Up My Hockey with Jason Podollan

EP 115 Luke Toporowski - Not Getting Drafted (3 times), But Earning That NHL Contract

July 25, 2023 Jason Podollan Season 3 Episode 115
Up My Hockey with Jason Podollan
EP 115 Luke Toporowski - Not Getting Drafted (3 times), But Earning That NHL Contract
Show Notes

A Spokane Chief through and through, Toporowski said "playing in the WHL was the only thing he wanted to do" as a young hockey player. 

His Dad was a Chief, his older brother was a Chief, so for this USA/Canada dual citizen playing for the Chicago Mission, his goals went against the typical American hockey player's goal of playing in the USHL as a pathway to the NCAA.

Luke's dream came true when he was signed by the Spokane Chiefs and moved out to Spokane where is grandparents lived, and where he spent his summers growing up.

Luke represented the USA at the Gretzky/Hlinka Cup and it was a 3rd round draft pick prediction, but the draft came and went without Luke's name being called. Not his first year, second year, or third.

Yet here he is, talking to Jason about signing his first NHL contract with the Boston Bruins, and how he never gave up on his dream.