Tom Kühnhackl

Tom Kühnhackl
Kühnhackl with the Adler Mannheim in 2023
Born (1992-01-21) 21 January 1992 (age 32)
Landshut, Germany
Height 6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Weight 196 lb (89 kg; 14 st 0 lb)
Position Left wing
Shoots Left
DEL team
Former teams		 Adler Mannheim
Augsburger Panther
Pittsburgh Penguins
New York Islanders
Skellefteå AIK
National team  Germany
NHL draft 110th overall, 2010
Pittsburgh Penguins
Playing career 2009–present

Tom Kühnhackl (born 21 January 1992) is a German professional ice hockey player with Adler Mannheim of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL). He previously played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Pittsburgh Penguins and New York Islanders.

He was a top-ranked prospect for the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, ranked eighth among European skaters by the NHL Central Scouting Bureau, and was selected 110th overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins. Kühnhackl was selected by the Windsor Spitfires 24th overall in the 2009 CHL Import Draft and moved to North America for the 2010–11 season. After several seasons with the Penguins' minor league affiliates, Kühnhackl made his NHL debut with the team in 2016.

Playing career

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Kühnhackl played youth hockey for the Landshut Cannibals program for three seasons beginning in 2007 alongside Tobias Rieder. He made his professional debut during the 2008–09 season, playing 42 games with Landshut's professional team in the 2nd Bundesliga, the second-highest level in Germany.[1] He debuted in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL) during the 2009–10 season, playing four games with the Augsburger Panther.

Kühnhackl was selected 24th overall in the 2009 Canadian Hockey League Import Draft by the Ontario Hockey League (OHL)'s Windsor Spitfires. He intended to join the team for the 2009–10 season, but a series of injuries kept him in Germany.[2] In May 2010, he signed a contract with the Spitfires to join the team for the 2010–11 season.[3]

Ranked as the eighth-best European skater of the 2010 draft class by the NHL Central Scouting Bureau, Kühnhackl was selected 110th overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. Kühnhackl was happy to be drafted by Pittsburgh, as he listed the Penguins as his favorite team.[4]

On 22 March 2011, he signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Penguins worth $1.83 million.[5]

Kühnhackl finished the 2010–11 season with 39 goals and 29 assists for 68 points in 63 games with Windsor. He played four games with the Spitfires to start the 2011–12 season, recording one goal and three assists before he was traded (along with Windsor's second-round choice in the 2013 CHL Import Draft) on 2 November 2011 to the Niagara IceDogs in exchange for Phillip Di Giuseppe, Jaroslav Pavelka, Niagara's second-round picks in 2012, 2014 and 2015 and Niagara's first-round pick in the 2013 CHL Import Draft.[6]

On 4 November 2011, Kühnhackl delivered an elbow to the head of Kitchener Rangers defenceman Ryan Murphy and was assessed a five-minute major for charging and game misconduct. In a website video, the OHL noted that Kühnhackl made contact with the opponent's head and hit a vulnerable, unsuspecting player. The OHL also considered the speed and distance travelled when making its decision and noted that Murphy was injured on the play. On 8 November 2011, OHL president David Branch announced that Kühnhackl would be suspended for 20 games due to the hit.

Kühnhackl made his professional debut in the 2012–13 season with the Pittsburgh Penguins' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, but was sidelined by injury after only 11 games. On 2 December 2012, Kühnhackl dislocated his shoulder, requiring season-ending surgery.[7]

Kühnhackl played 42 games in his first season with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

On 20 February 2016, Kühnhackl scored his first NHL goal, a shorthanded breakaway goal during a game against the Tampa Bay Lightning. On 14 March, after recording 6 points in his first 28 games, including a two-assist game against the New York Rangers the day before, Kühnhackl signed a two-year contract extension with Pittsburgh, along with fellow breakout players Scott Wilson and Bryan Rust.

Kühnhackl had an impressive run with the Penguins in the 2016 Stanley Cup playoffs, defeating the New York Rangers (4–1), Washington Capitals (4–2), Tampa Bay Lightning (4–3) and San Jose Sharks (4–2) to clinch the Stanley Cup. He became the third German-born NHL player (after Uwe Krupp and Dennis Seidenberg) to win the Cup.[8] In 2017, after the Penguins repeated as Stanley Cup champions, Kühnhackl became the first German-born NHL player to win the Stanley Cup twice with the same team.

After the conclusion of the 2017–18 season, his sixth season within the Penguins' organization, Kühnhackl was unable to agree to terms on a new contract as a restricted free agent. On 25 June 2018, he was not tendered a qualifying offer and was released to explore the free agent market. On 2 July, as a free agent, he signed a one-year contract with the New York Islanders.[9]

On 22 January 2021, Kühnhackl joined the training camp of the Bridgeport Sound Tigers,[10] and was then signed to a one-year contract.[11]

Following his eleventh season in North America, Kühnhackl returned to Europe as a free agent, agreeing to a two-year contract with Skellefteå AIK of the Swedish Hockey League on 12 August 2021.[12]

At the conclusion of his two year tenure with Skellefteå AIK, Kühnhackl returned to his native Germany, agreeing to a three-year contract with Adler Mannheim of the DEL on 2 May 2023.[13]

International play

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Kühnhackl has represented Germany internationally, playing in the 2008 and 2009 World U-17 Hockey Challenge, the 2009 and 2010 IIHF World U18 Championships, and the 2010 and 2011 IIHF World U20 Championships.

He first played for the German national team in an exhibition game against France on 27 August 2016.[14] A couple of days later, he scored the game-winning goal in the last game of the qualification tournament for the 2018 Winter Olympics against host Latvia, which gave Germany a place in Pyeongchang.[15]

Personal life

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Kühnhackl was born and raised in Landshut, Bavaria, and first began to play hockey at age two. His father, Erich, played in the top German leagues from 1968 until 1989 and appeared in five Winter Olympics for West Germany.[3] He was named Germany's ice hockey player of the 20th century in 2000. Kühnhackl has been a lifelong fan of the Pittsburgh Penguins, the team that drafted him.[16] He got his start in hockey at age five, following in his family's footsteps—his brother, sister and dad all played hockey in Germany.

Kühnhackl is a supporter of FC Bayern Munich[17]

Career statistics

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Regular season and playoffs

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    Regular season   Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2007–08 Landshut Cannibals DNL 30 21 21 42 97 3 1 1 2 2
2008–09 Landshut Cannibals DNL 6 4 3 7 31 7 5 5 10 27
2008–09 Landshut Cannibals 2.GBun 42 11 10 21 34 6 1 0 1 6
2009–10 Landshut Cannibals 2.GBun 38 12 9 21 38 6 0 0 0 2
2009–10 Augsburger Panther DEL 4 0 0 0 0 — — — — —
2010–11 Windsor Spitfires OHL 63 39 29 68 47 18 11 12 23 10
2011–12 Windsor Spitfires OHL 4 1 3 4 6 — — — — —
2011–12 Niagara IceDogs OHL 30 7 18 25 29 20 6 5 11 14
2012–13 Wilkes–Barre/Scranton Penguins AHL 11 2 2 4 6 — — — — —
2012–13 Wheeling Nailers ECHL 2 1 0 1 2 — — — — —
2013–14 Wilkes–Barre/Scranton Penguins AHL 48 8 2 10 22 2 0 0 0 2
2013–14 Wheeling Nailers ECHL 16 7 7 14 12 10 6 0 6 6
2014–15 Wilkes–Barre/Scranton Penguins AHL 72 12 18 30 19 8 0 2 2 0
2015–16 Wilkes–Barre/Scranton Penguins AHL 23 7 8 15 18 — — — — —
2015–16 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 42 5 10 15 24 24 2 3 5 0
2016–17 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 57 4 12 16 18 11 1 1 2 4
2017–18 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 69 2 6 8 6 12 0 0 0 4
2018–19 New York Islanders NHL 36 4 5 9 10 8 0 3 3 2
2018–19 Bridgeport Sound Tigers AHL 1 2 1 3 0 — — — — —
2019–20 New York Islanders NHL 28 3 3 6 2 3 0 1 1 0
2019–20 Bridgeport Sound Tigers AHL 4 0 2 2 2 — — — — —
2020–21 Bridgeport Sound Tigers AHL 22 4 9 13 8 — — — — —
2021–22 Skellefteå AIK SHL 46 3 10 13 6 6 0 1 1 2
2022–23 Skellefteå AIK SHL 32 10 8 18 14 17 2 3 5 0
2023–24 Adler Mannheim DEL 45 8 13 21 8 7 1 4 5 6
NHL totals 232 18 36 54 60 58 3 8 11 10

International

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Year Team Event Result   GP G A Pts PIM
2008 Germany U17 9th 5 4 1 5 2
2009 Germany U17 6th 5 4 3 7 2
2009 Germany WJC18 10th 6 1 1 2 4
2010 Germany WJC18 D1 1st 5 4 2 6 2
2011 Germany WJC 10th 6 1 0 1 16
2016 Germany OGQ Q 3 2 1 3 0
2021 Germany WC 4th 10 3 2 5 2
2022 Germany OG 10th 4 1 0 1 2
Junior totals 27 14 7 21 26
Senior totals 17 6 3 9 4

Awards and honours

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Awards Year
NHL
Stanley Cup champion 2016, 2017 [18][19]

References

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  1. ^ "Tom Kuhnhackl player profile". Eliteprospects.com. 1 October 2010. Retrieved 1 October 2010.
  2. ^ Parker, Jim (23 February 2010). "Kuhnhackl to join Spits next season". Windsor Star. Windsor, Ontario. Archived from the original on 1 March 2010. Retrieved 7 June 2010.
  3. ^ a b Duff, Bob (31 May 2010). "Son of German hockey legend Kuhnhackl hopes to play for Spitfires". Windsor Star. Windsor, Ontario. Archived from the original on 8 November 2012. Retrieved 7 June 2010.
  4. ^ Kasan, Sam (26 June 2010). "Penguins Day 2 Draft Picks". PittsburghPenguins.com. Retrieved 28 June 2010.
  5. ^ "Penguins sign draft pick Kuhnhackl". Pittsburgh Penguins. 22 March 2011. Retrieved 25 March 2011.
  6. ^ Niagara IceDogs (2 November 2011). "IceDogs Acquire Kuhnhackl from Windsor". NiagaraIceDogs.net. Retrieved 2 November 2011.
  7. ^ "Getting to Know: Tom Kuhnhackl". nhl.com.
  8. ^ "Tom Kuhnhackl celebrates with Cup in Germany".
  9. ^ "Kuhnhackl agrees to terms on a one-year contract". New York Islanders. 2 July 2018. Retrieved 2 July 2018.
  10. ^ "2020-21 Training Camp Roster". soundtigers.com. 22 January 2021. Archived from the original on 27 January 2021. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  11. ^ "Sound Tigers Face Bruins To Kick Off 2020-21 Season". soundtigers.com. 5 February 2021. Retrieved 8 February 2021.[permanent dead link‍]
  12. ^ "Welcome Tom Kühnhackl!" (in Swedish). Skellefteå AIK. 12 August 2021. Retrieved 12 August 2021.
  13. ^ "Kuhnhackl becomes an Eagle" (in German). Adler Mannheim. 2 May 2023. Retrieved 2 May 2023.
  14. ^ sportschau.de (27 August 2016). "Eishockey-Länderspiel – Eishockey – Mehr Sport – sportschau.de". Retrieved 27 August 2016.
  15. ^ "LAT vs GER – OGQME – International Ice Hockey Federation IIHF". groupe.pyeongchang2018.iihf.hockey. Archived from the original on 14 May 2021. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
  16. ^ Siedling, Jason (17 July 2010). "Life-Long Penguins Fan Kuehnhackl Prepares For North American Migration". PittsburghPenguins.com. Retrieved 17 July 2010.
  17. ^ "Player Q&A | Tom Kuhnhackl". www.nhlpa.com. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
  18. ^ "Penguins win Stanley Cup, defeat Sharks in Game 6". National Hockey League. 12 June 2016. Retrieved 12 June 2016.
  19. ^ "Penguins repeat as Stanley Cup champions". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. 11 June 2017. Retrieved 11 June 2017.
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