Ruslan Salei

Infobox Ice Hockey Player


image_size=
team = Colorado Avalanche
former_teams = Florida Panthers
Anaheim Ducks
league = NHL
position = Defence
shoots = Left
height_ft = 6
height_in = 1
weight_lb = 212
nickname = Rusty Hard One [ [http://www.nhlpa.com/PlayerOfTheDay/index.asp?Date=8/10/2004 National Hockey League Players' Association ] ]
nationality = BLR
birth_date = Birth date and age|1974|11|2|mf=y
birth_place = Minsk, SU
draft = 9th overall
draft_year = 1996
draft_team = Mighty Ducks of Anaheim
career_start = 1992

Ruslan Salei (Belarusian: Руслан Салей) (born November 2, 1974 in Minsk, USSR) is a professional hockey defenceman for the Colorado Avalanche. Salei was selected by the Ducks 9th overall at the 1996 NHL Entry Draft. Salei played with the Ducks until the 2003–04 NHL season, playing over 500 regular season games in his career for Anaheim. In October 1999, Salei was suspended by the NHL for 10 games after he checked Dallas Stars center Mike Modano face first into the boards from behind. Modano suffered a slight concussion, strained ligaments in his neck and a broken nose. Salei's best season came in 2006–07 NHL season where he totaled 32 points scoring 6 goals and 26 assists in 82 regular season games. Salei played all 21 playoff games in the 2002–03 NHL season which saw the Ducks go all the way to the Stanley Cup finals only to lose 4 games to 3 to the New Jersey Devils. During the 2004–05 NHL lockout, Salei played in the Russian Hockey Super League for AK Bars Kazan.

References

External links

*hockeydb|18826