He is showing signs of being a strong middle-six forward for the Blackhawks, something they so desperately need. Kurashev found ways to become a more effective player by being more aggressive on the fore check, stronger in the defensive zone and drawing penalties. In fact his shots per 60 increased from 1.4 per 60 minutes last season to 1.5 per 60 minutes this season – all with a decrease in ice time. Although Kurashev’s numbers may not have translated to the stat sheet, his shooting did not decrease. He was brought back in the New Year and while his development was nothing impressive, his game play was. He was sent down to the AHL and played only three games with the Rockford Icehogs posting three points during his time there. He struggled at the beginning of the 2021-2022 season, posting just five points over a 20 game span. July 2022 – Kurashev is coming off a decent sophomore year with the Blackhawks. With the injection of Connor Bedard and a lot of young talent surrounding the team, Kursahsev may have an opportunity to show that he can play top-six minutes. You can certainly expect that Kurashev will be back in the lineup next year in a full time role. But it is important to note that his power play ice time did increase by nearly a minute. Over the course of the season, he posted 25 points over 70 games, which was 0.36 points per game. He was constantly moved up and down the lineup as most young Blackhawks forwards were. May 2023 – Kurashev played 70 games with the Blackhawks this past season before injuring his shoulder on a hit from Tom Wilson back in March. Gritty, shifty center with a penchant for forechecking and some scoring ability
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