FanSided

A look at how Philipp Kurashev turned his career around for the Chicago Blackhawks

By John Bloomer |
Anaheim Ducks v Chicago Blackhawks
Anaheim Ducks v Chicago Blackhawks / Michael Reaves/GettyImages
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Following the 2018 draft, Chicago Blackhawks fans were excited about their two first-round defenseman, Adam Boqvist and Nicolas Beaudin. The team needed to rebuild their defensive corps, and Boqvist and Beaudin looked like they could add some life to the aging group.

Little fanfare was made of Philipp Kurashev, a risky fourth-rounder with elite skill but defensive inconsistencies.

Fast-forward six years, and Kurashev is the only player from that draft class still with the Hawks organization. This season, he broke out as a reliable top-six forward with impressive scoring ability, setting career-highs with 18 goals and 54 points.

So, how did a shot-in-the-dark turn into a core piece of the Blackhawk's rebuild?

Following the draft, Kurashev returned to his QMJHL team, the Quebec Remparts. He tallied a modest 65 points in 59 games, but that was only five more points than he had the previous season. The Hawks needed more from the Swiss center. Kurashev began his first professional season in 2019-2020 with Rockford (AHL) and put up a respectable 19 points in 36 games, not bad for a rookie and certainly encouraging for Chicago’s front office.

Kurashev then earned a full-time bottom-six role with the Hawks in 2020, and produced 16 points in 54 games. Unremarkable, but good for eighth in team scoring on an incredibly weak roster. His ice time remained the same in 2021-2022, but Kurashev’s goal scoring took a step back as he only potted six goals in 67 games compared to eight the year before.

Last season was when Kurashev needed to show he could be more than a depth piece.

Sure, he was a success story, carving out an NHL career after being the 120th pick in his draft, but this was his time to prove he could succeed in a top-six role. With the tank for Connor Bedard commencing, Kurashev received 17 minutes a night but posted a paltry 25 points in 70 games. He went to salary arbitration with the Hawks and was awarded a two-year, prove-it deal.

As can be seen above, Kurashev’s career was in decline, and it wouldn’t have been all that surprising if Kurashev was moved after this season if he failed to show his game could improve. But, boy, did he show what he was capable of this season.

Spending the year riding shotgun with rookie phenom Connor Bedard, Kurashev showed what he can do when surrounded by elite talent.

Kurashev looks exponentially more confident with the puck, and his playmaking has shone thanks to Bedard’s sublime finishing ability. He has used his speed to push defenders back to give himself and his linemates more room to create. Furthermore, playing with number 98 has taken the pressure off of him and freed him up for more opportunities like this...

Kurashev could have sat back on his laurels and been content to be a fourth-liner for the rest of his career.

He could pat himself on the back--fourth-rounders just don't make it to the NHL that often. But he continued working on his game, even when he was written off. When he was finally rewarded with a linemate who could process the game as fast as he could, he took off.

Kurashev is the perfect example of Kyle Davidson’s vision for the future in Chicago. He is a relentless competitor with extreme skill who never gave up.

If one day, the Hawks lift the Stanley Cup for a seventh time, the attention will likely go to Bedard, Kevin Korchinski, and Frank Nazar, and rightfully so.

They were the top picks, and the players expected to get them there, just as Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane were. But it is players like Kurashev that will have paved the way for them.

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