The Chicago Blackhawks took a heavy blow early in the season when it was announced that their first two center players, Jonathan Toews and Kirby Dach, would miss a long period of activity. For the moment, it is not Philipp Kurashev who will complain about it.
The expression that says that the misfortune of some makes the happiness of others applies perfectly to the former color-bearer of the Remparts de Québec since the start of this shortened season. The Swiss forward has three goals and an assist in nine games with the Blackhawks and on Sunday was transferred to the center of the first unit in attack alongside Mattias Janmark and, most importantly, Patrick Kane. He also took the opportunity to score a goal and an assist in a 3-1 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets.
At first glance, Kurashev might not have been the first name to come to mind when thinking about players who could take on a greater offensive role in the absence of Dach and Toews in Chicago. However, he forced the hand of head coach Jeremy Colliton.
“I didn’t expect him to develop as quickly as he did,” he said last Sunday after the game. We saw him play last summer and last season in the American Hockey League and obviously we saw his progress and we were very excited about him. “
PAYING IN SWITZERLAND
Before coming to the Blackhawks camp, Kurashev had decided to join the ranks of HC Lugano, in the Swiss National League A, where he had collected nine assists in 13 games.
“When we saw him play in Lugano, we noticed that he was playing with more speed and we challenged him to reproduce that at camp, because that’s what you have to do if you want a position in the NHL. He responded beautifully. He plays with rhythm. It’s still early days and there will be ups and downs, but he has done really well so far. We are proud of him. “
For now, then, the Hawks’ 2018 fourth-round pick will continue to skate alongside Kane.
“I’m just trying to have fun because he’s one of the best players of all time. It was really a great experience to play with him and I tried to help him as much as he helps me, ”said Kurashev.
BUTCHER NOT SURPRISED
In the QMJHL, the 21-year-old forward played under Philippe Boucher for two seasons, then under Patrick Roy in his final year with the Quebec Remparts.
The two hockey men are not surprised to see him enjoy the success he is enjoying at the moment.
“There are players who never get to acclimate to the next level while there are others who, when placed with better players, are better. He always wanted to be a hockey player and he had a favorable family framework since his father plays in hockey and his mother helped him a lot. Philipp has the hockey IQ to play with Patrick Kane, which is not given to everyone, ”recognizes Boucher.
It was the latter who had attracted him to Quebec, after meeting him during the World Under-18 Championship in Grand Forks, North Dakota, in 2016.
“From the first game we saw him, we started discussions to attract him to Quebec. We had a great interest in him, ”recalls the man who is now the general manager of the Drummondville Voltigeurs.
ROY ADMIRATIVE
As for Roy, he managed it at the end of his junior internship. At the start of a rebuilding cycle, he had made the decision not to trade it in, although the return could have paid off a lot. Often during this season, he had expressed his certainty about the professional future of the Swiss center.
“He had the skills of a guy who could play to the next level. He was a good skater, a good puck handler, he moved the puck well. During this season, we were rebuilding and he was one of the players who gave us a chance to win night after night. He had played his role very well. What I admire about him is that he persevered and continued to work and that is to his credit, ”says Roy, adding that he exchanged a few texts with his former foal when he was still in Switzerland. .
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