Tom Kühnhackl

Tom Kühnhackl
Born January 21, 1992 (1992-01-21) (age 20)
Landshut, Germany
Height 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Weight 192 lb (87 kg; 13 st 10 lb)
Position Right Wing
Shoots Left
NHL team (P)
Cur. team		 Pittsburgh Penguins
Niagara IceDogs (OHL)
NHL Draft 110th overall, 2010
Pittsburgh Penguins
Playing career 2009–present

Tom Kühnhackl (born January 21, 1992) is a German ice hockey right winger who currently plays for the Niagara IceDogs of the Ontario Hockey League. He has also played professionally for the Augsburger Panther of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga, the highest German hockey league. He was a top-ranked prospect for the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, ranked eighth among European skaters by the NHL Central Scouting Bureau and was selected 110th overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins. Kühnhackl was selected by the Spitfires twenty-fourth overall in the 2009 CHL Import Draft and moved to North American for the 2010–11 season.

Contents

Playing career

Kühnhackl played youth hockey for the Landshut Cannibals program for three seasons beginning in 2007 alongside Tobias Rieder who currently is also playing in the OHL. He made his professional debut during the 2008–09 season, playing 42 games with Landshut's professional team in the 2nd Bundesliga, the second-highest level in Germany.[1] He debuted in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga during the 2009–10 season, playing four games with the Augsburger Panther scoring 4 goals for a total of 12 points.

Kühnhackl was selected twenty-fourth overall in the 2009 CHL Import Draft by the Windsor Spitfires of the Ontario Hockey League. He intended to join the team for the 2009–10 OHL season, but a series of injuries kept him in Germany.[2] In May, 2010 he signed a contract with the Spitfires to join the team for the 2010–11 OHL season.[3]

Ranked as the eighth best European skater of the 2010 draft class by the NHL Central Scouting Bureau, Kühnhackl was selected 110th overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. Kühnhackl was happy to be drafted by Pittsburgh, as he listed the Penguins as his favorite team.[4]

He has also represented Germany internationally, playing in the 2008 and 2009 World U-17 Hockey Challenge, the 2009 and 2010 IIHF World U18 Championships, and the 2010 and 2011 IIHF World U20 Championships.

On March 22, 2011 he signed a thee-year entry level contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins worth $1.83 million.[5]

Kühnhackl finished the 2010–11 season with 39 goals and 29 assists for 68 points in 63 games with Windsor. He played four games with the Spitfires to start the 2011–12 season, recording one goal and three assists, before he was traded, along with Windsor's second round choice in the 2013 CHL Import Draft, on November 2, 2011 to the Niagara IceDogs in exchange for Phillip De Giuseppe, Jaroslav Pavelka, Niagara’s 2nd round picks in 2012, 2014 and 2015, and Niagara’s 1st round pick in the 2013 CHL Import Draft.[6]

On November 4, 2011, Kühnhackl delivered an elbow to the head of Kitchener Rangers defencemen Ryan Murphy and was assessed a five-minute major for charging and game misconduct. In a website video, the Ontario Hockey League noted that Kühnhackl made contact with the opponent's head and hit a vulnerable, unsuspecting player. The OHL also considered the speed and distance travelled when making its decision and noted that Murphy was injured on the play. On November 8, OHL President David Branch announced Kühnhackl would be suspended for 20 games as a result of the hit.

Personal life

Kühnhackl was born and raised in Landshut, Bavaria and first began to play hockey at the age of two. His father, Erich, played in the top German leagues from 1968 until 1989 and appeared in five Winter Olympics for West Germany.[3] Tom is a life-long fan of the Pittsburgh Penguins; the team that drafted him in 2010 NHL Entry Draft[7].

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

    Regular season   Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2008–09 Landshut Cannibals 2.GBun 42 11 10 21 34 6 1 0 1 6
2009–10 Landshut Cannibals 2.GBun 38 12 9 21 38 6 0 0 0 2
2009–10 Augsburger Panther DEL 4 0 0 0 0 — — — — —
2010–11 Windsor Spitfires OHL 63 39 29 68 47 — — — — —
DEL totals 4 0 0 0 0 — — — — —
OHL totals 63 39 29 68 47 — — — — —

International statistics

Year Team Event   GP G A Pts PIM
2008 Germany WHC17 5 4 1 5 2
2009 Germany WHC17 5 4 3 7 2
2009 Germany U18 6 1 1 2 4
2010 Germany U18 5 4 2 6 2
Junior totals 21 13 7 20 10

References

  1. ^ "Tom Kuhnhackl player profile". Eliteprospects.com. 2010-10-01. http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=17637&lang=en. Retrieved 2010-10-01. 
  2. ^ Parker, Jim (2010-02-23). "Kuhnhackl to join Spits next season". Windsor Star (Windsor, Ontario). http://www.windsorstar.com/sports/Kuhnhackl+join+Spits+next+season/2599846/story.html. Retrieved 2010-06-07. 
  3. ^ a b Duff, Bob (2010-05-31). "Son of German hockey legend Kuhnhackl hopes to play for Spitfires". Windsor Star (Windsor, Ontario). http://www.canada.com/sports/German+hockey+legend+Kuhnhackl+hopes+play+Spitfires/3094085/story.html. Retrieved 2010-06-07. 
  4. ^ Kasan, Sam (2010-06-26). "Penguins Day 2 Draft Picks". PittsburghPenguins.com. http://penguins.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=532979&navid=DL. Retrieved 2010-06-28. 
  5. ^ "Penguins sign draft pick Kuhnhackl". Pittsburgh Penguins. 2011-03-22. http://penguins.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=556885. Retrieved 2011-03-25. 
  6. ^ Niagara IceDogs (2011-11-02). "IceDogs Acquire Kuhnhackl from Windsor". NiagaraIceDogs.net. http://www.niagaraicedogs.net/article/icedogs-acquire-kuhnhackl-from-windsor. Retrieved 2011-11-02. 
  7. ^ Siedling, Jason (2010-07-17). "Life-Long Penguins Fan Kuehnhackl Prepares For North American Migration". PittsburghPenguins.com. http://penguins.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=534561. Retrieved 2010-07-17. 

External links