Sean Kuraly is glad to be back in Columbus.
On Wednesday afternoon, he spoke with Anthony Rothman and Matt Hayes on 97.1 The Fan's Rothman & Ice about what it means to play for his hometown team, his strengths on the ice, and how he is ready to be a leader in the locker room.
Kuraly is known for his skill defensively, but he also wants to contribute offensively for the Blue Jackets. In 270 NHL games, Kuraly has tallied 24-44-68, so the Blue Jackets shouldn't rely on too much from him in that department, but it'd be nice if he could chip in with a goal here and there. Interestingly, Kuraly has historically turned it up a notch in the playoffs vs. the regular season.
| Sean Kuraly, Regular Season vs. Playoffs | GP | G | A | PTS | GPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regular Season | 270 | 24 | 44 | 68 | 0.09 | 0.25 |
| Playoffs | 57 | 9 | 10 | 19 | 0.16 | 0.33 |
"I can work hard and be a good, solid teammate," said Kuraly. "(I can) be a guy that plays solid defensively and on the penalty kill. I want to contribute offensively. Every player wants to contribute offensively. That's the name of the game here. You don't want to put a ceiling on yourself, (but) you also don't want to put any extra pressure on yourself. I'm excited, and hopefully I can add to this team and play well defensively, be a solid cog on a line, help grow a line, play the right way, play against good players, and win face-offs...it's a good place, and a good fun city to do it (in). There's no place I'd rather be."
Kuraly grew up in Columbus. Born in Dublin, Ohio, he played for the AAA Blue Jackets for several years. Coming back to the city that gave him his roots is an opportunity that he's incredibly excited about. However, he's not just coming back for sentimental reasons. Kuraly is ready to win, and he likes the roster that the Blue Jackets have assembled.
"It was really cool to see (Columbus and I) had some mutual interest in each other. I've always had my eye on Columbus. I've been watching the Jackets since day one...I'm excited to be back. I think the future's bright here...I have a ton of respect for Boone and Werenski. I've played with Jack Roslovic...we've got two good goalies. I'm excited to join this group. I think there's a lot of potential and we're excited to move forward."
Kuraly will wear number seven with the Blue Jackets. He's signed through the 2024-25 NHL season.