Kuokkanen has three points in two games this preseason: one goal against the NY Rangers on Oct. 1 and assists on the team's first two goals in their contest against Washington Monday night. Although Ruff didn't like how his team played in the middle frame, he was clear to state that Kuokkanen wasn't a part of the team's mistakes.
"If you want to look at our second period, I wasn't happy with the way we played," Ruff said. "We didn't manage the puck very well, we gave up by odd-numbers rushes. And the guy that's hardly every involved in that is Janne."
For the winger to stand out this much during training camp is a big deal as the Devils have plenty of forwards fighting for spots. In his first full NHL season during the 2020-21 campaign, Kuokkanen had eight goals and 17 assists for 25 points in 50 games. He spent his off-season focused on showing up stronger heading into his second NHL season.
"I was trying to practice explosiveness and get some power to my legs," Kuokkanen said. "I feel good, I feel really good to be honest on the ice. I feel stronger, I feel faster, so it's been a good off-season."
Following Wednesday's game when Kuokkanen set him up on a give-and-go for a goal, center Michael McLeod continued the praise for the Finnish forward.
"(Kuokkanen) is a really smart player, and probably one of the most underrated passers in the league," McLeod said. "He really knows how to think the game. You could kind of see that last year with the amount of assists he got. He makes things happen regularly, every shift."
It's not just McLeod and Ruff who have seen the impact Kuokkanen is having. Following the team's practice Tuesday, Devils captain Nico Hischier explained what he's seen out of the winger and any improvements from last year.
"Kuokkanen is obviously a good player. He's a great passer, he's always a great stick, he always does the right things, the details that matter in this game," Hischier said about Kuokkanen. "He does everything right … (and) he looks more confident for sure."
