JARKKO RUUTU The transition into the Ducks lineup had been a seemingly easy one for Ruutu since he
was acquired from the Senators for a 2011 sixth-round pick on Feb. 17. An 11-year vet- eran forward, he has built a career on pestering opponents and working hard at both ends of the ice. He felt that type of play was mirrored in the system employed by Anaheim head coach Randy Carlyle. “The style of how we play the game really fits me,” says Ruutu, who scored a goal in
his first shift as a Duck on Feb. 19 at St. Louis. “Randy demands a lot of hard work and I like that. I never felt any nervousness coming in. I know my strengths and the way I have to play to be effective.” Also helping ease the transition for Ruutu was having three fellow Finns on the Ducks
roster in Teemu Selanne, Saku Koivu and Toni Lydman. The foursome had been team- mates with Finland in each of the past two Olympics (winning silver in 2006 and bronze in 2010). Ruutu and Lydman also once played together before coming to the NHL, doing so with HIFK Helsinki in 1998-99. “I’ve only played with one Finn before (in the NHL),” Ruutu says. “For two seasons
in Vancouver, I played with Sami Salo. Otherwise, I was always the lone wolf. It’s fun. You know the guys and can talk a little bit of Finnish.” Through his first handful of games with the club, Carlyle had already come to respect
the little things that Ruutu provides on the ice. “The one thing about Jarkko Ruutu is his compete level is off the charts” the coach says. “That is what he has done his entire career. He enjoys that role. He’s a teammate and very involved in the hockey game on the bench. He’s energetic and has a lot to say. He goes out and provides a level of physicality.”
30 Ducks Digest
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