Kurvers played collegiately at the University of Minnesota Duluth, and was selected 145th overall by the Montreal Canadiens in the 1981 NHL Entry Draft following his freshman season. His time with At Duluth culminated with winning the Hobey Baker Award, given to the most outstanding collegiate hockey player in the National Collegiate Athletic Association, as a senior in the 1983–84 season after registering 76 points in just 43 games. Kurvers made his National Hockey League debut in the 1984–85 season with the Montreal Canadiens, with whom he won the Stanley Cup in 1986. After two full seasons with the Canadiens, and one game in the 1986–87 season, he was traded to the Buffalo Sabres for a draft pick. Before the 1987–88 season, the Sabres traded Kurvers to the New Jersey Devils. He played some of his best hockey for the Devils, posting 15 points in their surprising run to the 1988 Wales Conference Finals, and notching career highs of 16 goals and 66 points in 1988–89 season. He played two full seasons, and one game in the 1989–90 season, with the Devils before being traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs for the pick ultimately used to draft Scott Niedermayer. He was always a highly productive player, especially dangerous on the power play due to his point shot and playmaking skills. That said, at even strength he was often a defensive liability. Several coaches along the way attempted to fix his defensive shortcomings, however, without result. Thus, Kurvers was destined to become a journeyman, making stops with the Vancouver Canucks, New York Islanders, and Mighty Ducks of Anaheim before leaving the league after the 1994–95 season. He played a season in Japan before retiring. In his NHL career, Kurvers appeared in 659 games. He scored 93 goals and added 328 assists for 421 points. He also appeared in 57 Stanley Cup playoff games, scoring eight goals and recording 22 assists.
Post-hockey career
Following his retirement, Kurvers landed a job doing radio commentary for the Phoenix Coyotes, in part due to his connection to former Montreal teammate Bobby Smith who was the general manager in Phoenix at the time. Following one season in that capacity, he was hired as a professional scout by the Coyotes. Kurvers was promoted again, to director of player personnel, in 2005. In 1991, Kurvers was inducted into the University of Minnesota Duluth Hall of Fame. In 2008, Kurvers was named assistant general manager of the Tampa Bay Lightning. From 2011 to 2018, Kurvers served as the senior advisor to the general manager of the Tampa Bay Lightning before being named the assistant general manager of the Minnesota Wild.
Personal life
Kurvers and his wife Heather have four children together. In January 2019, Kurvers was diagnosed with adenocarcinoma, a type of non-small lung cancer.
