A breakout season at the University of Minnesota has landed Connor Kurth his first professional contract. The Lightning announced that they’ve signed the forward to a two-year, entry-level deal that begins next season; financial terms were not disclosed.
The 21-year-old was selected in the sixth round (192nd overall) back in 2022 out of USHL Dubuque. With them, Kurth put up 50 goals and 72 assists in 114 games over two seasons but offensive production was much harder to come by when he made the jump to the college level.
Over his first two seasons with the Golden Gophers, Kurth picked up 14 goals combined, seven in each campaign. But this year was by far his best as he notched 18 goals along with 21 assists in 40 games, putting him in a tie for second in team scoring with Nashville first-rounder Matthew Wood, who signed his entry-level deal on Saturday. That performance was good enough to secure a contract and forego his final season of eligibility.
Even though his contract doesn’t start until 2025-26, Kurth will get a taste of the pros this season as he has signed a tryout deal with AHL Syracuse and will be eligible to suit up for them down the stretch and in the playoffs.