Summer Spotlight: Sean Kuraly

Number:7
Birth date:Jan. 20, 1993 (age 29)
Birthplace:Niagara Falls, N.Y.
Height, Weight:6-2, 205
Stats:77 GP, 14-16-30
Contract:Signed through 2024-25 season (Three years remaining before UFA status)

The reality is when a team signs a player to return home, you never quite know how it's going to go.
Of course, there's excitement when an NHL player gets to skate every night where he grew up, but there's also a lot that comes with it. There are expectations, family and friends who always want to say hello, and it can all add up.
But for Sean Kuraly, the experience in his first season as a Blue Jacket a season ago was about perfect. Sure, he would have liked to have made the playoffs -- he didn't miss the postseason in his previous five NHL seasons with Boston -- but everything else seemed to suit him to a T.

Kuraly had a career year in a lot of regards, posting high-water marks in goals (14), points (30), hits (240, 11th in the NHL) and time on ice per game (15:52). It took Kuraly no time to earn the trust of head coach Brad Larsen, who put the hard-nosed forward into more and more roles as the season went on because of his dependable play and consistent energy.
While Kuraly often spoke glowingly of what it meant to be home, Larsen seemed equally pleased that the Blue Jackets signed the Dublin native to a four-year contract before the season.
"I don't think there's been many surprises, but I say that in a good way," Larsen said. "He's fit in right from the start. When we talk about being a Blue Jacket, what that's gonna look like, he certainly embodies what we want to be. He's just consistent. I think he's got the respect of the guys in the room. It's not because of what he says, it's because of what he does.
"There are a lot of challenges with (playing in your hometown), and he's handled it excellent. I think he leads by his actions every night, and I love that."

Top Moment of 2021-22

The Blue Jackets dropped a 4-3 game to Washington in Nationwide Arena on Nov. 12 last year, but Kuraly had a night to remember in the place he grew up watching games. After 10 scoreless contests to start his CBJ career, Kuraly scored his first two goals in with the Blue Jackets, including one of the top highlight-reel tallies of his career. With the Jackets down 3-1 in the second period, Kuraly came in along the left wing with speed, toe-dragged around All-Star defenseman John Carlson and fired a shot past Ilya Samsonov to score one of the prettiest goals of his career.

A Kuraly Highlight

Video: WSH@CBJ: Kuraly slips past Carlson, scores glove side

Stat to Know

If you're looking for a player who has been typecast as a defensive forward, look no further than Kuraly. Per Natural Stat Trick, his offensive zone start percentage of 27.4 at 5-on-5 last year was the lowest on the team and 13th lowest in the NHL among forwards to play at least 150 minutes, and that continues a trend in his career as Kuraly's offensive zone start percentage never topped 36 percent in each of his four full years with the Bruins. He's clearly a player coaches trust in the defensive zone, especially when it comes to taking (and winning) faceoffs.

2022-23 Expectations

The expectation is that Sean Kuraly will be Sean Kuraly yet again. Offensive contributions are appreciated, of course, but it really doesn't matter if he sets another career high in points as long as Kuraly brings the same type of hard-nosed play and energy as a season ago. He's again expected to be one of the team's four centers and top penalty killers, not to mention a tone setter for the way he approaches each and every game.