(Photo Credits: 13thForward)
By: Liz Rizzo | Follow me on Twitter @pastagrl88
Today Bruins General Manager Don Sweeney announced that Providence forward Karson Kuhlman had been recalled. He was signed by the B’s to a two-year contract last April. In his first professional season with the Providence Bruins, Kuhlman has had a decent outing so far playing. He has 25 points in 50 games as he notched 12 goals and 13 assists with a plus-22 rating.
The 5-foot-11, 190 forward played a full season in 2013 for the the Dubuque Fighting Saints of the Unites States Hockey Leagues (USHL). He tallied 25 goals with 19 assists for 44 points in 56 games. He was elected to play in the USHL All-Star Game. As a freshman for the Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs, he recorded eight goals with 10 assists for 18 points, thus earning a bid in NCAA tournament. In his sophomore year, he was named alternate captain in which he netted 12 goals with eight assists for 20 points.
(Photo Credits: WEEI.com)
Kuhlman, a native of Cloquet, Minnesota, served as an alternate captain in his junior year accumulated six goals and 16 assists for 22 points in 42 games-a career high. That year, the Bulldogs advanced to the Frozen Four, but ultimately fell to Denver in the final. In his senior year, Kuhlman served as captain of the Bulldogs where he netted 13 goals and seven assists for 20 points in 44 games. The 23-year-old was named MVP in the 2018 NCAA tournament where he lead Minnesota with a goal and an assist in a 2-1 win over Notre Dame. Kuhlman has played 166 consecutive games in the NCAA-tying a record in NCAA history (he’s tied for seventh).
With the upcoming western roadtrip, the Bruins may be looking to have another extra body upfront as the organization looks to fill a roster spot created by the David Pastrnak injury. Described as tenacious with the puck during rookie camp in September, Kuhlman could serve as a possible winger, even though he is a right-shot center. General Manager Don Sweeney is quoted as describing Kuhlman as “a dog on a bone” when it comes to his puck-hunting.
(Photo Credits: AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
His two-year deal with the Bruins would guarantee him a minimum of $315,000 over the two years, with an NHL level salary of $750,000. He will join the team as he skates in his first varsity practice in Anaheim. Although he is there as an extra forward, fans may get to see Kuhlman make his NHL debut this weekend.
At last year’s camp, the versatile Kuhlman aimed to make make an impression on the B’s brass:
“This is a great organization and that’s why I chose to come here in the Spring…I want to come in and show them the way that I play hockey. I’m taking it day by day, not worrying about too far into the future. That’s something you’ve got to do at a camp like this, especially when there are so many guys that have NHL experience that are here in this room right now. So I’m just trying to play my game and hopefully going from there.”
When the Bruins varsity team headed to China this past summer, Kuhlman was able to take advantage and played in two preseason games. During the Prospect Challenge at the rookie tournament in Buffalo, Kuhlman had an opportunity to get some more hockey in his repertoire. Coach Bruce Cassidy, who had a chance to see Kuhlman in Buffalo before leaving for China, described Kuhlman as a “Swiss Army knife.” With David Pastrnak out for a few weeks, the Bruins could use a “jack-of-all-trades” type player, especially during these last few months to the season.
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