Former Devil Wins First Cup as Assistant Coach

SUNRISE, F.L. -- At 41-years-old Tuomo Ruutu finally captured his first Stanley Cup.

The former New Jersey Devils winger was hired as an assistant coach with the Florida Panthers on June 29, 2021. He would work alongside head coach Paul Maurice after playing for him in Carolina.

"We are proud to welcome Tuomo to the Panthers and receive him as an addition to Joel's coaching staff," Panthers General Manager Bill Zito said in the press release . "With his career in hockey spanning multiple decades, we believe his experience both as a player and working in player development in the NHL and internationally will be an invaluable addition to our organization as we prepare for an exciting 2021-22 campaign."

Ruutu spent the final three seasons of his professional playing career with the Devils. New Jersey acquired him from the Carolina Hurricanes for center Andrei Loktionov and a conditional third-round pick in 2017.

The six-foot winger appeared in 129 games for the Devils, amassing 22 points (10 goals, 12 assists) from the 2013 - 2016 season. He additionally played for the Chicago Blackhawks and Carolina Hurricanes.

Ruutu was not the only former Devil to win the Cup on Monday night. Defenseman Dmitry Kulikov captured his first championship and is considered " an unlikely hero " for his defensive play in Game 7.

The Hockey News congratulates Ruutu and Kulikov!

Make sure you bookmark THN's New Jersey Devils site for THN's latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more.

Related: Achieving vs. Sustaining the NHL Dream: Devils’ Curtis Lazar Weighs In

Related: Achieving vs. Sustaining the NHL Dream: Devils’ Brendan Smith Weighs In