Tomas Jurco is heading back to the KHL, leaving North American shores behind. Here’s what could’ve been with the former Vegas Golden Knights player.

Some players get all the glory, with everybody knowing their name. It’s like the classic Cheers theme song, where the player walks into a proverbial bar and recognizes them like they’re an old friend. However, some people take it beyond a regular friend status, becoming obsessed with the person (see Jake DeBrusk).

Tomas Jurco didn’t have the same luxury, for he’s staying in the KHL with Kunlun Red Star.

After one season in Omsk, Tomas Jurco 🇸🇰 is back to @KRSchina! pic.twitter.com/Qfvz790yiS

— KHL (@khl_eng) July 27, 2024

The former Vegas Golden Knights winger spent one season with the team (2020-21), scoring one assist in eight games. He also spent 2020-21 with the Henderson Silver Knights, scoring four goals and seven assists in 22 games.

His career statistics consist of 22 goals and 31 assists in seven seasons. Last year, he played for Avangard Omsk in the Russian top league, splitting time with HC Davos of Switzerland’s National League. Originally, the Slovakian was drafted by the Detroit Red Wings in the 2011 NHL Draft, spending four seasons with his original club.

Jurco had the potential to be a productive NHL player, with his strong QJMHL campaigns being a perfect example. However, some factors played into a career elsewhere. How did the Slovakian forward go from scoring 87 goals and 88 assists in three seasons with the Saint John Sea Dogs to playing hockey in Europe?

The curious case of former Vegas Golden Knights forward and Red Wings draft pick Tomas Jurco

Tomas Jurco didn’t make much of a positive impact after his amateur days with the Sea Dogs. After two promising AHL seasons with the Grand Rapids Griffins, the former second-round pick only scored double-digit goals in a season twice (13 goals in 2017-18 with the Rockford Ice Hogs, and 10 in 2022-23 with Kunlun Red Star of the KHL).

Aside from failing to live up to his potential with the Red Wings, he was involved in an incident with his coach during his HC Davos tenure. Josh Holden became so irate with Jurco that he grabbed him by the jersey and yanked him a couple of times. The former Vegas Golden Knights player tried to fend him off and the incident divided among fans.

The case of Jurco will come down to not putting the pieces together. The NHL is a fast-paced game, where everyone is constantly on the move. For the Slovakian winger, he couldn’t process the game quick enough, failing to live up to lofty expectations. Whether it’s with Vegas or Detroit, he’s the perfect example of a player with untapped potential.