Andrew Poturalski
Andrew Poturalski with the 2022 Calder Cup.jpg
Poturalski with the Chicago Wolves in 2022
Born (1994-01-14) January 14, 1994
Williamsville, New York, U.S.
Height 5 ft 10 in (178 cm)
Weight 190 lb (86 kg; 13 st 8 lb)
Position Center
Shoots Right
NHL team (P)
Cur. team
Former teams		 Seattle Kraken
Coachella Valley Firebirds (AHL)
Carolina Hurricanes
NHL Draft Undrafted
Playing career 2016–present

Andrew Poturalski (born January 14, 1994) is an American professional ice hockey center currently playing with the Coachella Valley Firebirds in the American Hockey League (AHL) while under contract to the Seattle Kraken of the National Hockey League (NHL).

He is a two time winner of the American Hockey League (AHL) Calder Cup in 2019 and 2022. He is also a two-time AHL Point scoring Title winner having won the award consecutively in 2020–21 and 2021–22.

Early life

Poturalski was born on January 14, 1994, in Williamsville, New York to parents Joseph and Diane.[1] His mother formerly played softball at Iowa and Erie Community College[2] while his father is a football officiator.[3] Poturalski originally wished to play goaltender but his parents convinced him to be a skater due to the price of goalie equipment.[4]

Playing career

Amateur

Growing up in New York, Poturalski played midget ice hockey with the Wheatfield Blades under former NHL player Peter Scamurra.[5] He then enrolled at Nichols School and played on their varsity ice hockey team in the Conference of Independent Schools of Ontario Athletic Association for three seasons.[6] While attending Nichols School in 2011, Poturalski joined the Ontario Junior Hockey League's Buffalo Jr. Sabres. Early in his rookie season, he confirmed his commitment to join the New Hampshire Wildcats men's ice hockey for the 2013–14 Hockey East season.[7] By the end of October, Poturalski was named to the NHL Central Scouting preliminary "Watch List" for the 2012 NHL Entry Draft. At the time, he was tied for fourth in OJHL in scoring with 27 points as well as third with 17 assists.[8] Poturalski finished the 2011–12 OJHL season with 16 goals and 22 assists in 33 regular season games before being loaned to the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders in the United States Hockey League.[9] However, after playing in two games and recording three points, Poturalski's season was cut short due to a broken ankle. He then broke his fibula in a "freak on-ice accident" as he prepared over the summer for the following season.[10]

After rehabbing his ankle, Poturalski made his 2012–13 USHL season debut mid-October and immediately scored three goals and recorded two assists.[10] His first goal proved to be the game-winner in a 4–3 victory over the Indiana Ice while he then collected a career-high four points in a 7–5 win. As a result, Poturalski was named the co-recipient of the CCM Forward of the Week on October 23.[11]

College

In his sophomore season with the Wildcats in 2015–16, Poturalski led the team and conference in scoring with 52 points in just 37 games. Earning select to the East First-Star Team and named as a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award, Poturalski opted to leave college early to pursue a professional career, in agreeing to a two-year entry-level contract with the Carolina Hurricanes on March 9, 2016.[12]

Professional

During his first full professional season in 2016–17, Poturalski was initially assigned to AHL affiliate, the Charlotte Checkers. Poturalski was leading the club in assists and scoring when he received his first recall to the NHL by the Hurricanes on April 4, 2017.[13] He made his debut that night in a 5–3 defeat to the Minnesota Wild.[14][15] After two games with the Hurricanes, Poturalski was returned to Charlotte to play out the remainder of the year.

Following that season, Poturalski was invited to the Hurricanes training camp but began the 2017–18 season with the Checkers after being cut.[16]

Poturalski during the 2019 AHL All-Star Skills Competition.

In the 2018–19 season, had a stand out season with the league leading Charlotte Checkers, scoring 23 goals and 70 points in 72 games, to earning a selection to the AHL Second All-Star Team. In the post-season, he led the Checkers to the 2019 Calder Cup Championship after collecting 12 goals and 23 points. Poturalski was named the Jack A. Butterfield Trophy as the playoffs MVP after leading all skaters in points and goals.

On July 2, 2019, Poturalski left the Hurricanes organization as a free agent to sign a one-year, two-way contract with the Anaheim Ducks.[17]

After a successful stint in the AHL with the San Diego Gulls, Poturalski returned to the Hurricanes as a free agent, signing a one-year, two-way contract on August 11, 2021.[18]

As a free agent at the conclusion of his contract with the Hurricanes, Poturalski was signed to a two-year, $1.525 million contract with the Seattle Kraken on July 13, 2022.[19]

Personal life

Poturalski and his wife Haley have one son together.[20]

Career statistics

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2008–09 Nichols School USHS 21 13 6 19 6 — — — — —
2010–11 Nichols School USHS 14 13 10 23 26 4 8 0 8 4
2011–12 Buffalo Jr. Sabres OJHL 33 16 22 38 32 8 5 2 7 4
2011–12 Cedar Rapids RoughRiders USHL 2 2 1 3 0 — — — — —
2012–13 Cedar Rapids RoughRiders USHL 53 12 21 33 43 — — — — —
2013–14 Cedar Rapids RoughRiders USHL 60 27 37 64 28 4 2 1 3 2
2014–15 University of New Hampshire HE 40 14 15 29 16 — — — — —
2015–16 University of New Hampshire HE 37 22 30 52 24 — — — — —
2015–16 Charlotte Checkers AHL 16 2 3 5 0 — — — — —
2016–17 Charlotte Checkers AHL 74 19 33 52 34 5 0 0 0 5
2016–17 Carolina Hurricanes NHL 2 0 0 0 0 — — — — —
2017–18 Charlotte Checkers AHL 76 22 27 49 24 8 1 4 5 2
2018–19 Charlotte Checkers AHL 72 23 47 70 34 18 12 11 23 12
2019–20 San Diego Gulls AHL 17 2 5 7 8 — — — — —
2020–21 San Diego Gulls AHL 44 9 34 43 10 3 0 0 0 0
2021–22 Chicago Wolves AHL 71 28 73 101 36 18 8 15 23 26
2021–22 Carolina Hurricanes NHL 2 0 2 2 0 — — — — —
2022–23 Coachella Valley Firebirds AHL 38 11 31 42 14 16 3 9 12 6
NHL totals 4 0 2 2 0 — — — — —

Awards and honors

Award Year
OJHL
Second All-Prospect Team 2012
USHL
All-Star Game 2014
College
HE First All-Star Team 2016
HE Scoring Champion 2016
East First All-American Team 2016
Hobey Baker Award (finalist) 2016 [12]
AHL
Second All-Star Team 2019 [21]
Calder Cup (Charlotte Checkers, Chicago Wolves) 2019, 2022 [22]
Jack A. Butterfield Trophy 2019
Pacific Division All-Star Team 2021 [23]
John B. Sollenberger Trophy 2021, 2022 [24]
First All-Star Team 2022 [25]

References

  1. ↑ "Andrew Poturalski". University of New Hampshire. Retrieved July 19, 2022.
  2. ↑ Hoppe, Bill (February 23, 2019). "Williamsville's Andrew Poturalski hoping for another NHL chance with Carolina". Buffalo News. Retrieved July 19, 2022.
  3. ↑ Mussen, Dale (April 5, 2017). "LOCAL PLAYER MAKES NHL DEBUT". wyrk.com. Retrieved July 19, 2022.
  4. ↑ Sullivan, Jerry (October 28, 2021). "Sullivan: Williamsville's Andrew Poturalski still grinding for his next shot in the NHL". WIVB. Retrieved July 19, 2022.
  5. ↑ Kirst, Sean (August 26, 2019). "AHL's Calder Cup comes to Snyder for wings, hot dogs, beer". The Buffalo News. Retrieved July 19, 2022.
  6. ↑ "Former Buffalo Jr. Sabres Leads AHL In Points, Assists". OJHL. May 13, 2021. Retrieved July 19, 2022.
  7. ↑ "Poturalski Commited [sic] To UNH". OJHL. October 4, 2011. Retrieved July 19, 2022.
  8. ↑ "OJHL Young Stars On NHL Watch List". OJHL. October 24, 2011. Retrieved July 19, 2022.
  9. ↑ "Poturalski preps for playoffs... in USHL". OJHL. February 9, 2012. Retrieved July 19, 2022.
  10. 1 2 Johnson, Jeff (October 25, 2012). "Poturalski finally plays, prospers with RoughRiders". The Gazette. Retrieved July 19, 2022.
  11. ↑ "Poturalski, Ortega, Ericsson, Anderson, Ellis, earn weekly USHL honors". Pro Hockey News. October 23, 2012. Retrieved July 19, 2022.
  12. 1 2 "Hurricanes agree to terms with Poturalski". Carolina Hurricanes. 2016-03-09. Retrieved 2016-03-09.
  13. ↑ "Canes recall Bickell, Poturalski". Carolina Hurricanes. 2017-04-04. Retrieved 2017-04-04.
  14. ↑ Bove, Matt (2017-04-04). "Williamsville native Andrew Poturalski set to make NHL debut". wkbw.com. Retrieved 2017-04-04.
  15. ↑ "Sports shorts: Andrew Poturalski makes NHL debut with Hurricanes". fosters.com. 2017-04-04. Retrieved 2017-04-04.
  16. ↑ Niedzielski, Nicholas (September 23, 2017). "Hurricanes Trim Roster, Send Group To Charlotte". gocheckers.com. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  17. ↑ "Ducks sign Poturalski and Pietila to one-year contracts". Anaheim Ducks. July 2, 2019. Retrieved July 2, 2019.
  18. ↑ "Canes Agree to Terms with Andrew Poturalski". Carolina Hurricanes. August 11, 2021. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
  19. ↑ "Four cups, Three new Kraken signed". Seattle Kraken. July 13, 2022. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  20. ↑ Sandalow, Brian (June 18, 2022). "Wolves carrying a little extra 'MoJo' into Calder Cup Finals". Chicago Sun Times. Retrieved July 19, 2022.
  21. ↑ "2018-19 American Hockey League First and Second All-Star Teams Named". OurSports Central. April 11, 2019.
  22. ↑ "Check and mate! Charlotte wins Calder Cup". American Hockey League. June 8, 2019.
  23. ↑ "2020-21 AHL All-Star Teams". American Hockey League. May 26, 2021. Retrieved May 26, 2021.
  24. ↑ "San Diego's Poturalski, Bakersfield's Marody Win AHL Scoring Awards for 2020-21". OurSports Central. May 20, 2021.
  25. ↑ "2021-22 AHL First, Second All-Star Teams unveiled". American Hockey League. April 28, 2022. Retrieved April 28, 2022.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.