Tom Kurvers
Tom Kurvers | |
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Born | Minneapolis, MN, USA | September 14, 1962
Height | 6 ft 0 in (183 cm) |
Weight | 190 lb (86 kg; 13 st 8 lb) |
Position | Defense |
Shot | Left |
Played for | Montreal Canadiens Buffalo Sabres New Jersey Devils Toronto Maple Leafs Vancouver Canucks New York Islanders Mighty Ducks of Anaheim |
NHL Draft | 145th overall, 1981 Montreal Canadiens |
Playing career | 1984β1996 |
Thomas James Kurvers (born September 14, 1962) is an American retired professional ice hockey defenseman who spent 11 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) between 1984 and 1995. He was a member of the 1986 Stanley Cup Champion Montreal Canadiens. He is also a former interim General Manager for the Tampa Bay Lightning during the 2009-10 season. Kurvers was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, but grew up in Bloomington, Minnesota.
Playing career
Kurvers played collegiately at the University of Minnesota Duluth, and was selected 145th overall by the Montreal Canadiens in the 1981 NHL Entry Draft following his freshman season. His time with the Bulldogs culminated with winning the Hobey Baker Award, given to the most outstanding collegiate hockey player in the NCAA, as a senior in 1983β84 after registering 76 points in just 43 games.
Kurvers made his NHL debut in the 1984β85 season with the Canadiens. He won the Stanley Cup in 1986 with Montreal. After two full seasons with Montreal, and one game in the 1986β87 season, he was traded to the Buffalo Sabres for a draft pick.
Before the 1987β88 season, the Sabres traded Kurvers to the New Jersey Devils. He would play some of his best hockey for the Devils, posting 15 points in their surprising run to the 1988 Wales Conference Finals, and notching career highs of 16 goals and 66 points in 1988β89 season. He played two full seasons, and one game in the 1989β90 season, with the Devils before being traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs for the pick that would turn out to be Scott Niedermayer.
He was always a highly productive player, especially dangerous on the powerplay due to his wicked point shot and playmaking skills. That said, at even strength Tom was often a defensive liability. Several coaches along the way attempted to fix his defensive shortcomings, however, without result. Thus, Kurvers was destined to become a journeyman, making stops with the Vancouver Canucks, New York Islanders, and Mighty Ducks of Anaheim before leaving the league after the 1994β95 season. He played a season in Japan before retiring.
In his NHL career, Kurvers appeared in 659 games. He scored 93 goals and added 328 assists for 421 points. He also appeared in 57 Stanley Cup playoff games, scoring eight goals and recording 22 assists.
Post-hockey career
Following his retirement, Kurvers landed a job doing radio commentary for the Phoenix Coyotes, in part due to his connection to former Montreal teammate Bobby Smith who was GM in Phoenix at the time. Following one season in that capacity, he was hired as a pro scout by the Coyotes. Kurvers was promoted again, to Director of Player Personnel, in 2005.
Kurvers is married and has 4 children.
Awards and honours
Award | Year |
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All-WCHA First Team | 1983β84 |
AHCA West First-Team All-American | 1983β84 |
- Stanley Cup championship (Montreal) 1986
Career statistics
Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
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Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
1980β81 | U. of Minnesota-Duluth | NCAA | 39 | 6 | 24 | 30 | 48 | β | β | β | β | β | ||
1981β82 | U. of Minnesota-Duluth | NCAA | 37 | 11 | 31 | 42 | 18 | β | β | β | β | β | ||
1982β83 | U. of Minnesota-Duluth | NCAA | 45 | 8 | 36 | 44 | 42 | β | β | β | β | β | ||
1983β84 | U. of Minnesota-Duluth | NCAA | 43 | 18 | 58 | 76 | 46 | β | β | β | β | β | ||
1984β85 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 75 | 10 | 35 | 45 | 30 | 12 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 6 | ||
1985β86 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 62 | 7 | 23 | 30 | 36 | β | β | β | β | β | ||
1986β87 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | β | β | β | β | β | ||
1986β87 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 55 | 6 | 17 | 23 | 22 | β | β | β | β | β | ||
1987β88 | New Jersey Devils | NHL | 56 | 5 | 29 | 34 | 46 | 19 | 6 | 9 | 15 | 38 | ||
1988β89 | New Jersey Devils | NHL | 74 | 16 | 50 | 66 | 38 | β | β | β | β | β | ||
1989β90 | New Jersey Devils | NHL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | β | β | β | β | β | ||
1989β90 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 70 | 15 | 37 | 52 | 29 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 4 | ||
1990β91 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 19 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 8 | β | β | β | β | β | ||
1990β91 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 32 | 4 | 23 | 27 | 20 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 12 | ||
1991β92 | New York Islanders | NHL | 74 | 9 | 47 | 56 | 30 | β | β | β | β | β | ||
1992β93 | Capital District Islanders | AHL | 7 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 8 | β | β | β | β | β | ||
1992β93 | New York Islanders | NHL | 52 | 8 | 30 | 38 | 38 | 12 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 6 | ||
1993β94 | New York Islanders | NHL | 66 | 9 | 31 | 40 | 47 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||
1994β95 | Mighty Ducks of Anaheim | NHL | 22 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 6 | β | β | β | β | β | ||
1995β96 | Seibu | Japan | 40 | 18 | 34 | 52 | 85 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 36 | ||
NHL totals | 659 | 93 | 328 | 421 | 352 | 57 | 8 | 22 | 30 | 68 |
External links
Awards and achievements | ||
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Preceded by Bob Mason |
WCHA Player of the Year 1983β84 |
Succeeded by Bill Watson |
Preceded by Mark Fusco |
Winner of the Hobey Baker Award 1983β84 |
Succeeded by Bill Watson |
Sporting positions | ||
Preceded by Brian Lawton |
Interim General Manager of the Tampa Bay Lightning 2010 |
Succeeded by Steve Yzerman |
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