Tom Kurvers
Encyclopedia
Thomas James Kurvers is a 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.
, 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 1983–84 after registering 76 points in just 43 games.
Kurvers made his NHL
debut in the 1984–85 season with the Canadiens. He won the Stanley Cup
in 1986 with Montreal. After two full seasons with Montreal, and one game in the 1986–87 season, he was traded to the Buffalo Sabres
for a draft pick.
Before the 1987–88 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 1988–89 season. He played two full seasons, and one game in the 1989–90 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 destine to become a journeyman,making stops with the Vancouver Canucks
, New York Islanders
, and Mighty Ducks of Anaheim before leaving the league after the 1994–95 season. Finally 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.
, 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.
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
defenseman
Defenceman (ice hockey)
Defence in ice hockey is a player position whose primary responsibility is to prevent the opposing team from scoring...
who spent 11 seasons in the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
(NHL) between 1984 and 1995. He was a member of the 1986 Stanley Cup
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
Champion Montreal Canadiens
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...
. He is also a former interim General Manager for the Tampa Bay Lightning
Tampa Bay Lightning
The Tampa Bay Lightning are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . They have one Stanley Cup championship in their history, in 2003–04. They are often referred to as the...
during the 2009-10 season.
Playing career
Kurvers played collegiately at the University of Minnesota DuluthUniversity of Minnesota Duluth
The University of Minnesota Duluth is a regional branch of the University of Minnesota system located in Duluth, Minnesota, USA. As Duluth's public research university, UMD offers 13 bachelor's degrees in 74 majors, graduate programs in 24 different fields, a two-year program at the School of...
, and was selected 145th overall by the Montreal Canadiens
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...
in the 1981 NHL Entry Draft
1981 NHL Entry Draft
The 1981 NHL Entry Draft was held at the Montreal Forum in Montreal, Quebec. The National Hockey League teams selected 211 players eligible for entry into professional ranks, in the reverse order of the 1980–81 NHL season and playoff standings. This is the list of those players...
following his freshman season. His time with the Bulldogs culminated with winning the Hobey Baker Award
Hobey Baker Award
The Hobey Baker Award is an annual award given to the top National Collegiate Athletic Association men's ice hockey player.It is named for hockey player and World War I veteran Hobey Baker, who played collegiately at Princeton University and learned the game at St...
, given to the most outstanding collegiate hockey player in the NCAA, as a senior in 1983–84 after registering 76 points in just 43 games.
Kurvers made his NHL
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
debut in the 1984–85 season with the Canadiens. He won the Stanley Cup
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
in 1986 with Montreal. After two full seasons with Montreal, and one game in the 1986–87 season, he was traded to the Buffalo Sabres
Buffalo Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League .-Founding and early success: 1970-71—1980-81:...
for a draft pick.
Before the 1987–88 season, the Sabres traded Kurvers to the New Jersey Devils
New Jersey Devils
The New Jersey Devils are a professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey, United States. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
. 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 1988–89 season. He played two full seasons, and one game in the 1989–90 season, with the Devils before being traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
for the pick that would turn out to be Scott Niedermayer
Scott Niedermayer
Scott Niedermayer is a retired Canadian ice hockey defenceman who played 18 seasons in the National Hockey League for two teams: the New Jersey Devils and the Anaheim Ducks. Niedermayer was known for his skating stride, and ability for leading or joining the offensive rush...
.
He was always a highly productive player, especially dangerous on the powerplay
Powerplay
"Power play" is a sporting term used in various games.*In ice hockey, a team is said to be on a power play when at least one opposing player is serving a penalty, and the team has a numerical advantage on the ice...
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 destine to become a journeyman,making stops with the Vancouver Canucks
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,...
, New York Islanders
New York Islanders
The New York Islanders are a professional ice hockey team based in Uniondale, New York. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
, and Mighty Ducks of Anaheim before leaving the league after the 1994–95 season. Finally he played a season in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
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
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
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 CoyotesPhoenix Coyotes
The Phoenix Coyotes are a professional ice hockey team based in Glendale, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They play their home games at Jobing.com Arena....
, 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
- Hobey Baker AwardHobey Baker AwardThe Hobey Baker Award is an annual award given to the top National Collegiate Athletic Association men's ice hockey player.It is named for hockey player and World War I veteran Hobey Baker, who played collegiately at Princeton University and learned the game at St...
(top player in NCAA): 1983–84 season - Stanley CupStanley CupThe Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
championship (MontrealMontreal CanadiensThe Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...
) 1986
Career statistics
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season Season (sports) In an organized sports league, a season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session. For example, in Major League Baseball, one season lasts approximately from April 1 through October 1; in Association football, it is generally from August until May In an... |
Team | League | GP | G Goal (ice hockey) In ice hockey, a goal is scored when the puck completely crosses the goal line between the two goal posts and below the goal crossbar. A goal awards one point to the team attacking the goal scored upon, regardless of which team the player who actually deflected the puck into the goal belongs to... |
A Assist (ice hockey) In ice hockey, an assist is attributed to up to two players of the scoring team who shot, passed or deflected the puck towards the scoring teammate, or touched it in any other way which enabled the goal, meaning that they were "assisting" in the goal. There can be a maximum of two assists per goal... |
Pts Point (ice hockey) Point in ice hockey has three official meanings:* A point is awarded to a player for each goal scored or assist earned. The total number of goals plus assists equals total points. In some European leagues, a goal counts as two points, and an assist counts as one... |
PIM Penalty (ice hockey) A penalty in ice hockey is a punishment for inappropriate behavior. Most penalties are enforced by detaining the offending player within a penalty box for a set number of minutes, during which, the player can not participate in play. The offending team usually may not replace the player on the ice,... |
GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1980–81 | U. of Minnesota-Duluth | NCAA | 39 | 6 | 24 | 30 | 48 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1981–82 | U. of Minnesota-Duluth | NCAA | 37 | 11 | 31 | 42 | 18 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1982–83 | U. of Minnesota-Duluth | NCAA | 45 | 8 | 36 | 44 | 42 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1983–84 | U. of Minnesota-Duluth | NCAA | 43 | 18 | 58 | 76 | 46 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1984–85 | Montreal Canadiens Montreal Canadiens The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ... |
NHL National Hockey League The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States... |
75 | 10 | 35 | 45 | 30 | 12 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 6 | ||
| 1985–86 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 62 | 7 | 23 | 30 | 36 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1986–87 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1986–87 | Buffalo Sabres Buffalo Sabres The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League .-Founding and early success: 1970-71—1980-81:... |
NHL | 55 | 6 | 17 | 23 | 22 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1987–88 | New Jersey Devils New Jersey Devils The New Jersey Devils are a professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey, United States. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League... |
NHL | 56 | 5 | 29 | 34 | 46 | 19 | 6 | 9 | 15 | 38 | ||
| 1988–89 | New Jersey Devils | NHL | 74 | 16 | 50 | 66 | 38 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1989–90 | New Jersey Devils | NHL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1989–90 | Toronto Maple Leafs Toronto Maple Leafs The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League... |
NHL | 70 | 15 | 37 | 52 | 29 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 4 | ||
| 1990–91 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 19 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1990–91 | Vancouver Canucks Vancouver Canucks The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,... |
NHL | 32 | 4 | 23 | 27 | 20 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 12 | ||
| 1991–92 | New York Islanders New York Islanders The New York Islanders are a professional ice hockey team based in Uniondale, New York. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League... |
NHL | 74 | 9 | 47 | 56 | 30 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1992–93 1992–93 AHL season The 1992–93 AHL season was the 57th season of the American Hockey League. Sixteen teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Binghamton Rangers finished first overall in the regular season with 124 points, a which holds to this day... |
Capital District Islanders Capital District Islanders The Capital District Islanders were a team in the American Hockey League based in Troy, New York, which is located within a region popularly called the Capital District... |
AHL American Hockey League The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League... |
7 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1992–93 | New York Islanders | NHL | 52 | 8 | 30 | 38 | 38 | 12 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 6 | ||
| 1993–94 | New York Islanders | NHL | 66 | 9 | 31 | 40 | 47 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||
| 1994–95 | Mighty Ducks of Anaheim | NHL | 22 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1995–96 | Seibu | Japan | 40 | 18 | 34 | 52 | 85 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 36 | ||
| NHL totals | 659 | 93 | 328 | 421 | 352 | 57 | 8 | 22 | 30 | 68 | ||||