Andrew Poturalski

Andrew Poturalski (born January 14, 1994) is an American professional ice hockey player who is a center for Avangard Omsk of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL).

He is a two-time winner of the American Hockey League (AHL) Calder Cup in 2019 and 2022. He is also a three-time John B. Sollenberger Trophy winner as the AHL's leading scorer for the season, one of only three players to achieve that feat, and received the Les Cunningham Award as the most valuable player of the 2024–25 AHL season.

Early life Poturalski was born on January 14, 1994, in Williamsville, New York to parents Joseph and Diane. His mother formerly played softball at Iowa and Erie Community College while his father is a football officiator. Poturalski originally wished to play goaltender but his parents convinced him to be a skater due to the price of goalie equipment.

Playing career Amateur Growing up in New York, Poturalski played midget ice hockey with the Wheatfield Blades under former NHL player Peter Scamurra. He then enrolled at Nichols School and played on their varsity ice hockey team in the Conference of Independent Schools of Ontario Athletic Association for three seasons. While attending Nichols School in 2011, Poturalski joined the Ontario Junior Hockey League's Buffalo Jr. Sabres. Early in his rookie season, he confirmed his commitment to join the New Hampshire Wildcats men's ice hockey for the 2013–14 Hockey East season. By the end of October, Poturalski was named to the NHL Central Scouting preliminary "Watch List" for the 2012 NHL entry draft. At the time, he was tied for fourth in OJHL in scoring with 27 points as well as third with 17 assists. Poturalski finished the 2011–12 OJHL season with 16 goals and 22 assists in 33 regular season games before being loaned to the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders in the United States Hockey League. However, after playing in two games and recording three points, Poturalski's season was cut short due to a broken ankle. He then broke his fibula in a "freak on-ice accident" as he prepared over the summer for the following season.

After rehabbing his ankle, Poturalski made his 2012–13 USHL season debut mid-October and immediately scored three goals and recorded two assists.

College In his sophomore season with the Wildcats in 2015–16, Poturalski led the team and conference in scoring with 52 points in just 37 games. Earning select to the East First-Star Team and named as a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award, Poturalski opted to leave college early to pursue a professional career, in agreeing to a two-year entry-level contract with the Carolina Hurricanes on March 9, 2016.

Professional During his first full professional season in 2016–17, Poturalski was initially assigned to AHL affiliate, the Charlotte Checkers. Poturalski was leading the club in assists and scoring when he received his first recall to the NHL by the Hurricanes on April 4, 2017. He made his debut that night in a 5–3 defeat to the Minnesota Wild. After two games with the Hurricanes, Poturalski was returned to Charlotte to play out the remainder of the year.

Following that season, Poturalski was invited to the Hurricanes training camp but began the 2017–18 season with the Checkers after being cut.

In the 2018–19 season, had a stand out season with the league leading Charlotte Checkers, scoring 23 goals and 70 points in 72 games, to earning a selection to the AHL Second All-Star Team. In the post-season, he led the Checkers to the 2019 Calder Cup Championship after collecting 12 goals and 23 points. Poturalski was named the Jack A. Butterfield Trophy as the playoffs MVP after leading all skaters in points and goals.

On July 2, 2019, Poturalski left the Hurricanes organization as a free agent to sign a one-year, two-way contract with the Anaheim Ducks.

After a successful stint in the AHL with the San Diego Gulls, Poturalski returned to the Hurricanes as a free agent, signing a one-year, two-way contract on August 11, 2021.

As a free agent at the conclusion of his contract with the Hurricanes, Poturalski was signed to a two-year, $1.525 million contract with the Seattle Kraken on July 13, 2022.

After helping the Kraken's AHL affiliate, the Coachella Valley Firebirds reach the Calder Cup finals in each season under contract with the Kraken, Poturalski left as a free agent and was signed to a two-year, two-way contract with the San Jose Sharks on July 3, 2024. He appeared in three games with the Sharks, recording one assist, but spent the bulk of the 2024–25 season in the AHL with the San Jose Barracuda. In 59 games he scored a career-best 30 goals, and with 73 points he led the league for the third in his career. Poturalski became only the third player to win the Sollenberger Trophy three times, and for the first time was given the Les Cunningham Award as the most valuable player of the regular season. He also received his second First Team All-Star selection.

Despite having a year to remaining on his deal with the Sharks, on May 30, 2025, Poturalski was granted a release from his contract in order to pursue a career abroad. On July 27, 2025, Poturalski agreed to a one-year contract with Russian club, Avangard Omsk of the KHL, for the 2025–26 season.

Personal life Poturalski and his wife Haley have two children together; a son and daughter.

Career statistics Regular season Playoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 2008–09 Nichols School USHS 21 13 6 19 6 — — — — — 2010–11 Nichols School USHS 14 13 10 23 26 4 8 0 8 4 2011–12 Buffalo Jr. Sabres OJHL 33 16 22 38 32 8 5 2 7 4 2011–12 Cedar Rapids RoughRiders USHL 2 2 1 3 0 — — — — — 2012–13 Cedar Rapids RoughRiders USHL 53 12 21 33 43 — — — — — 2013–14 Cedar Rapids RoughRiders USHL 60 27 37 64 28 4 2 1 3 2 2014–15 University of New Hampshire HE 40 14 15 29 16 — — — — — 2015–16 University of New Hampshire HE 37 22 30 52 24 — — — — — 2015–16 Charlotte Checkers AHL 16 2 3 5 0 — — — — — 2016–17 Charlotte Checkers AHL 74 19 33 52 34 5 0 0 0 5 2016–17 Carolina Hurricanes NHL 2 0 0 0 0 — — — — — 2017–18 Charlotte Checkers AHL 76 22 27 49 24 8 1 4 5 2 2018–19 Charlotte Checkers AHL 72 23 47 70 34 18 12 11 23 12 2019–20 San Diego Gulls AHL 17 2 5 7 8 — — — — — 2020–21 San Diego Gulls AHL 44 9 34 43 10 3 0 0 0 0 2021–22 Chicago Wolves AHL 71 28 73 101 36 18 8 15 23 26 2021–22 Carolina Hurricanes NHL 2 0 2 2 0 — — — — — 2022–23 Coachella Valley Firebirds AHL 38 11 31 42 14 16 3 9 12 6 2023–24 Coachella Valley Firebirds AHL 60 15 36 51 30 13 2 8 10 14 2023–24 Seattle Kraken NHL 2 0 0 0 0 — — — — — 2024–25 San Jose Barracuda AHL 59 30 43 73 34 — — — — — 2024–25 San Jose Sharks NHL 3 0 1 1 2 — — — — — 2025–26 Avangard Omsk KHL 67 27 39 66 32 17 4 9 13 8 NHL totals 9 0 3 3 2 — — — — — KHL totals 67 27 39 66 32 17 4 9 13 8

Awards and honors Award Year RefOJHL Second All-Prospect Team 2012 USHL All-Star Game 2014 College Hockey East First All-Star Team2016 Hockey East Scoring Champion East First All-American Team AHL Second All-Star Team 2019 Calder Cup champion 2019, 2022 Jack A. Butterfield Trophy 2019 Pacific Division All-Star Team 2021 John B. Sollenberger Trophy 2021, 2022, 2025 Les Cunningham Award 2025