As we have discussed, “Finns Get Wins” in Raleigh, spawns a hockey version of the great “nature vs. nurture” debate that crops up in education, psychology, and parenting. If it is the Finnish inculcation of the dictum “Sisu”, or the style of hockey being played in Raleigh at the time, Finnish players thrive here in the land of the long leaf pine. The “second wave” Finns forwards Tuomo Ruutu and Jussi Jokinen, and defenseman Joni Pitkanen were not only successful on the ice, but have extended their stay with the Carolina Hurricanes well beyond their time in Raleigh.
The Hurricanes signed Tuomo Ruutu to a one-year contract worth $2.