- Alexei Zhitnik
Infobox Ice Hockey Player
image_size =
team = Dynamo Moscow
former_teams =Atlanta Thrashers Los Angeles Kings Buffalo Sabres New York Islanders Philadelphia Flyers
league = KHL
position = Defence
shoots = Left
height_ft = 5
height_in = 11
weight_lb = 214
nickname =
nationality = UKR
nationality_2 = RUS
birth_date = birth date and age|1972|10|10
birth_place =Kiev ,Ukrainian SSR flagicon|Ukrainian SSR
draft = 81st overall
draft_year = 1991
draft_team =Los Angeles Kings
career_start = 1989Alexei Nikolayevich Zhitnik (pronounced ZHIHT-nihk IPA2|ˈʒɪt.nɪk) ( _uk. Олексій Миколайович Житник, _ru. Алексей Николаевич Житник) (born
October 10 ,1972 inKiev ,Ukrainian SSR (nowUkraine ), is a Ukrainian-bornice hockey defenceman who is currently playing for Dynamo Moscow of the KHL. Zhitnik has played for five differentNational Hockey League teams in his career.Playing career
Zhitnik was drafted 81st overall by the
Los Angeles Kings in the1991 NHL Entry Draft after playing for Sokol Kiev in the Soviet League for two years. After another year, he came to the NHL for the1992–93 NHL season .He made his NHL debut on
October 6 ,1992 against theCalgary Flames and scored his first goal nine nights later, also against Calgary. In his rookie season with the Kings, he finished second amongrookie defenceman in points with 48. He was an important part of the Kings' playoff run to the Stanley Cup Final, where they lost to theMontreal Canadiens .After another year of playing with the Kings and
Wayne Gretzky , he was traded onFebruary 14 ,1995 , along withRobb Stauber ,Charlie Huddy and a fifth-round draft pick, to theBuffalo Sabres forGrant Fuhr ,Denis Tsygurov andPhilippe Boucher . He became one of the team's best players, helping the Sabres win the Northeast Division in the1996–97 NHL season , his second full year with the team. In the1997–98 NHL season , he led all defensemen in shorthanded goals (3). He also helped the Sabres reach the finals in the1998–99 NHL season and stayed on the team until the2004–05 NHL lockout when he returned to theRussian Super League .Following the lockout, he signed a four-year contract with the
New York Islanders . He became an effective force on the team, and even though he missed the last 18 games of the season with a fracturedankle , he finished second among team defenceman in scoring.On
December 16 ,2006 , in move to clear some room under the new salary cap, Zhitnik was traded to thePhiladelphia Flyers forFreddy Meyer and a conditional third round draft pick. [ [http://islanders.nhl.com/team/app?articleid=305879&page=NewsPage&service=page New York Islanders - News: ISLANDERS ACQUIRE MEYER FOR ZHITNIK - 12/16/2006 ] ] However, he was traded two months later onFebruary 24 ,2007 to theAtlanta Thrashers to add experience for playoffs, in exchange forBraydon Coburn .Due to Zhitnik's disappointing play with the Thrashers combined the teams focus on rebuilding, the team bought out Zhitnik's contract on
June 30 ,2008 , making him a free agent. [cite news| url=http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=242073&lid=sublink02&lpos=headlines_nhl | title=Zhitnik, Westcott, bought out | publisher=TSN.ca | date=2008-06-30 | accessdate=2008-06-30]On July 26th 2008, Zhitnik signed a tryout contract with Moscow Dynamo.
Awards
*1992: Gold Medal (XVII Olympic Winter Games)
*1996: Bronze Medal (World Cup of Hockey)
*1998: Silver Medal (XVIII Olympic Winter Games)
*1998–99: Played in the All-Star Game (NHL)
*2001–02: Played in the All-Star Game (NHL)Records
*On
February 20 ,2007 , as a Flyer, he became the eighth defenseman born outside ofNorth America , and first born in the former USSR to appear in 1,000 NHL games. The others are:Nicklas Lidström ,Börje Salming ,Calle Johansson ,Ulf Samuelsson ,Fredrik Olausson (all fromSweden ),Petr Svoboda from theCzech Republic andTeppo Numminen ofFinland .Career statistics
"Statistics as of end of the 2007–08 season."
International play
Played for the USSR in:
*1990 -World Junior Ice Hockey Championships
*1991 -World Junior Ice Hockey Championships
*1991 - Canada CupPlayed for the
Unified Team team in:
*1992 - XVII Olympic Winter GamesPlayed for Russia in:
*1992 -World Junior Ice Hockey Championships
*1992 -Ice Hockey World Championships
*1994 -Ice Hockey World Championships
*1996 -Ice Hockey World Championships
*1996 - World Cup of Hockey
*1998 - XVIII Olympic Winter Games
*2000 -Ice Hockey World Championships International statistics
Career transactions
* Selected by
Los Angeles Kings in 1991 NHL Entry Draft. He was Los Angeles' 4th round choice, 81st overall.
* Traded to Buffalo byLos Angeles Kings withRobb Stauber ,Charlie Huddy and Los Angeles' 5th round choice (Marian Menhart ) in 1995 Entry Draft forPhilippe Boucher ,Denis Tsygurov andGrant Fuhr , February 14, 1995.
* Signed as a free agent by Kazan (Russia), December 6, 2004.
* Signed as a free agent by the New York Islanders, August 2, 2005.
* Traded to Philadelphia by the Islanders forFreddy Meyer and a conditional 3rd round draft pick on December 16, 2006.
* Traded to Atlanta by Philadelphia for defensemanBraydon Coburn on February 24, 2007References
* "Atlanta Thrashers". (24 Feb 2007). [http://www.atlantathrashers.com/View.aspx?Levels=13|0|0&CID01=bffbc23d-180e-418c-8ba9-b011b8474e95 Thrashers Acquire Defenceman Alexei Zhitnik from Philadelphia] . Press release.
*
*
* "National Hockey League Players Association". [http://www.nhlpa.com/WebStats/PlayerBiography.asp?ID=6115 Alexei Zhitnik] . Retrieved 16 Dec 2006.
* "Philadelphia Flyers".
** (16 Dec 2006). [http://www.philadelphiaflyers.com/pressbox/archive/2909.asp Flyers Acquire Defenceman Alexei Zhitnik] . Press release.
** (16 Dec 2006). [http://www.philadelphiaflyers.com/pressbox/archive/2910.asp Zhitnik Brings Speed and Experience to Blue Line] . Press release.
** (24 Feb 2007). [http://www.philadelphiaflyers.com/pressbox/archive/3019.asp Flyers Acquire Defenceman Braydon Coburn from Atlanta] . Press release.
* "Sports Network, The".
**TSN-NHL-profile|122
** [http://tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=188649&hubname=nhl Isles trade Zhitnik to Flyers for Meyer] . 16 Dec 2006.ee also
List of NHL players List of NHL players with 1000 games played List of Atlanta Thrashers players List of Philadelphia Flyers players List of New York Islanders players List of Buffalo Sabres players List of Los Angeles Kings players
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