Tuomo Ruutu

Infobox Ice Hockey Player


image_size =
team = Carolina Hurricanes
former_teams = Chicago Blackhawks
league = NHL
position = Left Wing
shoots = Left
height_ft = 6
height_in = 1
weight_lb = 200
nationality = FIN
birth_date = Birth date and age|1983|2|16|mf=y
birth_place = Vantaa, FIN
draft = 9th overall
draft_year = 2001
draft_team = Chicago Blackhawks
career_start = 1999

Tuomo Ruutu (born February 16, 1983 in Vantaa, Finland) is a Finnish professional ice hockey forward who plays for the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League.

Playing career

Ruutu started out playing for HIFK in the Finnish SM-liiga in the 1999-00 season, and moved to Jokerit for the next two seasons. In 2002 he returned to HIFK for one more season. Ruutu was drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft, as their first-round pick, #9 overall. He crossed the Atlantic in 2003, playing a full 82 games with the Blackhawks in the 2003–04 NHL season.

He didn't play during the NHL lockout, as he was recovering from injuries, but provided commentary on Finnish television during the ice hockey world championships, along with fellow NHL player Ville Nieminen. Ruutu returned to the NHL after the lockout, but his 2005–06 NHL season was cut short, first by a back injury that kept him out of the game for most of the fall, and in January an ankle injury requiring surgery ended his season.

He is the younger brother of Jarkko and Mikko Ruutu.

Ruutu represented Finland at the 2004 World Cup of Hockey and scored his first goal with Team Finland in the final against Canada.

After an unimpressive showing at the 2006 World Championships Ruutu said he might retire, though that was put to rest when Ruutu signed a two year, $3.75 million contract on September 13.

Trade to Carolina

On February 26th, 2008, the Chicago Blackhawks traded Tuomo Ruutu to the Carolina Hurricanes for Andrew Ladd. This was a deal that was part of the many that happened on the 2008 NHL Trade Deadline.

Ruutu inked a one year deal worth $2.25m with the Hurricanes on June 24, 2008.

Career statistics

International play

International statistics

ee also

*Notable families in the NHL
*List of NHL seasons
*List of Chicago Blackhawks players

References

External links

*hockeydb|50514
*nhlprofile|8469462
* [http://www.tuomoruutu.com Official website]
* [http://www.nhlfinns.com/players.aspx?pid=113 Tuomo Ruutu] on nhlfinns.com