Luke Kunin Bio
Luke Kunin is an American professional ice hockey center who plays in the National Hockey League (NHL). Born on December 4, 1997, Kunin was selected 15th overall by the Minnesota Wild in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft after a standout career with the University of Wisconsin. He has played for the Minnesota Wild, Nashville Predators, San Jose Sharks, and Columbus Blue Jackets before joining the Florida Panthers. Off the ice, Kunin manages Type 1 diabetes and supports juvenile diabetes research through the Luke Kunin T1D fund.
Early Life and Background
Luke Kunin was born on December 4, 1997, in Chesterfield, Missouri, to Mark and Sheri Kunin. He grew up in the St. Louis area and began playing minor ice hockey for a youth affiliate of the St. Louis Blues. During his youth career, Kunin was coached by several former professional players, including Keith Tkachuk, Jeff Brown, Al MacInnis, and Jamie Rivers. He spent one year at the Whitfield School in St. Louis, playing for the school hockey team before joining the USA Hockey National Team Development Program (NTDP) in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Kunin played two seasons with the NTDP and recorded 27 goals and 42 points in 61 games during his second year. He finished high school in three years so that he could continue his hockey career at the age of 17. In sixth grade, Kunin was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, and he credits fellow diabetic B. J. Crombeen of the St. Louis Blues as an inspiration while learning to manage the condition on and off the ice.
Path to Professional Hockey
On May 24, 2013, Kunin committed to play college ice hockey for the Wisconsin Badgers, starting in the 2015–16 season. As the youngest skater on the team, Kunin led the Badgers with 18 goals and 33 points and was named to the 2016 All-Big Ten Freshmen Team. After the season, the Minnesota Wild selected him 15th overall in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft, and he chose to spend one more year at Wisconsin.
Kunin was named captain of the Badgers entering his sophomore year, becoming the first sophomore to wear the C since the 1975–76 season. He led Wisconsin in scoring again with 22 goals and 38 points, earning All-Big Ten Second Team honors and a spot on the 2017 Big Ten All-Tournament Team. The American Hockey Coaches Association also named him a Division I Second Team All-American for the West Region, confirming his readiness for the professional ranks.
Luke Kunin Career
Early Career (2017–2018)
On March 23, 2017, Kunin signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Wild and closed out the AHL season with the Iowa Wild, recording five goals and three assists in 12 games. He made his NHL debut in the 2017–18 home opener against the Columbus Blue Jackets and later became the first player in franchise history to score his first NHL goal short-handed. Kunin was selected for the 2018 AHL All-Star Classic as Iowa’s lone representative.
His rookie season was cut short on March 4, 2018, when he suffered a season-ending anterior cruciate ligament injury in his right knee during a game against the Detroit Red Wings. At the time, Kunin had recorded two goals and two assists in 19 NHL games and 10 goals and 19 points in 36 AHL contests. He underwent surgery in early April with an estimated six-to-seven-month recovery.
Nashville Predators Era (2020–2022)
On October 7, 2020, the Wild traded Kunin and the 101st pick in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft to the Nashville Predators for Nick Bonino and two picks. After recovering from two lower-body injuries, Kunin scored six goals in his last nine regular-season games, including two in a 3–1 defeat of the Carolina Hurricanes on May 8 that clinched a 2021 Stanley Cup playoff berth for Nashville. In the playoffs, he scored both the first and game-winning goals in Game 4 against the Hurricanes, with the winner coming in double overtime. He finished the pandemic-shortened 2020–21 season with 10 goals and 19 points in 38 games.
During the 2021–22 season, Kunin recorded a Gordie Howe hat trick on his 24th birthday in a 4–3 overtime win over the Montreal Canadiens, the first for Nashville since Ryan Johansen three years earlier. He played all 82 regular-season games, contributing 13 goals and 22 points, while his 99 penalty minutes ranked third on the team. The Predators were swept by the Colorado Avalanche in the first round of the 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs.
San Jose Sharks Era (2022–2025)
A restricted free agent, Kunin was traded to the San Jose Sharks on July 8, 2022, and signed a two-year, $5.5 million contract ten days later. He played in 31 games during the 2022–23 season before suffering another season-ending ACL injury on December 13 against the Arizona Coyotes, recording five goals and 13 points before the injury. The Sharks retained him on a one-year, $2.75 million contract signed June 30, 2024, and named him an alternate captain for road games entering 2024–25.
Kunin appeared in 77 games during the 2023–24 season, posting 11 goals and 18 points while his 165 hits led all Sharks forwards. He served as an alternate captain for part of the year and was the Sharks’ nominee for the 2024 King Clancy Memorial Trophy for his work with Breakthrough T1D. On March 7, 2025, San Jose traded him to the Columbus Blue Jackets for a fourth-round pick in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft, and he went scoreless in his short stint with Columbus before becoming an unrestricted free agent.
Florida Panthers Era (2025–Present)
As a free agent, Kunin signed a one-year, $775,000 contract with the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers on August 22, 2025. He joined a deep forward group in Sunrise looking to add bottom-six energy and penalty killing. Kunin is expected to bring his trademark physicality and two-way play to the Panthers lineup.
Driving Style and Strengths
Kunin is recognized as a versatile two-way forward who excels on the penalty kill and brings physicality to every shift. He combines a high compete level with responsible defensive play, allowing linemates to take offensive chances while he focuses on matchups and details. Throughout his career, he has produced consistent hits and blocked shots, traits that have made him a steady complementary piece.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Kunin’s signature moments are his franchise-first short-handed debut goal with the Wild and his double-overtime winner in Game 4 of the 2021 Stanley Cup playoffs against Carolina. He also recorded a Gordie Howe hat trick on his 24th birthday and was twice honored as a Big Ten Second Star of the Week during his time at Wisconsin.
Luke Kunin Career Wins
Luke Kunin has built a reputation as a reliable two-way center whose value often shows up on the scoresheet in big moments. While not a prolific point producer, he has produced timely goals and playoff highlights for every team that has employed him.
NHL Regular-Season Highlights
Kunin has posted double-digit goals in multiple NHL seasons, including 15 goals for the Wild in 2019–20 and 11 for the Sharks in 2023–24. His most productive playoff stretch came with Nashville in 2021, when his double-overtime winner against Carolina kept the Predators alive in the first round. He has also scored timely goals against several Original Six franchises, including a short-handed debut tally versus the Blue Jackets and a birthday hat trick against the Canadiens.
Other Wins and Performances
Internationally, Kunin captained the United States to three consecutive gold medals at the U-17, U-18, and World Junior levels between 2014 and 2017. He later represented the U.S. at the 2019 and 2024 IIHF World Championships, finishing fifth with Team USA in 2024. He was also an AHL All-Star in 2018 during his developmental stint with the Iowa Wild.
Luke Kunin Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Luke Kunin is the son of Mark and Sheri Kunin and grew up in Chesterfield, Missouri. He has an older brother, Nick Kunin, whose own hockey career was cut short by a series of concussions. Luke leaned on Nick for support while adjusting to life with Type 1 diabetes and continues to credit his family as a key part of his development.
Personal Life
Kunin is married to former Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) player Sophia Shaver, whom he met while both were playing college hockey at the University of Wisconsin. The couple married in 2023, and several former teammates, including Abby Roque, Brady and Matthew Tkachuk, and Marcus Foligno, attended the wedding. During the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns, they adopted a French Bulldog named Rocco. Kunin is also of Jewish heritage and established the Luke Kunin T1D fund in 2021 to support the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.
2025 Season Performance
Kunin began the 2025 calendar year still with the San Jose Sharks, where he served as an alternate captain and posted 11 goals and 18 points in 77 games during the 2023–24 campaign. After being traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets on March 7, 2025, he finished the year scoreless in limited action as Columbus narrowly missed the playoffs. He became an unrestricted free agent on July 1, 2025.
On August 22, 2025, Kunin signed a one-year, $775,000 contract with the Florida Panthers, the defending Stanley Cup champions. He is expected to slot into a bottom-six role, contributing penalty killing, faceoff work, and physicality. With the Panthers pursuing a third consecutive Cup run, Kunin’s experience and two-way play give him a clear opportunity to contribute meaningfully.
Heading into the 2025–26 season, Kunin’s primary focus is on providing steady secondary scoring and energy while helping Florida manage the grind of a deep playoff push. His familiarity with several Panthers players from USA Hockey and past NHL matchups should ease his transition into the lineup.