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Sat Oct 24, 2009 12:46 pm EDT

NHL hands Ruutu three-game suspension after Tucker hit

By Sean Leahy

As expected by everyone, including his own head coach, it was announced this morning that Carolina Hurricanes forward Tuomo Ruutu(notes) has been suspended by the NHL for three games after his hit from behind on Colorado's Darcy Tucker(notes). 'Canes head coach Paul Maurice broke the news as his team prepared for tonight's game in Minnesota against the Wild.

Ruutu will also miss Carolina's two games next week against St. Louis and Philadelphia.

The Denver Post's Adrian Dater blogged after the game that he was told by Avalanche personnel that Tucker suffered a concussion and needed stitches, a better diagnosis than the initial fears as soon as the play happened. He stayed the night at a local hospital for tests, including a CT scan that was negative.

Take a look at the hit again. Is the suspension too much, too little, just right?

UPDATE: Via Twitter, TSN's Darren Dreger reports that Tucker received 40 stitches and will likely be out for the next 10 days.

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76 Comments

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  1. rmc235
    1. Posted by rmc235 Sat Oct 24, 2009 1:05 pm EDT

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    Three games is good. In my opinion. But isn't three like a number the NHL loves to hand out? Ruutu is a repeated offender no? Whatever the case, it seems like a good suspension.
  2. Shaun G
    2. Posted by Shaun G Sat Oct 24, 2009 1:16 pm EDT

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    Should have been more. This wasn't tucker turning towards the glass at the last second. From the time the puck comes around, Ruutu skates from the slot, circles through the circle and collides just above the hash marks and all the while he is staring at numbers. Then he winds up and plants him. Should have been a minimum of 5 games.
  3. Polaroy
    3. Posted by Polaroy Sat Oct 24, 2009 1:20 pm EDT

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    Ruutu crunches people nearly every game he plays in, and I can't, in recent memory, think of a time that he did anything "dirty." Though I doubt his intent was to injure, the hit was vicious, maybe not the best idea, and just a little worse than the officiating starting with Staal's "interference" penalty. Three games is excessive.
  4. The Bog
    4. Posted by The Bog Sat Oct 24, 2009 1:27 pm EDT

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    Jarkko Ruutu is a repeat offender, I can't remember Tuomo ever being suspended.
  5. Jason H
    5. Posted by Jason H Sat Oct 24, 2009 1:29 pm EDT

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    Artyukhin's slew foot got him 3 games and it was nothing compared to the one that got OV a fine. I say a game for Ovechkin, 2 I suppose for Arty because he's been suspended before.
    I think 3 games is good for this hit.
  6. habs1rule
    6. Posted by habs1rule Sat Oct 24, 2009 1:32 pm EDT

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    Tucker got "Roto-Ruutu-ed"...And away goes trouble, down your drain..
  7. John
    7. Posted by John Sat Oct 24, 2009 1:36 pm EDT

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    You've got to be kidding me. Ruutu is a thug with history and he almost killed Tucker. He should be suspended at least as long as Tucker is out, and a minimum of 5 games. It should be more like 15. This stuff will keep happening until someone does get crippled or worse and they finally really suspend someone.
  8. Incognito
    8. Posted by Incognito Sat Oct 24, 2009 1:45 pm EDT

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    If Ruutu's last time was Ovechkin, he wouldn't have been suspended no matter what he did.
  9. joe h
    9. Posted by joe h Sat Oct 24, 2009 1:46 pm EDT

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    It's fine. It looked like he was lining him up, Tucker clearly wasn't protecting himself and Ruutu made no effort to change course. It wasn't like he was saw his numbers and picked up speed.
  10. The_Word
    10. Posted by The_Word Sat Oct 24, 2009 1:46 pm EDT

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    Well of course the CT was negative. Not much going on in Darcy Tucker's head cavity
  11. maketheplayoffs77
    11. Posted by maketheplayoffs77 Sat Oct 24, 2009 1:48 pm EDT

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    Here's the thing - the way these hits are called are so inconsistent. The rule is that you can't check from behind - period. There are no if's, and's, or but's about it. However, the refs constantly let hits from behind occur. It's something that is drilled into youth hockey players' heads so I don't understand why this mentality is not carried over into the NHL. The NHL needs to figure themselves out.
  12. Mateo E
    12. Posted by Mateo E Sat Oct 24, 2009 1:48 pm EDT

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    I think the suspension was probably fair... players (even ones on the team I pull for) have got to be more responsible and hold back if they see another player in a vulnerable position....
    But when people like Adam Foote say things like "Ruutu has a history... he hits late... he hits dirty...." That Bothers me...
    Maybe Adam Foote was talking about Jarko Ruutu.... But the Carolina Hurricanes player is Tuomo Ruutu... not Jarko... big difference....
  13. Cameron
    13. Posted by Cameron Sat Oct 24, 2009 1:51 pm EDT

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    3 seems right imo.
  14. Steve
    14. Posted by Steve Sat Oct 24, 2009 1:52 pm EDT

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    Kozlov's was wayyy dirtier.
  15. topwing21
    15. Posted by topwing21 Sat Oct 24, 2009 2:01 pm EDT

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    I agree with the philosophy that the offender should be out as long as the injured player.
    In any case, 3 games is not enough.
  16. 5 4 fighting
    16. Posted by 5 4 fighting Sat Oct 24, 2009 2:10 pm EDT

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    Repeat offender to these type of hits- 5 games should have been the response, its not rocket science out there regarding hits from behind along the boards. If a player does not know now that that type of hit is a problem-maybe tests for signs of intelligence are in order before wearing skates.
  17. pierce_roomie
    17. Posted by pierce_roomie Sat Oct 24, 2009 2:20 pm EDT

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    putting a player out as long as the injured player is pretty subjective and not totally fair. If you were to trip Chris Chelios by accident and he broke his hip, it would be quite different than if you boarded a healthy rookie and ended his career. That said, the quote around the league is "there is no room in hockey for this kind of stuff". Those words should be backed up- a blatant cheap shot from behind should result in a minimum 20-game suspension (that's 1/4 of a season).
    Playing in the NHL is a priviledge, not a right. Guys like Tucker have families who depend on them for income and they've all worked hard to get to this stage. If someone out there doesn't think they deserve the respect of not getting hit from behind then maybe you should follow Basketball.
  18. Brian
    18. Posted by Brian Sat Oct 24, 2009 2:26 pm EDT

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    What is Tuomo Ruutu's fine and suspension history? I think we have to know that in order to determine whether the suspension is too much, too little, or just right. And then we could also compare this ruling to the Ovie and Artyukhin rulings (because frequency of intent-to-injure and repeated specific type of play factored into those rulings--note that Artyukhin had only been fined in the pre-season for his previous slew foot, not suspended, so that is consistent with the Ovie ruling). I guess the question really comes down to: Is this a ruling that is consistent with other league rulings?
  19. HockeyFanatic
    19. Posted by HockeyFanatic Sat Oct 24, 2009 2:42 pm EDT

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    What a dirty pos ruutu's is
  20. Mateo E
    20. Posted by Mateo E Sat Oct 24, 2009 2:42 pm EDT

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    I believe too many people are getting Tuomo Ruutu mixed up with his Brother (Jarko Ruutu). I do not believe he is a "repeat offender" (I could be wrong). Jarko Ruutu has had his share of problems and is more of a "dirty" player...
    Tuomo Ruutu... The more skilled of the two brothers.... hits very hard and puts it all on the line... but he could hardly be classified as a Dirty Player.... Even the Avs coach acknowledged that.
    So to clarify... Tuomo Ruutu and Jarko Ruutu... Same family.... Different players.....
  21. Celtic
    21. Posted by Celtic Sat Oct 24, 2009 2:49 pm EDT

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    i would be mad if it happened to some one on the devils,still i think 3 games is a little much.
  22. comic_snoop
    22. Posted by comic_snoop Sat Oct 24, 2009 2:59 pm EDT

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    I don't think it matters which brother they are talking about. Both Tuomo and Jarko are dirty players. And bay the way, just because Tuomo has not been suspended before does not mean that he is not a dirty player. This is just the first of many more suspensions to come for Mr. Tuomo Ruutu. Being dirty runs in his blood and it is just who he is, that is no excuse for this hit or any others that he has made or will make in the future.
    I am an AVs fan and I live in Denver. I am not a big Tucker supporter but he didn't deserve to be destroyed like this, Tuomo should be suspended for as long as Tucker is out of the lineup, and if this forces him to retire then he (Tuomo) should be banned from the NHL - you ruin one career, yours should be ruined too!
  23. madd dogg
    23. Posted by madd dogg Sat Oct 24, 2009 3:05 pm EDT

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    "i can see him moving his 2 right arms"
  24. Dany Heatley Speedwagon
    24. Posted by Dany Heatley Speedwagon Sat Oct 24, 2009 3:20 pm EDT

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    "He stayed the night at a local hospital for tests, including a CT scan that was negative."
    You heard it here, the test was negative. They didn't find a brain.
  25. CanesFanFromLI
    25. Posted by CanesFanFromLI Sat Oct 24, 2009 3:21 pm EDT

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    Ruutu is a hard hitter, but this is the first truely serious illegal hit that I've seen from him. I watch all the Canes games. If he becomes a 'Repeat Offender' sure suspend for the rest of the season.
    I have issues with the way hockey enforces these types of hits. Ruutu, certainly wasn't head hunting, he check him in the back. I've seen much worse and much more serious hits from people like Scott Stevens (who's revered as some hero by the Devils), Doug Weight knocked out Sutter last season with a hit clearly aimed at the head. These guys didn't get penalties because they had perfected the the technique of making these hits legally. (Basically they look for a guy skating with the puck who's not looking their way and they ram them in the head with their shoulder, legal hit, but pretty much guarenteed to inflict a concussion)

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