It all started strangely and somewhat in an ominous way. On February 26, 2008 at the trade deadline when everyone was focused on the usual rental type deals, the Carolina Hurricanes traded Andrew Ladd to the Blackhawks for Tuomo Ruutu. The trade was more or less a swap of 2 high pedigree, high draft pick physical wings both of whom were making only modest progress in reaching their expected NHL ceiling. As a Western Conference player who Canes fans did not see often, Ruutu became a quick internet research project. He was drafted 9th overall 7 years earlier, had topped out at 44 points in his rookie season and declined since then, and had also had recent injury problems. He was labeled a physical forward with enough skill to play in the top 6 at the NHL level. Then the ominous thing happened. His whirlwind day waking up in Chicago, being traded to Carolina, rushing to get to Raleigh in time for the game and bringing a ton of physical including pounding Patrick Elias twice ended with Ruutu taking a nasty high stick to the face to the tune of a bunch of stitches ironically from now-teammate Patrick Elias.
But despite the rough start, Tuomo Ruutu’s time in a Carolina Hurricanes uniform will be remembered fondly. He quickly established himself as a physical warrior of the honorable variety. When the team needed a jolt of energy, he was very often the player to bring it. When the team needed an ugly goal, he was very often the player to score it. Somewhere along the way, I coined the term “Ruutu assist” to describe a key contribution to a scoring play without making it onto the official score sheet. Common varieties included setting a screen on the goalie for a point shot, separating an opponent from the puck on the forecheck, forcing a turnover on the forecheck with a big hit, creating general chaos and havoc in/around the net when the puck was there, etc. For his style of play and effort, he quickly became a fan favorite and garnered cheers of “Ruuuuuuuuu!!!” after 1 of his big hits.
Because of its role in that great season for the team, Ruutu’s best season was probably his 2008-09 campaign. That season he registered 26 goals (career high) and 54 points (2nd best in his career) and was a physical force game in and game out playing all 82 games despite his rough and tumble style. The season featured the magical playoff run with game 7 wins in New Jersey and Boston to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals. Ruutu’s warrior-like style of play fit well in the playoffs, and he scored his 1st playoff goal to get the Canes on the board 1st in the stunning game 7 win in New Jersey. And with fellow Fins Jussi Jokinen and Joni Pitkanen also playing a key role in the team’s success, Finland’s flag flew regularly in the then RBC Center in those days.
His departure reminds me a bit of fellow Finnish Cane Sami Kapanen. As in the case of Sami Kapanen years ago, I think the trade makes some sense and arguably is even best for Tuomo Ruutu at this point. But when a player who is highly-paid and just not living up to hopes can be traded, and it feels sad more than anything else, I think it says a lot about the kind of person he was as part of an organization and community. Sports fans are incredibly fickle. Love for players is mostly measured by their current contribution to the welfare/winning of their team. So when a player’s on-ice performance hits hard times, his goodwill with the fan base usually goes quickly with it. But just like Sami Kapanen who met a similar fate, I just do not get that sense at all. Even during a struggle of a season, Tuomo Ruutu has been nothing short of a model in terms of effort, character and positive attitude. And despite the on-ice struggles, there just is nothing I can say negatively about Tuomo Ruutu. And in the end, I think that is how you measure real character as a hockey player and even more significantly how you define a good person. True character is not something you measure when things are going well. When situations do not work out and things get tense is when you get the real measure of an individual. In the case of Tuomo Ruutu, my opinion of him as a hockey player and person has changed exactly none amidst some on-ice struggle. That says everything about his level of character as a hockey player and also more simply as a likable, good person.
So farther down the road when there is some distance and Tuomo Ruutu becomes part of my Hurricanes history memories, I will not think so much about a specific goal or a game or season. Rather, I will imagine the perfect Tuomo Ruutu shift in which he spends the first 20-30 seconds flying around with reckless abandon crashing into everything that he can before ultimately ending up in a physical battle for ice space in front of opposing the net that sees the puck find its way through the maze of bodies and into the net. Whether he actually scores the goal is irrelevant. A “Ruutu assist” that does not make the score sheet is maybe more fitting. And I will picture his smile of a player who sincerely enjoys playing the game and the moments inside it.
Thanks to Tuomo Ruutu for a great run as a Hurricane and for many great memories! I wish him all the best in each and every single game not against the Carolina Hurricanes.
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As far as a mini game preview (Canes fans who are still onboard get the potential for more anguish at 7pm tonight), I think it actually fits well with spending my words today on a Tuomo Ruutu tribute of sorts. Now 9 points behind the Rangers and playing a back-to-back after a devastating loss, tonight’s game in New Jersey is not about Xs and Os. It is not even about winning or losing at this point. It is all about measuring heart, desire and character even in difficult times. I know exactly where Tuomo Ruutu would rate in a game like this if still wearing a Canes uniform. Tonight as a Canes fan, I watch for evidence of where the remaining Canes players stack up.
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