Luke Kunin

Luke Kunin (born December 4, 1997) is an American professional ice hockey center, currently playing with the Minnesota Wild of the National Hockey League (NHL). Kunin was selected 15th overall by the Wild in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft.
==Early life==
Kunin is the son of Sheri and Mark Kunin, and has an older brother Nick. He was born in Chesterfield, Missouri, and is Jewish.
In grade 6, Kunin was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. His friend and, then, teammate Matthew Tkachuk arranged for Kunin to meet with St. Louis Blues player B. J. Crombeen who also had type 1 diabetes. Kunin and Tkachuk played in the 2010 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with the St. Louis Blues minor ice hockey team. Kunin later went to Whitfield School in Missouri for one year and then spent time with the U.S National Team Development Program in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He graduated from high school in three years.
==Playing career==
===College===
In the 2015–16 season, his freshman year with the Wisconsin Badgers, he was the second-youngest player in college hockey. Kunin scored 19 goals (third-most among NCAA freshmen) and 32 points in 34 games and was named to the Big Ten Conference All-Rookie Team.
In the 2016–17 season, Kunin was elected as the Wisconsin team captain, becoming only the second sophomore captain in the team's history. The last sophomore to have had achieved this honor was Mike Eaves 40 years ago. He led the Badgers with 22 goals and 38 points in 35 games, good enough for Second Team All Big Ten.
On January 5, 2017, Kunin won a gold medal at the 2017 IIHF World Junior U20 Championship as Captain of Team USA in a 5-4 shootout win against Team Canada.
===Minnesota Wild===
At the conclusion the 2016–17 season, Kunin ended his collegiate career by signing a three-year, entry-level contract with the Minnesota Wild on March 23, 2017. He was assigned to conclude the season with AHL affiliate, the Iowa Wild, on an amateur try-out deal.
In the 2017–18 season, on October 26, 2017, Kunin recorded his first goal against the New York Islanders in an eventual 6–4 win. He became the first player in team history to score their first career NHL goal shorthanded. However, on October 29 Kunin was sent back to the Iowa Wild, Minnesota's AHL affiliate. On January 4, 2018, Kunin was selected to represent the Wild at the 2018 AHL All-Star game. He became the fourth player in team history to be named an All Star, joining former Wild players Alex Tuch, Mathew Dumba, and Gustav Olofsson. Kunin was called up to the Wild on February 28, 2018, however he received a season ending injury, a torn ACL, in a game against the Detroit Red Wings on March 4, 2018. He underwent surgery for his ACL a month later and was given a 6–7 month recovery time. On October 8, Kunin was medically cleared to return to the ice and was immediately assigned to the Iowa Wild to begin the 2018–19 season. Nearly two months later, on December 9, Kunin was called up the NHL for the first time that season as a replacement centerman for injured Mikko Koivu.
==International play==
In 2013-14 he won the U.S. National Team World Under-17 Hockey Challenge Gold Medal, and in 2014-15 he won the U.S. National Team WJC IIHF World Under-18 Championship Gold Medal."Luke Kunin" - Eliteprospects.com
==Career statistics==
===Regular season and playoffs===
 	 	 		Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season		Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs
Season 	Team 	League 		GP 	G 	A 	Pts 	PIM 		GP 	G 	A 	Pts 	PIM
2013–14 	U.S. National Development Team	USHL 		32 	11 	12 	23 	27 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2014–15 	U.S. National Development Team	USHL 		20 	10 	4 	14 	12 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2015–16 	University of Wisconsin 	B1G 		34 	19 	13 	32 	34 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2016–17 	University of Wisconsin 	B1G 		35 	22 	16 	38 	30 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2016–17 	Iowa Wild 	AHL 		12 	5 	3 	8 	16 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2017–18 	Iowa Wild 	AHL 		36 	10 	9 	19 	34 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2017–18 	Minnesota Wild 	NHL 		19 	2 	2 	4 	13 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2018–19 	Iowa Wild 	AHL 		25 	9 	7 	16 	30 		11 	6 	2 	8 	18
2018–19 	Minnesota Wild 	NHL 		49 	6 	11 	17 	27 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2019–20 	Minnesota Wild 	NHL 		63 	15 	16 	31 	55 		4 	2 	0 	2 	2
NHL totals	NHL totals 	NHL totals		131 	23 	29 	52 	95 		4 	2 	0 	2 	2
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
===International===
Year 	Team 	Event 	Result 		GP	G 	A	Pts	PIM
2014 	United States	U17 	 		6 	2 	4	6 	0
2015 	United States	WJC18 	 		7 	6 	0	6 	2
2017 	United States	WJC 	 		7 	2 	2	4 	25
2019 	United States	WC 	7th 		3 	0 	0	0 	0
Junior totals	Junior totals	Junior totals	Junior totals		20	10	6	16 	27
Senior totals	Senior totals	Senior totals	Senior totals		3 	0 	0	0 	0
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
==Awards and honors==
Award 	Year 	
College 	College	College
B1G All-Rookie Team 	2016 	
B1G All-Tournament Team 	2017 	
B1G Second All-Star Team 	2017 	
AHCA West Second-Team All-American	2016–17	
AHL 	AHL 	AHL
All-Star Game 	2018 	
==See also==
*List of select Jewish ice hockey players
==References==
==External links==
*
Category:1997 births
Category:American men's ice hockey centers
Category:Iowa Wild players
Category:People from Chesterfield, Missouri
Category:Ice hockey people from Missouri
Category:Jewish ice hockey players
Category:Minnesota Wild draft picks
Category:Minnesota Wild players
Category:National Hockey League first round draft picks
Category:USA Hockey National Team Development Program players
Category:Wisconsin Badgers men's ice hockey players