RED WINGS

Red Wings deal Jurco to Blackhawks for 3rd-round pick

Gregg Krupa
The Detroit News

Detroit — The Red Wings traded little-used forward Tomas Jurco to the Blackhawks for a third-round pick in this June's NHL Draft.

Detroit right wing Tomas Jurco

Jurco, who showed considerable potential in junior hockey playing for Gerard Gallant for the Saint John (N.B.) Sea Dogs, never quite panned out for the Wings.

Both Mike Babcock and Jeff Blashill said they had plans for his development and then found little time for Jurco on the top two offensive lines.

He did improve as a grinder on the fourth line, as he developed his defensive game at the NHL level. But Jurco was projected as a scorer.

The 24-year-old from Slovakia 59 games for the Red Wings since 2013-14. He scored 15 goals and 24 assists.

He played in 16 games for the Red Wings this season and in two games for Grand Rapids, where he scored a goal and assisted on another.

In the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, under Gallant, the Sea Dogs won two league championships in 2011 and 2012. In 172 games, Jurco scored 87 goals and 88 assists for 175 points.

The Red Wings now have nine picks in this year's draft, including two selections in both the third and sixth rounds.