Where does Philipp Kurashev fit in the rebuild?
No one believed in Philipp Kurashev more than Jeremy Colliton when he was head coach of the Blackhawks, he would often put him in a top-six role even if he wasn't producing. Derek King would put him on the third line and sometimes opt to make him the healthy scratch. Between these two coaches, Kurashev feels like an all-or-nothing player for the team.
With little time in Rockford (only three games), he hasn't had much time to develop, but that doesn't seem like it'll stop him. At 22-years-old, he will most likely be a major part of the rebuild, but where does he fit?
Between two seasons, Kurashev has shown promise in the offensive zone. Although his shooting percentage has gone down, his shots and faceoff win percentage both increased from last season. If given more opportunities in a top-six role, we could see his confidence and productivity increase.
As the rebuild starts, there are choices that need to be made about players in the top six position. With trade rumors circulating around players like Alex Debrincat and Dylan Strome, there might be room for Kurashev to fill. If not Debrincat or Strome, then we might see him take over Dominik Kubalik's spot on the second line.
With an unknown new coach coming in for the Blackhawks next season, it's unclear what spots Kurashev will fill. Only time will tell, but he has the potential to be a high goal scorer and someone reliable in the faceoff dot. As he plays more games and develops further, will we see him have a breakout season in 2022-2023?
| POLL | ||
Will Philipp Kurashev have a breakout season? | ||
| Yes! | 64 | 43.2 % |
| No... | 49 | 33.1 % |
| Maybe in Rockford. | 35 | 23.6 % |
| List of polls | ||
