28 Facts About Sergei Gonchar

Sergei Viktorovich Gonchar is a Russian former professional ice hockey player and a former assistant coach for the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Sergei Gonchar has previously played for the Washington Capitals, Boston Bruins, Pittsburgh Penguins, Ottawa Senators, Dallas Stars and the Montreal Canadiens between 1995 and 2015.

Sergei Gonchar was the first round pick, 14th overall, of the Washington Capitals in the 1992 NHL Entry Draft.

Sergei Gonchar began his North American career in 1994, suiting up in two playoff games for the Capitals' American Hockey League affiliate, the Portland Pirates.

The following year, in his first full-length campaign in the NHL, Sergei Gonchar tallied 41 points, showing his potential as an effective offensive defenceman.

Related searches

The following season, Sergei Gonchar broke the 50-point mark for the first time in his career.

Sergei Gonchar finished in fifth place in Norris Trophy voting as the NHL's best defenceman.

On 3 March 2004, in his tenth season with the Capitals, Sergei Gonchar was traded to the Boston Bruins in exchange for Shaone Morrisonn and two draft picks.

Between 2000 and 2004, Sergei Gonchar recorded more points than any other defenceman, with 74 goals and 241 points.

Sergei Gonchar placed fourth in Norris Trophy voting, tying his best-ever placing for the league's best defenceman.

Sergei Gonchar played in the final 25 games of the regular season and tallied 19 points, helping the Penguins into the 2009 playoffs as the Eastern Conference's fourth seed.

However, playing in game four of the conference semi-finals against the Washington Capitals, Sergei Gonchar suffered a serious knee injury with a knee on knee hit by Alexander Ovechkin.

Sergei Gonchar had his 11th season with ten goals or more, tying Sergei Zubov for the most 10+ goal seasons among Russian defencemen.

Sergei Gonchar finished the season third in points-per-game average among defencemen.

Sergei Gonchar set an NHL record on 2 March 2010, by scoring his 200th NHL goal, making him the first Russian defenceman to ever do so.

Sergei Gonchar was second among NHL defencemen in assists during that span with 372 assists, behind Lidstrom's 434.

Sergei Gonchar led the League in goals by a defenceman during that span, with 128.

Sergei Gonchar led the NHL in points-per-game average among NHL defencemen during that span, scoring at 0.

Sergei Gonchar led the league in goals created per game among NHL defencemen with 0.

On 1 July 2010, Sergei Gonchar signed a three-year, $16 million contract with the Ottawa Senators.

Sergei Gonchar was traded on 7 June 2013, to the Dallas Stars in exchange for a conditional sixth-round pick in 2013.

On 8 June 2013, Sergei Gonchar signed a two-year, $10 million contract with the Stars.

The following year, on 11 November 2014, Sergei Gonchar was again traded, this time to the Montreal Canadiens for left winger Travis Moen.

Sergei Gonchar remained un-signed over the summer, and accepted an invitation to return to the Pittsburgh Penguins' training camp on a try-out basis on 14 August 2015.

Sergei Gonchar signalled the end of his professional playing career in accepting a development coaching position within the Pittsburgh Penguins organization on 27 October 2015.

Related searches

Sergei Gonchar aided the Penguins defensive unit in back to back Stanley Cup championships in 2016 and 2017, resulting in promotion to a full time assistant on July 12,2017.

Sergei Gonchar earned a silver medal at the 1998 Games and a bronze medal at the 2002 Games.

Sergei Gonchar met his future wife, Xenia Smetanenko, then a figure skater for Armenia, at the 1998 Nagano Olympic Games.