Tomáš Jurčo

At the 2009 CHL Import Draft, Jurčo was selected fourth overall by the Saint John Sea Dogs of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL).[1] He joined the team that year, and was nominated for the 2009–10 QMJHL Rookie of the Year award. His skill set involves a unique set of hands and good sense of vision on the ice, and he was compared to his favourite player and fellow countryman, Marián Hossa. Jurčo's videos demonstrating his skills are popular on YouTube amongst many hockey fans.[2] Jurčo was a key contributor in the Sea Dogs' Memorial Cup championship title in 2011, where Saint John defeated the Mississauga St. Michael's Majors 3–1 in the Final.[3]

On 25 June 2011, the Detroit Red Wings drafted Jurčo in the second round, 35th overall, as the team's first pick in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft.[4][5]

Jurčo with the Griffins.

On 7 August 2012, Jurčo signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Red Wings. He was then assigned to the team's American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Grand Rapids Griffins, for the 2012–13 season. He recorded 14 goals and 14 assists in 74 games in his first professional season. Jurčo was among the team's leading scorers during the 2013 Calder Cup playoffs, recording eight goals and six assists to help lead the Griffins to the Calder Cup championship over the Syracuse Crunch.[6]

Jurčo began the 2013–14 season with the Griffins before being called up to the Detroit Red Wings. At the time of his first call-up, Jurčo led the Griffins in goals (11), assists (16), points (27) and power play goals (5).[7] On 15 December 2013, Jurčo made his NHL debut for the Red Wings in a game against the Tampa Bay Lightning.[8] Two nights later, on 17 December, he scored his first career NHL goal against Jonas Hiller of the Anaheim Ducks.[9]

On 24 July 2015, Jurčo signed a two-year contract extension with the Red Wings.[10] On 17 November 2015, Jurčo was assigned to the Grand Rapids Griffins on a conditioning assignment. Before being assigned to Grand Rapids, Jurčo appeared in four games for the Red Wings that season, recording one assist.[11] On 20 November, Jurčo tied a franchise record with three power play goals, becoming just the third Griffin to accomplish the feat.[12] Jurčo was named the CCM/AHL Player of the Week for the week ending 22 November. He posted a league-best seven points for the week, three goals and four assists, and helped lead the Griffins to three consecutive wins, tallying assists on all three game-winning goals.[13] On 28 November, Jurčo was recalled by the Red Wings from his conditioning assignment. In five games for the Griffins, Jurčo recorded five goals and four assists, and helped lead the Griffins in winning all five games he appeared in.[14]

On 24 February 2017, Jurčo was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for a third-round pick in the 2017 draft. During his career with the Red Wings, he recorded 15 goals and 24 assists in 159 games.[15] He closed out the regular season with the Blackhawks in scoring just 1 goal in 13 games and was a healthy scratch through Chicago's first-round defeat to the Nashville Predators. As a restricted free agent, on June 26, 2017, Jurčo was re-signed to a one-year contract extension with the Blackhawks.[16]

At the conclusion of his contract with the Blackhawks, Jurčo remained a free agent over the summer and into the 2018–19 season. At the mid-point of the season, Jurčo belatedly signed a one-year AHL contract with the Springfield Thunderbirds, affiliate to the Florida Panthers on 3 January 2019.[17] Jurčo posted 10 points in 14 games with the Thunderbirds before he was dealt to the Charlotte Checkers in exchange for future considerations, correlating in the Florida Panthers acquisition of Cliff Pu, on February 25, 2019.[18] Jurčo made an instant impact with the league leading Checkers, contributing with 17 points in 19 regular season games. He helped Charlotte capture the Calder Cup, with 18 points in 18 games, marking his second AHL championship.

On July 1, 2019, Jurčo was signed by former Red Wings general manager Ken Holland as a free agent with the Edmonton Oilers on a one-year $750,000 contract.[19] He began the 2019–20 season, on the Oilers opening night roster, registering 2 assists through 12 games before he was re-assigned to AHL affiliate, the Bakersfield Condors. Suffering injury, Jurčo was limited to just 8 games with the Condors before the remainder of the season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

As a free agent from the Oilers, Jurčo was signed to a one-year, $700,000 contract with the Vegas Golden Knights on 10 October 2020.[20]