MLives Ansar Khan profiles Red Wings prospect Ryan Kuffner this morning, noting that Kuffner chose to take part in the Wings’ summer development camp despite playing in 10 NHL games this past season:
Kuffner, 23, focused on individual skills during the Red Wings’ recent development camp.
“You’re playing against bigger guys,” Kuffner said. “It’s about spinning out in the corner and working on the stuff that you see on the ice, in-tight skills that are the difference-maker in the pros that so many of those guys do so well. I was able to witness it, but it’s just one thing I really have to work on.”
Another is lower-body strength.
“That’s pretty much in the corners, the tight spaces, because if you can be on the opposite side of the pushing around, that’s massive,” the 6-1, 195-pound Kuffner said. “Then it just opens up an extra second to make a play and that’s more than enough time to be able to make a difference. I think it’s strength, especially on the bottom, but working the whole body and just getting as strong as I can, not necessarily as big.”
The Ottawa native is spending the summer in metro Detroit, living with Patrick Holway, a defenseman the Red Wings drafted in the sixth round in 2015, who’ll be attending Merrimack College in the fall. He’s skating three times a week and training with the likes of Dylan Larkin, Luke Glendening and Darren Helm.
“I think a big thing for me this summer is just being here, being with the guys, doing everything we can to make it a competitive environment because that’s only going to make us better,” Kuffner said.
