"Jarkko Ruutu, who ended his hockey career last season, has been hired by Columbus Blue Jackets. The 39 year old Ruutu will become an European scout and development coach who's responsibility is to follow the development of the already drafted players and also assist them. Ruutu was hired by the GM Jarmo Kekalainen, who also confirmed the news to Ilta-Sanomat (the news paper breaking the news).
In scouting, Ruutu will focus on the so called professional players, who won't need to be drafted anymore. The draft aged players are still the responsibility of Blue Jackets scout Josef Boumedienne.
Ruutu was already with the Blue Jackets at the NHL draft and is currently attending the Jackets development camp that is organized for the players drafted by Columbus this year or previous years.
Ruutu and GM Kekalainen have a long history together. Kekalainen signed Ruutu, who was returning from the Michichan Tech University, in the summer of 1996 to play for the HIFK (Finnish Elite League). The next season they celebrated the Finnish championship together. Few years later they departed ways and both ended up in the NHL.
After Ruutu's NHL career ended and Kekalainen had returned to the Finnish Elite League to become the Jokerit GM, they linked up again. Kekalainen signed Ruutu to play for Jokerit for his last three seasons. Last season, Ruutu played four games in the Swiss League for Biel, but didn't get a contract extension and ended his playing career."
