Connor Kurth finished up his college career with a nice season. Can he keep over-performing as he moves up the professional ranks?
| Name | Connor Kurth |
| Position | Right Wing |
| Age (as of October 1) | 22 |
| Height/Weight | 6’0″. 212 lbs. |
| Expected 2024-25 Team | Syracuse Crunch |
| Draft – Year, Round | 2022, 6th |
| Previous Rankings | #23 (2024), #24 (2023), #25 (2022) |
| Justin G. Ranking | Not Ranked |
| Final Rank | 14 |
Stats:
Our Thoughts:
Connor Kurth makes it onto the list for the fourth time in his career. Perhaps early in his tenure in the organization it was an indictment of the Lightning’s thin prospect system, but after last season Kurth showed that, not only does he belong on the list, he might just be turning himself into one of the better forward prospects in the system.
In his third season with the University of Minnesota Gophers Kurth worked his way up the depth chart, turning himself into a top-six forward on a team that featured several first-round draft picks. He finished second in point with 39 and second in goals with 18 after posting just 14 in his first two seasons at Minnesota. Take the stat for what it’s worth, but he also finished at +31.
Following their first-round exit from the Frozen Four, Kurth joined Jimmy Snuggerud (St. Louis), Sam Rinzel (Chicago), Oliver Moore (Chicago), Matthew Wood (Nashville), and Ryan Chesley (Washington) in turning pro, a huge loss for the Minnesota hockey program. Kurth appeared in five games with the Syracuse Crunch on an amateur contract and picked up his first professional point on an assist.
This year, the 22-year-old, right-handed shot should get a pretty good look as the Crunch have plenty of open spots on the roster to divvy up among the young prospects. While he was shaken up on a hit in the prospect showcase, he should be ready to go once the season starts.
He could prove to be one of the more intriguing prospects for the Crunch this season. He has all of the natural offensive skills in the world, including a heavy wrist shot that is seriously misjudged by opposing goaltenders. He links up play really well through the neutral zone and sets up his teammates for prime scoring chances.
The big question will be his skating. Against his compatriots in college and at the rookie showcase he looked…fine. In his brief stint in the AHL, it was obvious that he needs to continue working on it. Once he gets up to speed, he’s fine, but the acceleration is a bit cumbersome. If he can get to the point where it’s passable and he’s not chasing the action up and down the ice, he could be a useful player in the organization.
If he can’t get a little quicker in small places, the space he was able to create in college to get his shot off is going to disappear and that could sap his offensive contributions. Still, even if his goal production stops, Kurth can make it up the professional ladder if he keeps his work rate strong. He is an extremely solid player on his skates and isn’t afraid to mix things up in the dirty areas along the boards and in front of the net.
After seeing a few college prospects choose to leave the organization, it’s good that the Lightning were able to come to terms with Connor Kurth. He might not rank high on a lot of the prospect lists, but if he keeps improving at the rate he did last season he could prove a lot of folks wrong [ed. note – including me] and be a gem in the system.
Highlight Videos:
THE MITTS 🤮 @connor_kurth
— Minnesota Men’s Hockey (@GopherHockey) March 28, 2025
📺: ESPN2 pic.twitter.com/2UoQCBMpiX
There are a couple of nice things about this play. First it’s the way he shields the puck from the defender after he receives the puck in the crease. Then it’s the toe-drag to the backhand to stuff it in the far post. It’s such a slick little play in a tight space.
Right where he needs to be!
— Minnesota Men’s Hockey (@GopherHockey) March 9, 2025
🍎 Kurth, Chesley pic.twitter.com/En2GVGHgSp
As you can see here he isn’t the swiftest of skaters. Despite having a stride on the defender when he receives the puck, the Notre Dame players is able to catch up. Still, Kurth does an excellent job using his size to keep the play going. Then he makes a nice backhand pass to the slot to set up the goal.
15th of the year for Kurth provides some big insurance!
— Minnesota Men’s Hockey (@GopherHockey) February 23, 2025
🍎 Clark, Thomas pic.twitter.com/zN9LD9RCde
Last season, the Lightning coaching staff spoke about “prison rules” in front of the net. It was a shorthand for winning those net-front battles that lead to prime scoring chances. Here is a prime example of a player winning the battle. Kurth is able to free up enough space (and more importantly, his stick) in order to swat the loose puck home.
🍏 Connor Kurth (#10 in yellow) picks up assist #17 of the NCAA season.#GoBolts
— Future Bolts (@LightningProsp1) January 19, 2025
pic.twitter.com/F3SgKP2qo9
Kurth has his head up and spots Oliver Moore at center ice. The pass leads the Blackhawks’ first-round pick into open space and makes for an easy entry. He also makes the decision to head the boards once in the zone, which opens up the slot for Matthew Wood to finish the play. That’s Kurth playing with two first-round picks and fitting right in.
🚨 Connor Kurth (#10 in yellow) walks in and puts it home for his 9th goal of the NCAA season!#GoBolts
— Future Bolts (@LightningProsp1) December 7, 2024
pic.twitter.com/cJxxZegQri
Okay, the first pass in the offensive zone wasn’t perfect, but he made up for it on the goal. At first glance it’s just a nice little power move to the front of the net and finish. However, once you see the behind-the-net angle, you see that he chipped the puck in the air to avoid the defender’s stick before flipping it into the net.
