Tuomo Ruutu.
Wendel Clark had 2 30+-goal seasons to start his career, then had 2 more 30+-goal seasons in his next 13 seasons before retiring. I don't think Ruutu will get 46 goals like Clark did in 1994 (unless the scoring level goes up again), but I think he can -- and will -- end up with more 30-goal seasons than Clark did, and will end up with more assists. Ruutu doesn't fight nearly as much as Clark did, but he's willing to fight if necessary. Ruutu does everything well: shooting, passing, skating, stickhandling through and around people, hitting them into the boards and in open ice. I said maybe 6 months ago on a different forum that Ruutu was already one of the best hitters among forwards and I got blasted by a bunch of 14-year-olds. It was kinda funny. Now they want Ruutu on their teams.
Tuomo Ruutu isn't Peter Forsberg ... he's Tuomo Ruutu. In a few years (or maybe less), people will start comparing prospects to Tuomo Ruutu and saying, "We gotta draft this guy."
The only things Ruutu has to worry about:
-- learning when to go for the hit and when to stay back to break up a pass. There were a number of times this past season when Ruutu was between two players and went for the hit and had the puck go past him. But that will come with time.
-- staying healthy. Having knee problems before you turn 20 is never a good sign.
-- Bill Wirtz. Unless Wirtzless dies, by 2010, Ruutu will most likely be on a new team due to contract dealings and Wirtzless not willing to pay him.