12-season NHL Veteran With International Coaching Experience Joins Coaching Staff for 2021-22
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Tuesday, June 29, 2021
SUNRISE, Fla. – Florida Panthers General Manager Bill Zito announced today the club has added Tuomo Ruutu to the club’s coaching staff as an assistant coach.
“We are proud to welcome Tuomo to the Panthers and receive him as an addition to Joel’s coaching staff,” said Panthers General Manager Bill Zito. “With his career in hockey spanning multiple decades, we believe his experience both as a player and working in player development in the NHL and internationally will be an invaluable addition to our organization as we prepare for an exciting 2021-22 campaign.”
Ruutu, 38, joins the Panthers coaching staff after having spent the previous two seasons with the New York Rangers, serving as an assistant director of player development in 2020-21.
The native of Vantaa, Finland, also served as an assistant coach with Team Finland at the 2019, 2020 and 2021 IIHF U20 World Junior Championships, earning a Gold Medal (2019) and a Bronze Medal (2021) coaching Panthers forward and fellow HIFK (Liiga) alum Anton Lundell.
Originally selected by the Chicago Blackhawks in the first round (ninth overall) of the 2001 NHL Draft, Ruutu amassed 346 points (148-198-346) over 735 NHL games with the Chicago Blackhawks (2003-04 to 2007-08), Carolina Hurricanes (2007-08 to 2013-14), and New Jersey Devils (2013-14 to 2015-16).
Prior to his NHL career, Ruutu recorded 72 points (30-42-72) over 129 games in Finland’s Liiga between HIFK (1999-00 and 2002-03) and Jokerit (2000-01 to 2001-02).
As a player on the international stage, Ruutu earned 10 medals over 12 tournaments representing Finland: Gold Medals at the 2000 IIHF U18 World Championship and the 2011 IIHF World Championship, Silver Medals at the 2001 IIHF U20 World Junior Championship and 2007 IIHF World Championship, and Bronze Medals at the 2002 and 2003 IIHF U20 World Junior Championships, 2006 and 2008 IIHF World Championships, and 2010 and 2014 Winter Olympic Games.
Tuomo’s brother Jarkko played 11 NHL seasons between the Vancouver Canucks, Pittsburgh Penguins, Ottawa Senators and Anaheim Ducks and currently serves as European Development Coach for the Columbus Blue Jackets. His brother Mikko serves as Chief European Scout for the Ottawa Senators.
Learn how you can join Panthers Territory today! Call 954-835-PUCK, click here or visit FloridaPanthers.com/TerritoryMemberships for more information or to book a private tour of BB&T Center.
With construction now fully underway, the Florida Panthers’ FTL War Memorial Auditorium will debut in 2022 as the team’s new state-of-the-art practice facility and a vibrant sports, entertainment, and community recreation hub in Fort Lauderdale’s Holiday Park. The revitalized community destination will continue to serve as an honored tribute to local military heroes. For the latest updates, visit www.ftlwarmemorial.com and follow @FTLWarMemorial on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
-PANTHERS-
