By the Numbers will highlight the on-ice accomplishments in the 2018-19 season for the Detroit Red Wings' prospects. Twice a week during the offseason, By the Numbers will profile a different player in the system, focusing on his statistical highs. This week we focus on center Dominic Turgeon.
Sometimes when everything seems to be coming together, life throws you a curve out of nowhere.
By the Numbers Prospects: Dominic Turgeon
Recovery from thoracic outlet syndrome hampered two-way center's development
© Sam Iannamico/Grand Rapids Griffins
By
Arthur J. Regner @ArthurJRegner / DetroitRedWings.com
Two seasons ago, Red Wings prospect Dominic Turgeon entered his second pro season with aspirations of adding an offensive element to his already sound defensive game.
Drafted by the Wings in the third round, 63rd overall, in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft, the 6-foot-2, 205-pound Turgeon caught Detroit's eye with his responsible two-way play at center during his junior career with the WHL's Portland Winterhawks.
When he turned pro with the AHL's Grand Rapids Griffins for the 2016-17 season, he was coming off a 70-point campaign (36-34) in 72 games with the Winterhawks.
But Turgeon only notched 18 points (6-12) as a Griffins rookie and he was determined to elevate his offensive numbers his second season in Grand Rapids.
He almost doubled his point production (14-18-32) in his second campaign for the Griffins and was called up to the Red Wings in January 2018.
The Wings needed a center who was an effective penalty killer, a role Turgeon was excelling in for Grand Rapids.
Turgeon played five games for the Red Wings in 2017-18 and though he failed to register a point, he was confident that with another offseason of intense training, he would be in good shape to compete for a Wings roster spot.
Then he received some sobering news on April 4, 2018.
The Griffins were in San Antonio and before the game, Turgeon was diagnosed with thoracic outlet syndrome, which caused a blood clot in his right arm. His season was over.
It would take two surgeries to correct the problem and he needed to be on blood thinners for a few months, but he was ready for the start of Detroit's training camp last season.
However, it was apparent the recovery time from his surgeries set Turgeon back and it took most of last season to get his game back into form.
With his medical condition under control and with a full offseason devoted to improving his game, it's up to Turgeon to prove his time is now in order to become a full-time Red Wings center.
72 -Games Turgeon played for the Griffins, which tied him with left wing Turner Elson and right wing Dominik Shine for the most games played in Grand Rapids' 76-game schedule.
6 -His six goals scored was the second time in his three-year Griffins career he notched six goals. He also scored six as a rookie in 2016-17. His career high in goals is 14, which Turgeon achieved in 2017-18.
14 -Turgeon's assist total of 14 was the second-most of his career. He notched 18 helpers in 2017-18, which is his career best.
20 -Hoping to build on his career high of 32 points from the previous season, Turgeon only amassed 20 points last season, but his recovery period from his blood clotting issue is viewed as a factor in the decrease in last season's point production.
+1 -In his 72 games, he was plus-1. Turgeon is plus-21 in 212 games for Grand Rapids.
41 - As a rookie, he had six penalty minutes in 71 games. In his second pro season, he totaled 23 minutes. His 41 penalty minutes this past season is his most with the Griffins.
3 -Turgeon played in Grand Rapids' first three playoff games against the Chicago Wolves. He received a two-game suspension for a boarding incident which occurred in the Griffins' third playoff game against the Wolves on April 23, a 6-2 Grand Rapids victory.
1-2-3 -His one goal and two assists in his three playoff games put Turgeon in a six-way, third-place tie for the most points in the playoffs. Elson and Matt Puempel led the Griffins in playoff scoring with two goals and two assists each for four total points.
16 -Along with Puempel, Martin Frk and Wade Megan, Turgeon's 16 penalty minutes were the second most penalty minutes for Grand Rapids in the playoffs. Defenseman Filip Hronek was the Griffins' penalty minutes leader in the playoffs with 28.
+3 - Turgeon's plus-3 was the third-highest for the Griffins during the playoffs. Elson and Christoffer Ehn were also plus-3. Right Wing Colin Campbell's plus-5 led the Griffins with defenseman Libor Sulak second-best at plus-4.
4 -Turgeon played four games for the Red Wings last season. He failed to notch his first NHL point, was minus-3 with an ice time average of 12:35 per game. In nine games with the Red Wings over the last two seasons, Turgeon is pointless, minus-5, with two penalty minutes, 11 blocked shots, six hits, with an ice time average of 10:43.
Quotable:"He got injured and he wasn't able to train as much as he could last season, last offseason, so I think that really kind of put him behind the 8-ball. He came into camp not necessarily in the same strength and physical condition that he normally would be. But towards the end of the year, I thought he played his best hockey. He's a guy that's solid defensively for us, he's good on the PK and he's responsible in our own zone. I think not last year but the year before, he started to see him come along offensively. He lost that a bit last year but we're hoping that with a healthy offseason, he can find it again and start this season like he did a couple ago. I think everybody's going to be competing for a position in Detroit. Steve's (Yzerman) made that abundantly clear, that everyone that comes to camp is going to be on an even field and going to get a fair opportunity. If you come in and play well and you beat out someone that is normally in that spot, you're going to get a chance. It's not just Dom, it's open for anybody." - Shawn Horcoff, Detroit's director of player development