they've got in store and if there's potentially more moves waiting to happen!

 

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