Summer Spotlight: Kuraly remains a key piece for the Blue Jackets

Number:7

Birth date: Jan. 20, 1993 (age 30)

Birthplace:Niagara Falls, N.Y.

Height, Weight:6-2, 213

Stats: 71 GP, 11-9-20

Contract:Signed through 2024-25 season (Two years remaining until UFA status)

As the Blue Jackets 2022-23 season wound to a close, Sean Kuraly found a deserved new feature on his CBJ sweater.

With such names as Zach Werenski and Gus Nyquist either injured or traded and the Jackets down a bevy of top players, Kuraly finished the campaign with an alternate captain's "A" on his jersey.

For a player who grew up in the Columbus area and has a tremendous amount of pride in the community, Kuraly continued to play with his heart on his sleeve -- and that "A" on his chest -- despite the struggles of the Blue Jackets throughout the season. He was presumed out for the season after suffering an injury in late February, but instead he battled back and played the final 12 games of the campaign.

"There are games on the table, and my job is to be ready when I'm healthy," Kuraly said.

Since the end of the season, he's continued to be Mr. Columbus,

,

taking in The Memorial Tournament

, watching a Columbus Crew game,

and participating in the

, among other events.

"It's been fun to kind of immerse myself a little bit more in Columbus and spend most of my time here, as opposed to being in and out of Boston or something and spending less time in the area,"

Kuraly said

.

Top Moment of 2022-23

Kuraly's ability to make an impact on both sides of the rink was apparent when he scored his top goal of the year Nov. 17 vs. Montreal in Nationwide Arena. First, Kuraly slammed Canadiens forward Christian Dvorak into the wall with a crunching check in the CBJ defensive zone before reclaiming the puck and starting a rush up ice. Habs forward Evgenii Dadonov and defenseman Jordan Harris converged on Kuraly at the blue line, but the CBJ center chipped the puck between them, got it back on his stick and then fired over the poke-check attempt of goalie Sam Montembeault for a beautiful goal. The tally broke a 3-3 deadlock moments after Montreal had tied the score in the third period, and Kuraly would add an empty-net goal to clinch the Jackets' 6-4 victory against the Habs.

Kuraly's Top Highlights

Stat to Know

Kuraly's goal scoring has picked up in the past two seasons since joining the Blue Jackets. He posted 24 goals in 270 games and five seasons with the Boston Bruins, an average of 0.09 per games. In two seasons with the Blue Jackets, he has 25 goals in 148 games, an average of 0.17 per game.

2023-24 Expectations

The expectation is for Kuraly to be Kuraly, bringing all the intangibles to the table while being a dependable pivot for the team. He's proved to be a dependable centerman who can move up and down the lineup if need be, and his fiery nature provides the team with a spark when the Blue Jackets need it. His energy, effort, penalty killing and ability to provide some offense from the bottom six are things he brings each and every night for the squad.