Connor Kurth Signs with Tampa Bay Lightning After Standout Gophers Season
Forward Connor Kurth has signed a two-year entry-level contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning, becoming the fifth Minnesota Gophers player to ink an NHL deal following the conclusion of the team’s season last Thursday.
Kurth posted a career-best year in his third season with the Gophers, tallying 18 goals and 21 assists for a total of 39 points. Drafted by the Lightning in the sixth round of the 2022 NHL Draft, Kurth is expected to join the AHL’s Syracuse Crunch on a tryout for the remainder of this season. His entry-level contract will officially begin in the 2025–26 season.
With Kurth’s departure, all five of Minnesota’s leading scorers from the 2024–25 campaign are now headed to the NHL. He joins fellow teammates Jimmy Snuggerud, Oliver Moore, Matthew Wood, and Sam Rinzel. While the other signings were anticipated, Kurth’s move comes as a bit of a surprise. Following early exits in both the Big Ten and NCAA Tournaments, the Gophers now face the challenge of replacing nearly 200 points from their departing core.
SOURCE;MINNESOTA GOPHERS ON SI/ SI.COM
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