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

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.