Hawks want Ruutu to focus on scoring

It was only a few years ago that Tuomo Ruutu was where Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane are now -- the center of attention at training camp for the Blackhawks as a super-hyped No. 1 draft pick.

Now Ruutu is trying to re-establish himself as a potential elite winger after battling through injuries for much of the past three years.

Hawks general manager Dale Tallon still sees Ruutu as one of the team's most skilled players and wants the 24-year-old to focus on being a scorer instead of a banger.

"He's got to make up his mind what he wants to be," Tallon said. "That's what I told him at our meeting after last season. I told him I think he's a skill guy with physical attributes instead of being a physical guy first. When you try to play that physical, guys are gunning for you and you're going to get hurt.

"He's got the skill. The other dimension should be a big part of his game, but I don't think it should be his focus."

He had 17 goals and 21 assists last season in 71 games, which led to questions about him perhaps being nothing more than a third-line grinder. This was a guy drafted eighth overall in 2001.

"Before his injuries, Ruuty was the best player in hockey that wasn't a professional, then he got hurt," Tallon said. "He now is understanding that he's a skill guy, not a banger and crasher."

Ruutu wants to be a physical presence, but he seems to know he can't run around the ice looking to put every opponent through the boards.

"I know I still do some stupid stuff on the ice, like trying to pound every guy on the ice," Ruutu said. "I've got to get better at that.

"I know if I'm out there looking for a hit, it's not good for my team and it's not good for myself. I just have to find the balance to play hard and play well with the puck."

So far in training camp scrimmages, Ruutu has played left wing on a line with highly skilled rookies Toews and Kane. Ruutu wants to be a more prominent goal scorer and he might get the chance to produce big with those two as linemates.

"Scoring is so much about your teammates, too," Ruutu said. "You're not going to make chances out of nothing yourself, so it's really good to have more good players here.

"Definitely there's a lot of things I can improve. Definitely, I think I can score more."

Ruutu is tough on himself when it comes to critiquing his accomplishments since coming to the Hawks in 2003.

"I haven't done anything yet, so I'm hoping and I really believe I can improve a lot," Ruutu said. "I mean, we haven't made the playoffs. I think I can play way better.

"I hope from now on I won't talk about injuries, I can talk about our team winning and me scoring a lot of goals."