Hurley is a strong, two-way forward with big drive and a massive heart — a leader both on and off the ice showing that he will do or play any role needed to help his team win. He skates with good intent, with solid speed and always keeps his feet moving. He pushes the pace when he has the puck, but away from the puck he finishes his checks and used his speed to eliminate time and space defensively. Is a threat as a penalty killer. He raises his play away from the puck, like he understands that he needs to do little things like finish his checks and be diligent defensively to succeed. He’s sneaky good at stealing pucks and finishes his checks, supports his line- mates and his defensemen. He goes into the corners determined to win battles and get the puck. Hurley’s also an exceptional distributor, makes crisp tape-to-tape passes of any touch. He can feather them over sticks or laser one through traffic to a teammate. He goes into the corners to battle with any player of any size, deter- mined to win. His vision is something to behold and one play this season sums it up well. Hurley went hard after a loose puck behind the goal line of a high school game and in one motion sent it back out to an open teammate at the top of the crease for a goal, all in on quick second. He just sees lanes and gets the puck through yet amazingly he never really forces pucks either. His passing is so crisp; every pass is clean and catchable. He zips it along the ice and it never seems to wobble or bounce. Has great patience with the puck, and will wait until he finds the right time to distribute. Hides his intentions with the puck so well; when you think he’s going to shoot, he’ll laser a pass across the rink to an open teammate. If you think he’s going to pass, he’ll shoot for an opening from in tight. He has that sort of ability to keep defenders guessing, freezing them. Hurley’s commitment to his play away from the puck — finished every check, battles hard for pucks and works his tail off. Hurley showed a gnatty side to his game; got under his opponents skin by finishing checks, out hustling them to loose pucks, and little jabs and stick work away from the play. (May 2013)