University of Minnesota Athletics
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/ Men's Hockey
Photo by: Matt Krohn
Kurth Lands NHL Deal with Lightning
3/30/2025 3:00:00 PM | Men's Hockey
Career year for 'U' junior in 2024-25
MINNEAPOLIS - University of Minnesota forward Connor Kurth inked his first professional contract, a two-year, entry-level deal with the National Hockey League's Tampa Bay Lightning Sunday and will forego his final season of NCAA eligibility.
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The sixth-round selection, 192nd overall, of the Lightning in 2022, Kurth will report to the Syracuse Crunch and play the remainder of the season on an AHL tryout. He appeared in 115 career games for the Golden Gophers and totaled 71 points behind 32 goals and 39 assists, while posting a plus-34 rating during his three seasons on campus. Kurth earned a spot on the All-Big Ten Conference Honorable Mention Team as a junior and also claimed a B1G Star of the Week as part of his time wearing the Maroon and Gold.
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A native of Lindstrom, Minn., he had a career year for Minnesota in 2024-25 and finished with the most goals (18), assists (21), and points (39) of any collegiate campaign after putting up a combined 32 points as a freshman and sophomore. Kurth ranked second in scoring for the Gophers this season with seven of his 18 goals coming over the final 11 outings. Thanks to his career-best, four-point outing in the season opener against Air Force in Las Vegas where he scored a goal in all three periods for his lone collegiate hat trick, Kurth recorded 12 points in six games during the month of October to get his impressive year started.
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The sixth-round selection, 192nd overall, of the Lightning in 2022, Kurth will report to the Syracuse Crunch and play the remainder of the season on an AHL tryout. He appeared in 115 career games for the Golden Gophers and totaled 71 points behind 32 goals and 39 assists, while posting a plus-34 rating during his three seasons on campus. Kurth earned a spot on the All-Big Ten Conference Honorable Mention Team as a junior and also claimed a B1G Star of the Week as part of his time wearing the Maroon and Gold.
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A native of Lindstrom, Minn., he had a career year for Minnesota in 2024-25 and finished with the most goals (18), assists (21), and points (39) of any collegiate campaign after putting up a combined 32 points as a freshman and sophomore. Kurth ranked second in scoring for the Gophers this season with seven of his 18 goals coming over the final 11 outings. Thanks to his career-best, four-point outing in the season opener against Air Force in Las Vegas where he scored a goal in all three periods for his lone collegiate hat trick, Kurth recorded 12 points in six games during the month of October to get his impressive year started.
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