Tomáš Jurčo facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Tomáš Jurčo
Jurčo with the Charlotte Checkers in 2019
Born	(1992-12-28) 28 December 1992 (age 32) Košice, Czechoslovakia
Height	6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight	203 lb (92 kg; 14 st 7 lb)
Position	Right wing
Shoots	Left
KHL team Former teams	Kunlun Red Star Detroit Red Wings Chicago Blackhawks Edmonton Oilers Vegas Golden Knights Barys Nur-Sultan HC Davos Avangard Omsk
National team	Slovakia
NHL Draft	35th overall, 2011 Detroit Red Wings
Playing career	2009–present

Tomáš Jurčo (born on December 28, 1992) is a professional ice hockey player from Slovakia. He plays as a right winger for Kunlun Red Star in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL).

Tomáš started playing hockey in Slovakia with HC Košice. In 2009, he moved to North America. There, he joined the Saint John Sea Dogs in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). He played for the Sea Dogs for three seasons. He helped them win the Memorial Cup in 2011. This cup is for the best major junior team in Canada. The Detroit Red Wings picked Tomáš in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft. He was the 35th player chosen overall.

Playing Hockey: Tomáš Jurčo's Journey

Junior Hockey: Early Success

In 2009, Tomáš was chosen by the Saint John Sea Dogs. This was part of the CHL Import Draft. He quickly became a key player for the team. He was even nominated for the QMJHL Rookie of the Year award.

Tomáš is known for his amazing stickhandling skills. He also has a great understanding of the game. Many people compared him to his favorite player, Marián Hossa. Videos of Tomáš showing off his skills became very popular on YouTube.

He played a big part in the Sea Dogs winning the Memorial Cup in 2011. They beat the Mississauga St. Michael's Majors 3–1 in the final game. On June 25, 2011, the Detroit Red Wings picked Tomáš in the NHL Draft. He was their first pick that year.

Jurčo with the Griffins.

Professional Hockey: Reaching the NHL

On August 7, 2012, Tomáš signed his first professional contract. It was a three-year deal with the Red Wings. He then joined their minor league team, the Grand Rapids Griffins. This team plays in the American Hockey League (AHL).

In his first year, he scored 14 goals and made 14 assists. Tomáš was one of the top scorers for the Griffins. He helped them win the Calder Cup in 2013. This is the championship trophy for the AHL.

Tomáš started the next season with the Griffins again. But soon, he was called up to play for the Detroit Red Wings in the NHL. On December 15, 2013, he played his first NHL game. A few nights later, he scored his first NHL goal.

In 2015, Tomáš signed a new contract with the Red Wings. He was sent to the Griffins for a short time to get more playing time. While there, he had a fantastic week. He scored three power play goals in one game. He was named the AHL Player of the Week.

Moving to New Teams

On February 24, 2017, Tomáš was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks. He played 159 games for the Red Wings. He scored 15 goals and made 24 assists with them. He finished the season with the Blackhawks.

After his contract with the Blackhawks ended, Tomáš became a free agent. He later signed with the Springfield Thunderbirds in the AHL. He played well there, scoring 10 points in 14 games. Then, he was traded to the Charlotte Checkers. He quickly made a big impact with the Checkers. He helped them win the Calder Cup in 2019. This was his second AHL championship!

On July 1, 2019, Tomáš joined the Edmonton Oilers. He started the season with the Oilers. He played 12 games before being sent to their AHL team, the Bakersfield Condors. An injury limited his playing time that season.

Later, on October 10, 2020, Tomáš signed with the Vegas Golden Knights. He played for their AHL team, the Henderson Silver Knights.

Playing in the KHL

In November 2021, Tomáš signed with Barys Nur-Sultan in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). He quickly became an important player for the team.

In November 2022, he joined the Chinese club, Kunlun Red Star, also in the KHL. After playing for HC Davos and Avangard Omsk, Tomáš rejoined Kunlun Red Star in July 2024.

International Play: Representing Slovakia

Tomáš has proudly represented his home country, Slovakia, in many international tournaments.

Jurco at the 2016 IIHF World Championship.
Medal record
Representing  Slovakia
Ice hockey
Olympic Games
Bronze	2022 Beijing

He played for the Slovak junior team in the 2011 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. He also played in the 2012 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. In 2012, he was the top scorer for his team.

Tomáš was chosen to play for the senior Slovak team at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. He scored one goal in four games there. He also represented Slovakia at the 2015 IIHF World Championship and the 2016 IIHF World Championship. In 2016, he scored two goals and made three assists.

A big moment for Tomáš and Slovakia was at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. He helped his team win a bronze medal!

Personal Life

Tomáš has an older sister named Petra Jurčová. She is also a hockey player and has played for the Slovak women's national team.

Career Statistics

Here are Tomáš Jurčo's hockey statistics from his career.

Regular season and playoffs

International

Year	Team	Event	Result		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2009	Slovakia	WJC18	7th		6	2	3	5	2
2011	Slovakia	WJC	8th		6	1	0	1	0
2012	Slovakia	WJC	6th		5	1	7	8	4
2014	Slovakia	OG	11th		4	1	0	1	2
2015	Slovakia	WC	9th		5	0	1	1	0
2016	Slovakia	WC	9th		7	2	3	5	0
2018	Slovakia	WC	9th		7	4	1	5	8
2021	Slovakia	OGQ	Q		3	0	1	1	6
2022	Slovakia	OG			7	1	1	2	2
Junior totals					17	4	10	14	6
Senior totals					33	8	7	15	18

Awards and Honours

Tomáš Jurčo has received several awards and honors throughout his career: