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Carolina Hurricanes Prospects: Jack Drury Headed Overseas

By Austin Isham

BOSTON, MA - JANUARY 8: Jake Drury #19 of the Harvard Crimson skates against the Boston University Terriers during NCAA hockey at The Bright-Landry Hockey Center on January 8, 2019 in Boston, Massachusetts. The game ended in a 2-2 tie. (Photo by Richard T Gagnon/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA - JANUARY 8: Jake Drury #19 of the Harvard Crimson skates against the Boston University Terriers during NCAA hockey at The Bright-Landry Hockey Center on January 8, 2019 in Boston, Massachusetts. The game ended in a 2-2 tie. (Photo by Richard T Gagnon/Getty Images) /
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The Carolina Hurricanes have a prospect going to Europe

According to reports, Carolina Hurricanes prospect Jack Drury is taking his talent overseas for the 2020-2021 season.

With COVID-19 still very much impacting the future of collegiate sports, there is a growing sense that the upcoming college hockey season will be delayed or altogether canceled.

This uncertainty appears to have resulted in several players opting to take their talent overseas for the 2020-21 season. Among those names rumored to be leaving the college ranks is Carolina Hurricanes prospect Jack Drury.

Dury was drafted by the Hurricanes in the second round of the 2018 NHL Entry Draft. Committed to Harvard of the NCAA, he quickly had his presence felt like a rookie in a league typically dominated by juniors and seniors.

Earning NCAA All-Rookie Team honors, he was among those selected to represent the United States at the 2019 World Junior Showcase. Playing in a depth role, Drury was held off the score sheet in all seven games but he still helped the American squad come away with a silver medal.

This year, he took his game to the next level. Putting up 20 goals and 39 points in just 28 games with Harvard. He was named to the NCAA Second All-Star Team while earning the John Tudor ’29 Memorial Cup (given to the team MVP).

This year at World Juniors he was the go-to face-off man for Team USA and was best described as their team’s Jordan Staal. Getting on the score sheet with a goal and assist in five games, the Americans, unfortunately, fell short of the podium this time around.

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There was a slight chance that Carolina was looking to sign him to his entry-level deal this offseason, in turn allowing him to begin his professional career this upcoming fall. Had that have been the case, he would have more than likely spent a year or two at the very least developing his craft in the American Hockey League before being a serious threat at a full-time roster spot with the Canes.

Now, it appears as if he has his eyes set on playing this upcoming season in the SHL. For those of you who are unaware, the SHL is the top hockey league in Sweden. With most of the European leagues looking to start their 2020-21 seasons on time, this might be a good way from him to continue his development while playing against men as a 20-year-old.

It has been rumored that numerous teams were bidding for his services but Växjö Lakers HC appears to be the front runners. A veteran-heavy roster, Drury will have to earn his way into the lineup and gain the coach’s trust for ice time.

Signing overseas for a season shouldn’t have an impact on this eligibility to return to Harvard when things get back to normal I wouldn’t think. However, if he has another good year the Hurricanes may prefer to get him under contract anyways so either way it is possible that his college hockey career has come to an end but it is hard to tell for sure.

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Question for CC readers: What do you think about Jack Drury’s decision to play in Sweden next year?

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