Calvin Thürkauf

Calvin Thürkauf (born 27 June 1997) is a Swiss professional ice hockey forward who currently plays with HC Lugano in the National League (NL). Thurkauf was selected by the Blue Jackets in the seventh round (185th overall) of the 2016 NHL Entry Draft.

Calvin Thürkauf
Born (1997-06-27) 27 June 1997
Zug, Switzerland
Height 6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Weight 212 lb (96 kg; 15 st 2 lb)
Position Center
Shoots Left
NL team
Former teams		 HC Lugano
Columbus Blue Jackets
EV Zug
National team   Switzerland
NHL Draft 185th overall, 2016
Columbus Blue Jackets
Playing career 2015–present

Playing career

Thürkauf as a youth played within the EV Zug junior ranks. In spending 5 seasons within Zug's development program, Thürkauf made his professional debut in the 2014–15 playoffs, appearing in one game on loan to SC Langenthal of the then second tier National League B (NLB).

With NHL aspirations, Thürkauf was selected 59th overall in the 2015 CHL Import Draft by the Kelowna Rockets of the Western Hockey League (WHL). In his first major junior season in North America, Thürkauf displayed his offensive potential in contributing with 18 goals and 45 points in 61 games as a rookie. He was selected in his second year of eligibility in the seventh-round, 185th overall, by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft.

On 31 December 2016, Thürkauf was signed to a three-year, entry-level contract with the Blue Jackets.[1] He placed second on team scoring in the 2016–17 season with the Rockets, establishing a career high 33 goals and 70 points in 60 regular season games.

In the final year of his entry-level contract with the Blue Jackets in the 2019–20 season, while playing with AHL affiliate, the Cleveland Monsters, Thürkauf received his first recall to the NHL on an emergency basis on 21 February 2020.[2] He made his NHL debut with the Blue Jackets, appearing on the fourth-line, in a 4–3 shootout defeat to the Nashville Predators on 22 February 2020.[3] He was returned to the AHL with the Monsters the following day.

As an impending restricted free agent and with the following 2020–21 North American season delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Thürkauf was signed to a temporary contract with hometown Swiss club, EV Zug of the NL, on 24 August 2020.[4]

On May 10, 2021, Thürkauf left the Blue Jackets organization and joined HC Lugano on a three-year deal through the 2023–24 season.[5]

International play

Thürkauf has represented the Swiss national junior team at multiple tournaments. The first time he was selected to play for the national junior team, was during the 2014 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament. He later captained Switzerland at the 2017 World Junior Championships in Canada, posting 4 points in 4 games in a 7th-placed finish.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs
Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2012–13 EV Zug Elite. A 4 1 0 1 2 2 0 0 0 0
2013–14 EV Zug Elite. A 8 1 1 2 6 2 0 0 0 4
2014–15 EV Zug Elite. A 38 11 10 21 54 12 1 1 2 20
2014–15 SC Langenthal NLB — — — — — 1 0 0 0 4
2015–16 Kelowna Rockets WHL 61 18 27 45 54 18 2 6 8 16
2016–17 Kelowna Rockets WHL 60 33 37 70 87 17 8 13 21 24
2017–18 Cleveland Monsters AHL 75 11 13 24 40 — — — — —
2018–19 Cleveland Monsters AHL 26 2 0 2 24 — — — — —
2019–20 Cleveland Monsters AHL 53 9 17 26 37 — — — — —
2019–20 Columbus Blue Jackets NHL 3 0 0 0 0 — — — — —
2020–21 EV Zug NL 22 3 2 5 26 — — — — —
2021–22 HC Lugano NL 50 16 19 35 65 6 1 3 4 4
NHL totals 3 0 0 0 0 — — — — —
NL totals 72 19 21 40 91 6 1 3 4 4

International
Year Team Event Result GP G A Pts PIM
2014 Switzerland IH18 7th 4 1 0 1 38
2015 Switzerland U18 4th 7 1 2 3 12
2016 Switzerland WJC 9th 5 1 1 2 2
2017 Switzerland WJC 7th 4 2 2 4 16
2022 Switzerland OG 8th 5 0 2 2 0
2022 Switzerland WC 5th 6 2 0 2 0
Junior totals 20 5 5 10 68
Senior totals 11 2 2 4 0

References
  1. "Blue Jackets sign Calvin Thurkauf to ELC". Columbus Blue Jackets. 31 December 2016. Retrieved 31 December 2016.
  2. "Blue Jackets add forward Calvin Thurkauf on emergency recall from Cleveland". Columbus Blue Jackets. 21 February 2020. Retrieved 21 February 2020.
  3. "Blue Jackets lose eight-round shootout, skid hits 8". National Hockey League. 22 February 2020. Retrieved 22 February 2020.
  4. "Calvin Thurkauf starts the season with Zug" (in German). EV Zug. 24 August 2020. Retrieved 24 August 2020.
  5. "Three players sign with Lugano" (in French). HC Lugano. 10 May 2021. Retrieved 10 May 2021.
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