The 2024-25 season was one full of milestones for many Ottawa Senators. From first NHL goals to 900 games played, the year was filled with both personal and team growth. As the Senators returned to the playoffs for the first time since 2017, the franchise and its fans had plenty to celebrate. However, the milestones didn’t come solely on the ice. For Senators’ Chief European Scout Mikko Ruutu, the 2024-25 season marked his 20th year with the Ottawa Senators.
Ruutu’s journey with the Senators began during the 2004-05 season, when he joined the team as a European Scout. Two decades later, he remains a vital part of the team’s amateur scouting staff.
“It’s hard to believe — time’s flying,” spoke Ruutu with a wide smile. “I really enjoy this job, so I think that’s the thing; you don’t really feel the time. That’s what it is, you really enjoy the job.”
That enjoyment is evident in Ruutu and his team’s work. The native of Vantaa, Finland has played a key role in identifying and evaluating countless European prospects over the years, many of whom have gone on to join and make an impact on the Senators.
When asked to pinpoint his favourite memory from his 20-year tenure with the Senators, Ruutu couldn’t decide on just one. Instead, he highlighted the relationships and camaraderie built between him and the scouting team.
“It feels good when the team is having some success: just making the playoffs, making it to the finals,” Ruutu said. “But at the end, the most important thing for me is the group of people working together. That matters most because we grind it and it’s those glory moments — it’s more about the whole picture.”
With two decades of experience as a scout, one might think Ruutu has learned all there is to know about the role. On the contrary, he notes that his role is one where he continues to learn and evolve every day.
“I feel like the first couple years, it’s learning. You really realize what it means if you see a kid playing on a junior level and where he ends up,” he explained. “After that, you learn all the time. I’m learning all the time now from my colleagues. The [scouting] meetings are a big part of the learning, too. We talk about the players, hear different opinions that maybe I’ve never thought about. So, it’s a learning process all the time, never ending.”
