| STORIES |
- Sunday, June 25, 2006: Wings fast forward at the draft
- Tuesday, June 27, 2006: Mursak pick high-risk, high-reward
- Wednesday, January 17, 2007: 2006-07 preliminary: Howard seizes top spot
- Tuesday, June 5, 2007: 2006-07 end-of-season: Howard still No. 1 man
- Monday, December 3, 2007: Three prospects to smile about (or not)
- Monday, December 17, 2007: Smith learning the ropes
- Monday, December 24, 2007: Pyett another for the 6-feet-and-under club?
- Monday, March 17, 2008: Oulahen puts in time on farm
- Monday, April 7, 2008: Playoffs bring Mursak’s best
- Monday, May 26, 2008: Will 2006 draft class deliver?
- Monday, March 16, 2009: Green Griffins getting it done
- Monday, May 4, 2009: Rocky road for AHL rookies
- Tuesday, December 29, 2009: Mursak back in spotlight
- Tuesday, March 23, 2010: Mursak satisfies need for speed
- Sunday, September 19, 2010: Time now for Kindl to make NHL leap
- Monday, September 20, 2010: Mursak on deck for NHL duty
- Wednesday, December 1, 2010: Mursak waiting for NHL call
- Wednesday, January 5, 2011: Big Swede’s production no Joak
- Wednesday, February 9, 2011: 2010-11 mid-season: New Euro Twins rise higher
- Thursday, June 9, 2011: 2010-11 end-of-season: Smith rules the roost
|
| AWARDS |
- 2006-07 OHL academic player of the month (December)
- 2006-07 OHL second all-rookie team
- 2006-07 OHL all-academic team
- 2007-08 OHL Eastern Conference coaches poll most underrated player (runner-up)
- 2007-08 OHL Eastern Conference coaches poll best stickhandler (runner-up)
- 2007-08 OHL Eastern Conference coaches poll best playmaker (third place)
|
| HISTORY |
2005-06:
- Transferred from home in Slovenia to play in Czech under-20 league with Ceske Budejovice.
- Finished fourth in team scoring (48-15-17-32, plus-16).
- Helped Slovenia win silver at second-level world under-18 championship (5-1-1-2).
- Won bronze on line with Anze Kopitar at second-level world under-20 championship (5-3-2-5).
- Ranked atop the 2006 draft class for his skating and hands by Central Scouting.
- Drafted in the sixth round (182nd overall) by Detroit at the 2006 draft in Vancouver.
- Selected 33rd overall in the CHL import draft by the Saginaw Spirit.
|
2006-07:
- Started OHL rookie season with Saginaw on sizzling 22-game scoring streak (22-13-27-40).
- Spent most of first few months among OHL’s top 10 scorers (28-13-22-45).
- Shined on a team that experienced player suspensions and a police investigation in October.
- Represented Slovenia (1-4 record) at second-level world under-20 championship (5-3-2-5).
- Wore down during mid-season stretch (25-8-15-23) before strong finish (8-6-6-12).
- Finished fourth in OHL rookie scoring (62-27-53-80).
- Plus-27 was second best on team that went 44-21-0-3, fourth in its 10-team conference.
- Struggled in playoffs in six-game loss to Sault Ste. Marie (6-1-2-3).
- Signed three-year NHL entry-level contract with the Red Wings in April.
- Signed amateur tryout contract and joined the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins for playoffs.
- Appeared in all seven first-round games (two assists, plus-3) as Grand Rapids lost to Manitoba.
|
2007-08:
- Added more than 10 pounds of muscle in off-season and appeared in one NHL pre-season game.
- Started junior season in OHL with Saginaw and had a slow start (26-6-20-26).
- Traded at mid-season to Belleville in a five-player swap and finished strong (31-11-27-38).
- Missed time near end of regular season with a concussion.
- Won bronze with Slovenia at second-tier world junior championship (5-1-2-3, 31 shots).
- Seventh in OHL playoff scoring (21-9-15-24) en route to seventh-game loss to Kitchener in final.
- Shut down offensively as Belleville went 2-2 at Memorial Cup (4-1-0-1).
|
2008-09:
- Appeared in five NHL pre-season games with Detroit (5-1-0-1, plus-2, three shots).
- Survived until the second-to-last round of cuts before being sent to AHL’s Grand Rapids.
- Struggled to find his place in Grand Rapids’ lineup and didn’t produce much (51-2-7-9).
- A regular healthy scratch and didn’t make the clear day roster in March.
- Fired just 77 shots on goal and had an even plus-minus.
- Got into six of 10 playoff games and had an assist and 11 shots.
|
2009-10:
- Appeared in two NHL pre-season games with Red Wings (2-0-0-0, two shots, minus-1.
- Returned to Grand Rapids for second AHL season and enjoyed a big rebound campaign.
- Finished third in team scoring and second in goals (79-24-18-42).
- Emerged as a consistent game-by-game threat while firing 139 shots and finishing plus-12.
- Increased his goal total by 1,100 percent and point total by 366 percent.
- Enjoyed best stretch from late November to early January (23-13-7-20).
- Represented Slovenia at Pool B world championship (5-5-2-7).
- Called up to Detroit as a Black Ace (spare who doesn’t play) for the NHL playoff run.
|
2010-11:
- Appeared in six NHL pre-season games with Red Wings (6-2-1-3, 11 shots).
- Started season in Grand Rapids and had productive year (54-13-22-35, plus-17, 129 shots).
- Called up in late December and spent more than a month in Detroit (19-1-0-1).
- Averaged 8:11 of ice time during NHL stint and impressed with speed and energy.
- Signed a two-year, one-way contract on Feb. 17 as a reward for his efforts.
- Called up to Detroit as a Black Ace (spare who doesn’t play) for the NHL playoff run.
|
| SCOUT COMMENTS |
| “He’s a great skater with typical European skills and he competes hard.” — Red Wings assistant general manager Jim Nill (June 2006) … “I don’t know if he’s as quick as (Darren) Helm, but if he’s not, he’s pretty close. I don’t think it’s out of the realm to say he’s going to score in the NHL just by virtue of his speed. He’s gonna get himself scoring opportunities. And if he continues to shoot the puck the way he’s shooting it now, he’s going to score. His skating is just so strong.” — Griffins general manager Bob McNamara (March 2010) … “His speed is high-end NHL-class speed and he uses it to his advantage. He’s willing to take the puck to the net, he’s fantastic on the penalty kill because of his speed, he does all the things you want him to do defensively … and he plays a hard, physical game.” — McNamara (December 2010) … “He’s a young guy, provides energy, can skate, he’s a puck hound. We think as he gets more confident he’ll be able to contribute a little bit offensively. We feels he’s going to be on the team next year.” — Red Wings GM Ken Holland (February 2011, MLive.com).
|
| STRENGTHS |
|
Not far behind Darren Helm in the foot-speed department … Best assets are terrific skating ability and stickhandling ability … Excellent one-step quickness and acceleration … Terrific penalty-killing potential … Good moves and offensive smarts, with a Pavel Datsyuk knack — to a lesser extend — for weaving through traffic and emerging with the puck … Soft hands and emerging scoring ability … Willing to go to the net … Good vision and playmaking ability … Competitive … Isn’t afraid to get his nose dirty.
|
| WEAKNESSES |
|
Has yet to fully reach his offensive potential at any level, including major junior, although he’s getting closer … The concern is if he can’t find his offensive game in the NHL, he’ll be little more than a fourth-line energizer.
|
| PROJECTION |
|
Mursak has shown he’s going to be an NHLer on his speed and energy alone. While he’s capable of fourth-line duty right away, he also has upside to play regularly on a top-three line, and the Red Wings have made no secret about the fact they like his offensive upside. After signing a two-year, one-way contract, expect him to crack Red Wings’ roster in 2011-12.
|
Player statistics powered by www.eliteprospects.com
| Season |
Team |
League |
GP |
G |
A |
TP |
PIM |
|
Playoffs |
GP |
G |
A |
TP |
PIM |
| 2002-2003 |
HK Maribor U18 |
Slovenia U18 |
13 |
27 |
18 |
45 |
14 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 2003-2004 |
HK Maribor U20 |
Slovenia U20 |
17 |
6 |
4 |
10 |
12 |
| |
Playoffs |
2 |
2 |
4 |
6 |
25 |
| |
HK Maribor |
Slovenia |
14 |
3 |
3 |
6 |
16 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
HK Maribor U18 |
Slovenia U18 |
22 |
27 |
17 |
44 |
14 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 2004-2005 |
HK Maribor U20 |
Slovenia U20 |
17 |
12 |
12 |
24 |
35 |
| |
Playoffs |
2 |
5 |
4 |
9 |
4 |
| |
HK Maribor |
Slovenia |
24 |
16 |
29 |
45 |
10 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Slovenia U18 |
WJC-18 D1 |
5 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 2005-2006 |
HC Ceske Budejovice U20 |
Czech U20 |
43 |
15 |
15 |
30 |
32 |
| |
Playoffs |
5 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
| |
Slovenia U18 |
WJC-18 D1 |
5 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
8 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Slovenia U20 |
WJC-20 D1 |
5 |
3 |
2 |
5 |
2 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 2006-2007 |
Saginaw Spirit |
OHL |
62 |
27 |
53 |
80 |
50 |
| |
Playoffs |
6 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
10 |
| |
Grand Rapids Griffins |
AHL |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| |
Playoffs |
7 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
| |
Slovenia U20 |
WJC-20 D1 |
5 |
3 |
2 |
5 |
10 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 2007-2008 |
Saginaw Spirit |
OHL |
26 |
6 |
20 |
26 |
15 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Belleville Bulls |
OHL |
31 |
11 |
27 |
38 |
8 |
| |
Playoffs |
21 |
9 |
15 |
24 |
10 |
| |
Belleville Bulls |
M-Cup |
4 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Slovenia U20 |
WJC-20 D1 |
5 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
0 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 2008-2009 |
Grand Rapids Griffins |
AHL |
51 |
2 |
7 |
9 |
25 |
| |
Playoffs |
6 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
| 2009-2010 |
Grand Rapids Griffins |
AHL |
79 |
24 |
18 |
42 |
46 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Slovenia |
WC D1 |
5 |
5 |
2 |
7 |
2 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 2010-2011 |
Grand Rapids Griffins |
AHL |
54 |
13 |
22 |
35 |
35 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Detroit Red Wings |
NHL |
19 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
4 |
| |
|
|
|
|
- |
- |
| 2011-2012 |
Detroit Red Wings |
NHL |
25 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
0 |
| |
|
|
|
|
- |
- |
| |
Grand Rapids Griffins |
AHL |
6 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 2012-2013 |
Detroit Red Wings |
NHL |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Player statistics © www.eliteprospects.com
