Tom Kühnhackl (born 21 January 1992) is a German professional
ice hockey
Ice hockey (or simply hockey in North America) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an Ice rink, ice skating rink with Ice hockey rink, lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. Tw ...
player with
Adler Mannheim of the
Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL). He previously played in the
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League (NHL; , ''LNH'') is a professional ice hockey league in North America composed of 32 teams25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The NHL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Cana ...
(NHL) with the
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins (colloquially known as the Pens) are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh. The Penguins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), E ...
and
New York Islanders
The New York Islanders (colloquially known as the Isles) are a professional ice hockey team based in Elmont, New York. The Islanders compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (N ...
.
He was a top-ranked prospect for the
2010 NHL Entry Draft, ranked eighth among European skaters by the
NHL Central Scouting Bureau, and was selected 110th overall by the
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins (colloquially known as the Pens) are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh. The Penguins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), E ...
. Kühnhackl was selected by the Windsor Spitfires 24th overall in the 2009
CHL Import Draft and moved to North America for the
2010–11 season. After several seasons with the Penguins' minor league affiliates, Kühnhackl made his NHL debut with the team in
2016
2016 was designated as:
* International Year of Pulses by the sixty-eighth session of the United Nations General Assembly.
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.
Playing career
Kühnhackl played youth hockey for the
Landshut Cannibals program for three seasons beginning in 2007 alongside
Tobias Rieder. He made his professional debut during the 2008–09 season, playing 42 games with Landshut's professional team in the
2nd Bundesliga, the second-highest level in Germany.
He debuted in the
Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL) during the 2009–10 season, playing four games with the
Augsburger Panther
The Augsburger Panther are a professional ice hockey team in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga, DEL. The team is based in Augsburg, Bavaria, Germany. They play their home games at the Curt Frenzel Stadion.
Founded in 1878, the team's name was Augsburge ...
.
Kühnhackl was selected 24th overall in the 2009
Canadian Hockey League Import Draft by the
Ontario Hockey League (OHL)'s
Windsor Spitfires. He intended to join the team for the
2009–10 season, but a series of injuries kept him in Germany. In May 2010, he signed a contract with the Spitfires to join the team for the
2010–11 season.
Ranked as the eighth-best European skater of the 2010 draft class by the
NHL Central Scouting Bureau, Kühnhackl was selected 110th overall by the
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins (colloquially known as the Pens) are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh. The Penguins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), E ...
in the
2010 NHL Entry Draft. Kühnhackl was happy to be drafted by Pittsburgh, as he listed the Penguins as his favorite team.
On 22 March 2011, he signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Penguins worth $1.83 million.
Kühnhackl finished the 2010–11 season with 39 goals and 29 assists for 68 points in 63 games with Windsor. He played four games with the Spitfires to start the
2011–12 season, recording one goal and three assists before he was traded (along with Windsor's second-round choice in the 2013 CHL Import Draft) on 2 November 2011 to the
Niagara IceDogs in exchange for
Phillip Di Giuseppe, Jaroslav Pavelka, Niagara's second-round picks in 2012, 2014 and 2015 and Niagara's first-round pick in the 2013 CHL Import Draft.
On 4 November 2011, Kühnhackl delivered an elbow to the head of
Kitchener Rangers defenceman
Ryan Murphy and was assessed a five-minute major for charging and game misconduct. In a website video, the OHL noted that Kühnhackl made contact with the opponent's head and hit a vulnerable, unsuspecting player. The OHL also considered the speed and distance travelled when making its decision and noted that Murphy was injured on the play. On 8 November 2011, OHL president David Branch announced that Kühnhackl would be suspended for 20 games due to the hit.
Kühnhackl made his professional debut in the
2012–13 season with the Pittsburgh Penguins'
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league in North America that serves as the primary developmental league of the National Hockey League (NHL). The league comprises 32 teams, with 26 in the United States and 6 in Cana ...
(AHL) affiliate, the
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (sometimes known as the WBS Penguins) are a professional ice hockey team based in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. They are the American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate of the National Hockey League's Pittsburgh Pengui ...
, but was sidelined by injury after only 11 games. On 2 December 2012, Kühnhackl dislocated his shoulder, requiring season-ending surgery.

On 20 February 2016, Kühnhackl scored his first NHL goal, a shorthanded breakaway goal during a game against the
Tampa Bay Lightning. On 14 March, after recording 6 points in his first 28 games, including a two-assist game against the
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in New York City. The Rangers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Conference. The team plays ...
the day before, Kühnhackl signed a two-year contract extension with Pittsburgh, along with fellow breakout players
Scott Wilson and
Bryan Rust.
Kühnhackl had an impressive run with the Penguins in the
2016 Stanley Cup playoffs, defeating the
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in New York City. The Rangers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Conference. The team plays ...
(4–1),
Washington Capitals
The Washington Capitals (colloquially known as the Caps) are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. The Capitals compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NH ...
(4–2),
Tampa Bay Lightning (4–3) and
San Jose Sharks
The San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California. The Sharks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Con ...
(4–2) to clinch the
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup () is the championship trophy awarded annually to the National Hockey League (NHL) playoff champion. It is the oldest existing trophy to be awarded to a professional sports franchise in North America, and the International Ic ...
. He became the third German-born NHL player (after
Uwe Krupp and
Dennis Seidenberg) to win the Cup. In 2017, after the Penguins repeated as Stanley Cup champions, Kühnhackl became the first German-born NHL player to win the Stanley Cup twice with the same team.
After the conclusion of the
2017–18 season, his sixth season within the Penguins' organization, Kühnhackl was unable to agree to terms on a new contract as a restricted free agent. On 25 June 2018, he was not tendered a qualifying offer and was released to explore the free agent market. On 2 July, as a free agent, he signed a one-year contract with the
New York Islanders
The New York Islanders (colloquially known as the Isles) are a professional ice hockey team based in Elmont, New York. The Islanders compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (N ...
.
On 22 January 2021, Kühnhackl joined the training camp of the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, and was then signed to a one-year contract.
Following his eleventh season in North America, Kühnhackl returned to Europe as a free agent, agreeing to a two-year contract with
Skellefteå AIK of the
Swedish Hockey League
The Swedish Hockey League (SHL; ) is a professional ice hockey league in Sweden and the highest level of the ice hockey in Sweden, Swedish ice hockey system. The league currently consists of 14 teams. The league was founded in 1975, and while Li ...
on 12 August 2021.
At the conclusion of his two year tenure with Skellefteå AIK, Kühnhackl returned to his native Germany, agreeing to a three-year contract with Adler Mannheim of the DEL on 2 May 2023.
International play
Kühnhackl has represented Germany internationally, playing in the 2008 and 2009
World U-17 Hockey Challenge, the 2009 and 2010
IIHF World U18 Championships, and the 2010 and 2011
IIHF World U20 Championships.
He first played for the
German national team in an exhibition game against
France
France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
on 27 August 2016. A couple of days later, he scored the game-winning goal in the last game of the
qualification tournament for the
2018 Winter Olympics
The 2018 Winter Olympics (), officially the XXIII Olympic Winter Games (; ) and also known as PyeongChang 2018 (), were an international winter multi-sport event held between 9 and 25 February 2018 in Pyeongchang County, South Ko ...
against host
Latvia
Latvia, officially the Republic of Latvia, is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is one of the three Baltic states, along with Estonia to the north and Lithuania to the south. It borders Russia to the east and Belarus to t ...
, which gave Germany a place in
Pyeongchang.
Personal life
Kühnhackl was born and raised in
Landshut,
Bavaria
Bavaria, officially the Free State of Bavaria, is a States of Germany, state in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the list of German states by area, largest German state by land area, comprising approximately 1/5 of the total l ...
, and first began to play hockey at age two. His father,
Erich, played in the top German leagues from 1968 until 1989 and appeared in five
Winter Olympics
The Winter Olympic Games (), also known as the Winter Olympics, is a major international multi-sport event held once every four years for sports practiced on snow and ice. The first Winter Olympic Games, the 1924 Winter Olympics, were held i ...
for West Germany.
He was named Germany's ice hockey player of the 20th century in 2000. Kühnhackl has been a lifelong fan of the Pittsburgh Penguins, the team that drafted him. He got his start in hockey at age five, following in his family's footsteps—his brother, sister and dad all played hockey in Germany.
Kühnhackl is a supporter of
FC Bayern Munich
Fußball-Club Bayern München e. V. (FCB, ), commonly known as Bayern Munich (), FC Bayern () or simply Bayern, is a German professional sports club based in Munich, Bavaria. They are most known for their men's professional association foo ...
.
Career statistics
Regular season and playoffs
International
Awards and honours
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kuhnhackl, Tom
1992 births
Adler Mannheim players
Augsburger Panther players
Bridgeport Sound Tigers players
EV Landshut players
German ice hockey left wingers
Living people
New York Islanders players
Niagara IceDogs players
Ice hockey people from Landshut
Pittsburgh Penguins draft picks
Pittsburgh Penguins players
Skellefteå AIK players
Stanley Cup champions
Wheeling Nailers players
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins players
Windsor Spitfires players
Ice hockey players at the 2022 Winter Olympics
Olympic ice hockey players for Germany
German expatriate sportspeople in Sweden
German expatriate sportspeople in Canada
German expatriate ice hockey players in the United States
Expatriate ice hockey players in Canada
Expatriate ice hockey players in Sweden