Tuomo Ruutu

Status
Not open for further replies.

Luke154

Registered User
Sep 6, 2003
29
0
What is the point potential for him or is he more of a 2 way player i would like to know point potential in the future and this year what NHL play would he be comparable to?
 

Teemu

Caffeine Free Since 1919
Dec 3, 2002
28,753
5,227
3 games, people, 3 games. And its not like he's been doing nothing either, he's been thrashing though the other team's top lines.
 

Sammy*

Guest
JasonMacIsaac said:
No based on alot more, I don't see him putting up major points in the NHL, the guy is a good physical 2nd liner who will be able to pot 20 - 30 goals 60 points .
I dunno how you figure that. Given that his stats last year in the Finnish League (which is widely acknowleged to be the best league in the world outside the NHL) if pro-rated out for the whole year (he played 30 games of a 55 game season) would have put in in the top 5 in scoring,as a 19 year old.
I think you are been a tad pessemistic about his offensive capabilities.
 

Sammy*

Guest
JasonMacIsaac said:
Um no it isn't, the RSL and AHL are both better then the Finnish league. Plus he is a fairly big 19 year old and won't grow anymore, you don't see too many PF type prospects out of Europe end up being NHL stars.
Ah, no they arnt.
And your point about poweforwards is frankly, stupid.
First of all, who says hes a "powerforward". Second of all,, who says hes dsone growing. Third of all, even if he has stopped growing, ya dont think guys improve after they have stopped growing. Lastly, ever heard of Jagr, Forsberg...rtc.
 

Sammy*

Guest
JasonMacIsaac said:
Ever hear of Pat Falloon

Usually when you have a hard hitting forward that plans on scoring also that would make him a PF. Good bobo....

How is that European statement not true, Europeans arn't as tough at hockey as North Americans, it is very rare that "European PF" amount to much at the NHL level. RSL and AHL are the best leagues, most of the best finnish players end up in the AHL.
Name me a Euro powerforward who has "failed". I'll tell you what. I can name many more North Americans.
And god, do you have a clue of wherof you speak. There might be about 5 Fins in the AHL.
 

Qubax

Registered User
Oct 25, 2002
3,280
126
Visit site
Steps on a lot of toes saying Ruutu may not pan out eh...?

I think the kid is going to be a great pesty thrid liner...but it worried me when over and over again you couldn't get people to say consistenly that he was good offensively...he may win a Selke..but in most Fantasy Hockey leagues that means didly...

I think as time goes on people are going to be very dissapointed with his offensive production....but that's just my opinion....Could be very valuable two ways be a playoff warrior etc.....

BUt were talking about a guy who has had some serious injury concerns in the past...Now think he'll be playing physically every night bangin away in the rough and tough NHL...not only could the kid get injured I wonder how much he'll produce offensively....
 

who_me?

Registered User
Oct 7, 2003
3,405
1,239
Sammy said:
Name me a Euro powerforward who has "failed".

not only was Jiri Dopita considered a "power forward" in the Czech Republic, he was also considered the "best player not in the NHL".

that said, Tuomo Ruutu is way over-hyped. I heard an announcer say that he is 6'2" tall. i really don't even think he is 6' tall... more like 5'10" or 5'11". he hustles a lot, but just doesn't seem to have the playmaking abilities to put up big numbers.
 

Karamazov

Registered User
Mar 6, 2002
609
5
Edmonton
Visit site
I don't think Ruutu was really overhyped at all. I don't think there's any question that he will be an impact player in the NHL, but that doesn't mean that he'll ever put up Art Ross numbers. If he turns out to be a solid second line center who crashes around and still gets 60 points I'd say that's successful. Anyone who calls him dissapointing so far based on three games and no points (god forbid) doesn't know what they're talking about. Also I have never once heard the Finnish Elite league mentioned as the top league outside the NHL. For my money it has to be the RSL and I think most would agree with me.
 

psycho_dad*

Registered User
Jul 14, 2003
4,814
10
Saint John, N.B
Visit site
JasonMacIsaac said:
Ever hear of Pat Falloon

Usually when you have a hard hitting forward that plans on scoring also that would make him a PF. Good bobo....

How is that European statement not true, Europeans arn't as tough at hockey as North Americans, it is very rare that "European PF" amount to much at the NHL level. RSL and AHL are the best leagues, most of the best finnish players end up in the AHL.

You dont know anything do you?

Most of the best finnish players end up in the swedish league and in the league in germany, yet Finnish teams keep beating those teams.

Most people think finnish league is the best after NHL, I am one of those. RSL comes close though. Finland has won the euro tour 4 years in a row, with players that come mainly from the finnish league. Jokerit (was 4th or 5th in finnish league at that time) won the unofficial european club championship against the russian champions.
 

Vlad The Impaler

Registered User
Feb 27, 2002
12,315
644
Montreal
Karamazov said:
Also I have never once heard the Finnish Elite league mentioned as the top league outside the NHL.

I've heard such claims, fairly regularly for a while now. It is far from unanimous, however.

I can't really say, being in North America.

Karamazov said:
For my money it has to be the RSL and I think most would agree with me.

I'd say someone would have to have a vast knowledge and first hand experience with those leagues on a full time basis to form an educated opinion.
 

Karamazov

Registered User
Mar 6, 2002
609
5
Edmonton
Visit site
That's true Vlad, and I certainly don't have my finger on the pulse of the European Leagues to the same extent that people that live there do. From everything I have followed though it seemed to me that competition seemed the fiercest in the RSL and it certainly seemed to be the most difficult to succeed in as a rookie. An earlier poster mentioned Jokerit's success though and that does lend credibility of course (forgot about that one). I have always had the Finnish league very tight with the RSL and the Extraleague in terms of competetion, but success by a kid in the RSL has always impressed me most.
 

psycho_dad*

Registered User
Jul 14, 2003
4,814
10
Saint John, N.B
Visit site
I read an interview with Brett Harkins a week ago or so. He is now playing in the Finnish league and he was asked about the level of the league. The Finn writer obviously had his doubts, was very sceptical of the leagues level, but Harkins said "If you leave out the first lines in NHL, Finnish league is on a higher level" which of course sounded like populism to me but at least he thinks highly of it.
 

Slay

Registered User
May 24, 2003
1,436
4
Krasnoyarsk
psycho_dad said:
You dont know anything do you?

RSL comes close though. Finland has won the euro tour 4 years in a row, with players that come mainly from the finnish league. Jokerit (was 4th or 5th in finnish league at that time) won the unofficial european club championship against the russian champions.

C'mon it is a hockey, just 1 game can't say about the level of a league.

Or otherwise I should bring these examples:

- In preseason HIFK (by the way ex-team of Tuomo Ruutu) was participating in Spartak cup and got 7th place of 8 teams. HIFK lost to Liepaes (latvian club), to Severstal. Spartak - the high league team got 3rd place in the tourney.
I know that HIFK is not the elite team but those Russian teams are not the best either (at the moment CSKA who won Spartak cup is on the 10th place and Severstal is on 11th place after 13 games).

- As for Euro hockey tour. Well, last season it was very close between Russia and Finland (1 point separation) and by the way Russia won 2 of 4 euro tourneys last year. At ceske poistovna a month ago Russia beat Finland 6-3 though Finland won the tourney.


I don't think Finnish League stronger than RSL, at least they are equal. In terms of depth of good teams I think RSL better. For the last 2 years RSL became stronger: several NHL'ers is back, talented juniors grew up, several high level players from Chech playing in RSL.
 

Peter25

Registered User
Sep 20, 2003
8,491
74
Visit site
The RSL is a better league than the Finnish SM-liiga. This year SM-liiga lost again many of it´s best players, while the Russian Super League teams signed many high profile players such as Oleg Tverdovsky and Ales Pisa.

RSL also produces better young talent than SM-liiga. Just think of Kovalchuk, Chistov, Ovechkin, Grigorenko, Volchenkov, Zherdev, Tyutin, Perezhogin, Grebechkov, Trubachev, Polushin, Koltsov, Frolov, Kondratiev and company. No other league in Europe produces this type of talent right now.

RSL also has the last two official European Hockey League titles, as Metallurg Magnitogorsk won that league in 1999 and 2000.
 

psycho_dad*

Registered User
Jul 14, 2003
4,814
10
Saint John, N.B
Visit site
In my opinion Finnish league and RSL are the two best leagues after the NHL, but hard to say which one is better really. The fact that Finland has won the euro tour 4 times in a row speaks volumes, but naturally not ALL the players are from Finnish league. But same could be said about RSL.

In all honesty RSL should be head and shoulders above, we are talking about Russia compared to a nation of 5 million people. But it does not work that way either. We shall see....there are no real indicators or ways to compare the leagues since they dont play against eachother, so the euro tour is probably the only thing where they have several games against eachother and against other countries.

I dont know what to expect this year. Finland just got a new coach (I dont like him, never did) and it's sort of rebuilding time now..but then again, they won the first tournament.

If there is a better way to compare, let me know. Last years unofficial european club championship went to Jokerit, who were 4th or 5th in the league at that time and did not get into finals later in the season. There were many better teams in Finnish league than the unofficial european champion, so one thing should be clear for everyone....even if you would find RSL better, you have to consider that the difference is minimal.
 

psycho_dad*

Registered User
Jul 14, 2003
4,814
10
Saint John, N.B
Visit site
Peter25 said:
RSL also has the last two official European Hockey League titles, as Metallurg Magnitogorsk won that league in 1999 and 2000.

EHL became a joke and it was shut down. TPS won it a few times im sure...Jokerit might have won also?

Last euro hocket title went to Magnitogorsk, the year before that was Feldkirch from austria. Maybe that suggests that austrian league is a runner up...
 

Riddarn

1980-2011
Aug 2, 2003
9,164
0
I'm not sure you could tell which league in europe is better than any other. Some leagues have great depth and some leagues have a few really kick ass teams, and well, I don't give much for the Euro Hockey Tour. The national team with most ex-NHL/AHL:ers usually wins. In terms of producing talent though, the RSL and SM-Liiga are both very good.
 

Spiffy

Guest
psycho_dad said:
You dont know anything do you?

Most of the best finnish players end up in the swedish league and in the league in germany, yet Finnish teams keep beating those teams.
Best players end up in the swedish league? Right now I would say there are three finnish players in the elitserien that were on top the last time they played in Finland, Tomi Kallio(was a really good two-way player), Jani Hassinen and Fredrik Norrena. The most of the players in Elitserien hailing from Finland are in my opinion pretty average, or at least were when they played in SM-Liiga.

Peter Ahola - Old. Would be nothing else than a depth player in SM-liiga, probably would be retired.
Kimmo Eronen - One of my favourites but can in no way be seen as one of Finland's finest playing in europe.
Janne Grönvall - A good defenseman. No further than good though.
Kari Haakana - Decent defenseman.
Hannes Hyvönen - Was as close one comes to being a grinder, did show a little scoring touch
Joonas Jääskeläinen - Decent depth forward, had a fluke goalscoring year
Erik Kakko - decent offensive d-man
Kimmo Kapanen - Was one of the worst starters
Toni Koivunen - Decent utility player
Markus Korhonen - Decent backup goalie
Kalle Koskinen - Decent defenseman
Valeri Krykov - Decent playmaker
Mikko Kuparinen - average defenseman
Veli-Pekka Laitinen - Decent two-way defenseman
Mika Lehtinen - Good defenseman, but no star
Jouni Loponen - Good defenseman, but no star
Tommi Miettinen - Inconsistent player, has all the skills but has no heart nor intensity
Tuukka Mäntylä - Good defenseman
Pasi Määtänen - Decent two-way forward
Antti-Jussi Niemi - Almost good defenseman, still an enigma
Mika Niskanen - Average
Mikko Peltola - He is old now. Not good enough for higher leagues anymore
Tommi Rajamäki - Decent defenseman
Juha Riihijärvi - Starting to decline
Juuso Riksman - Decent backup
Kalle Sahlstedt - Captain of TPS, good leader, decent defensive centre
Mika Strömberg - OLD, can't hold his own in the positional play
Jussi Tarvainen - Decent leech.
Pekka Tirkkonen - Old forward with decent passing
Antti Törmänen - Old, used to be a star but those days are over.
Kimmo Vesa - Come on? They must be joking...
Jyrki Välivaara - Decent defenseman
Sinuhe Wallinheimo - inconsistent decent starter


YOU point at those who were stars in SM-liiga. IMO it seems like they want to take anyone who has a finnish name....
 

psycho_dad*

Registered User
Jul 14, 2003
4,814
10
Saint John, N.B
Visit site
They have gotten older, and I guess the level of the league has dropped a bit. But you cant argue that the best go in the AHL...some are dropped there naturally, but you hardly see those guys in team Finland after the season...you see the guys who did good in SM-Liiga.

A few years back, pretty much every top finnish center played in the Swedish league (Helminen, Keskinen, Riihijärvi). Things have changed a bit, now some go to the germany league (Rintanen) or other leagues (Nummelin, Peltonen).

Riihijärvi would probably still be a top notch center in SM-Liiga...just a guess though.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Ad

Upcoming events

Ad

Ad

-->