Blues 2nd round, 56th Overall Pick Sam Kurker

[WaukeeBlues]

2009-10: A product of the Valley Junior Warriors youth program in Massachusetts, Kurker skated for the varsity team at St. John's Prep in Massachusetts as a sophomore.

2010-11: Kurker skated for the Junior Bruins AAA tournament team and was the third-leading scorer for St. John's Prep as a junior. He scored 20 goals with 17 assists. In the Super 8 playoffs he scored 2 goals with 5 assists as St. John's reached the Super 8 championship game, falling to Malden Catholic in overtime.

2011-12: Kurker was a team captain for St. John's Prep as a senior after attending USA Hockey's Select 17 Camp and representing the USA at the 2011 U18 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament. In 24 games for St. John's he scored 32 goals with 28 assists. In three games at the Ivan Hlinka tournament he was plus-one with 4 penalty minutes. Kurker committed to playing college hockey at Boston University. He was invited to the NHL Draft Combine and ranked 36th amongst North American skaters in Central Scouting's final rankings prior to the 2012 NHL Draft.

http://www.hockeysfuture.com/prospects/sam_kurker/

Larger wing who causes problems for the opposition at both ends. A very good forechecker. Shows decent passing and shooting abilities, enough to think that he can ascend the ladder to the pros. Has a strong wrist shot and is a good skater who has some grit to his game. Is at his best when going North-South and playing physical. He has committed to Boston University.

--Bill Placzek--

http://www.draftsite.com/nhl/player/sam-kurker/17983/

[glen a richter]

I like this pick. I don't like the 1st pick, I don't like the 3rd pick, but I like this pick. Schmaltz seems too much of a project and I would have preferred Pontus Aberg who slipped into the 2nd round. Mackenzie Maceachern, from what I gathered through his interview, has been out of the game a while and just got back in. He'll need plenty of work to get up to NHL speed. Maybe 5-6 years if at all. But Kurker, he seems like he could be the anti-Stewart. The big man who actually plays like it, opens up shooting lanes and crashes the net instead of skating figure 8's.

I kind of like the goalie they picked, he seems like a collected sort of guy who won't panic in high pressure situations.

[DaDitka]

Is at his best when going North-South and playing physical.

Sounds like a perfect fit for Hitch's system.......it's just a long shot that Hitch is still here if/when the kid gets up to the big club.