Kyle Turris

Lore & Background

Turris began his junior career with the Burnaby Express of the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL), where he scored 72 points in 57 games as a 16-year-old and was named rookie of the year. The following season he finished second in BCHL scoring with 121 points, led the Express to a BCHL championship and the 2006 Royal Bank Cup, scoring a hat-trick in the final. He was named the 2007 Canadian Junior A Player of the Year and ranked first overall among North American skaters by Central Scouting. Despite holding WHL rights with the Vancouver Giants, Turris chose to stay in Junior A to pursue U.S. collegiate hockey, joining the Wisconsin Badgers in 2007–08 and recording a team-high 35 points in 36 games.

After his college season, Turris signed an entry-level contract with the Phoenix Coyotes and made his NHL debut on April 3, 2008. He scored his first NHL goal on October 12, 2008. Contract disputes led to a holdout at the start of the 2011–12 season, and he was traded to the Ottawa Senators on December 17, 2011. In Ottawa, he set career highs and signed a five-year, $17.5 million extension.

He was traded to the Nashville Predators in a three-team deal on November 5, 2017, and immediately signed a six-year, $36 million extension. After a buyout by the Predators in October 2020, Turris became a free agent and signed a two-year, $3.3 million contract with the Edmonton Oilers on October 9, 2020. He retired from playing in August 2022, taking a role with the Coquitlam Express as special advisor to the general manager and player development coach.

Reader's Guide

Turris's career is notable for his high draft pedigree as the highest-ever Tier II Junior 'A' selection, a path he chose to maintain NCAA eligibility. His time with the Ottawa Senators included a career-high 27 goals in 2016–17 and a run to the Eastern Conference Finals in the 2017 playoffs, where he recorded 4 goals and 10 points in 19 games. The three-team trade that sent him to Nashville in 2017 was a major transaction involving Matt Duchene and multiple picks and players.

After a buyout of his large contract, Turris joined the Edmonton Oilers on a shorter deal, marking the final NHL stop of his career. Internationally, he won a gold medal at the 2008 World Junior Championships, led Canada in scoring at that tournament, and captained the senior Canadian team to a silver medal at the 2019 IIHF World Championship, posting 4 goals and 10 points in 10 games. His playing career ended in 2022 when he transitioned to a front-office and coaching role with the Coquitlam Express.