Lightning Prospects Duke, Kurth, and Webster Make NCAA Tournament

With the NCAA Hockey Tournament bracket set, Tampa Bay Lightning drafted forwards Connor Kurth, Dylank Duke, and McKade Webster are set to compete with their teams with the goal of making the Frozen Four at Amalie Arena.

Minnesota and Connor Kurth earned the top seed of the tournament and will look to improve upon their loss in the semifinals of last year’s Frozen Four. Kurth, a freshman, is new to the team but has shown early promise with six goals in a largely depth role on the team headlined by top NHL prospects Logan Cooley (ARI), Matthew Knies (TOR), and Jimmy Snuggerud (STL).

Michigan and Dylan Duke earned the third seed and will also aim to take another step forward after falling to Denver in the other semifinal matchup last year. Duke’s sophomore season has largely been successful with 17 goals and 29 points in 38 games. He enters the tournament fresh off scoring the game-winning goal in the Big Ten Championship game.

With the fourth seed, Denver and McKade Webster will attempt to repeat as champions after winning convincingly in last year’s championship game. Denver has had to replace some key offensive pieces from last year’s team, including top-line center (and former Lightning prospect) Cole Guttman, but they did not miss a beat and are back after a 30-9-0 season. Webster, now a junior, moved from a depth role into the middle-six and scored near the half point-per-game mark this season.

With Denver, Michigan, and Minnesota earning the top seed in separate regionals, we could see all three Lightning prospects make the Frozen Four in Tampa.