Alexei Ponikarovsky

Infobox Ice Hockey Player
position = Left Wing
shoots = Left
nickname = The Poni Express Poni The Ukraine Train
height_ft = 6
height_in = 4
weight_lb = 220
team = Toronto Maple Leafs
league = NHL
nationality = UKR
birth_date = Birth date and age|1980|4|9|mf=y
birth_place = Kiev, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union
career_start = 2000
draft = 87th overall
draft_year = 1998
draft_team = Toronto Maple Leafs


image_size =
website = http://Poni23.com

Alexei Ponikarovsky ( _ua. Олексій Понікаровський, born April 9, 1980) is a professional ice hockey player in the NHL. Since 1998 he has played left wing for the Toronto Maple Leafs and their former AHL affiliate, the St. John's Maple Leafs.On June 7th, 2007 Ponikarovsky became a Canadian Citizen during a ceremony in Etobicoke, Ontario. [cite news
last = Tom
first = Godfrey
title = Leaf now a Canadian
url = http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Hockey/NHL/Toronto/2007/06/07/4241735-sun.html
publisher = "CANOE sports"
date = 2007-06-08
accessdate = 2007-06-19]

RSL career

Prior to being drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1998, Alexei played for the Dynamo Moscow, one of the premier clubs in Russia.

Alexei played for Dynamo 2 and Dynamo Jr., farm teams during 95-99 campaigns, seeing a little action with the main club during the 98-99 season and finally becoming a fixture on the team during the 99-00 season when Dynamo won the Russian Super League Championship.

In 1997-98, Alexei played 24 games for Moscow Dynamo in the First Division of the Russian Hockey League collecting three points with 30 penalty minutes. He then played 13 games for Krylya Sovetov of the Russian Elite League in 1998-99 and played three playoff games for Moscow Dynamo.

In 1999-00, Alexei played 19 games for Moscow Dynamo of the Russian Elite League and played 29 games for THK Tver in the First Division of the Russian Hockey League collecting 22 points (eight goals, 14 assists) with 26 penalty minutes.

NHL career

In the 2005-2006 NHL Season, Ponikarovsky put up career highs in goals, assists. points, and penalty minutes. He saw added responsibility and was given more ice-time, often with former Moscow Dynamo teammate Nik Antropov or Mats Sundin, and became one of the team's regular penalty-killers. Ponikarovsky finished the season with four shorthanded goals and 1 assist. His four shorthanded goals tied ten players, including teammate Matt Stajan, for eighth in the league. [cite web
title = 2005-2006 - Regular season - All Skaters - Short Handed Scoring - SHORT HANDED GOALS
url = http://www.nhl.com/nhlstats/app?service=page&page=Stats&fetchKey=20062ALLSASAll&viewName=shScoring&sort=shortHandedGoals&pg=1
publisher = "NHL.com"
accessdate = 2007-07-19] On December 16 2006 Ponikarovsky notched a career high five points in Toronto's 9-2 victory of the New York Rangers, scoring two goals and assisting on three others. He is commonly referred to by his teammates as "The Poni Express" , "The Ukraine Train" or simply "Poni". On May 10, 2007, the Maple Leafs re-signed Ponikarovsky to a $6.315 million, 3 year contract. [cite news
title = Leafs' Ponikarovsky signs extension
url = http://tsn.ca/nhl/teams/news_story/?ID=207297&hubname=nhl-maple_leafs
publisher = "Canadian Press"
date = 2007-05-10
accessdate = 2007-07-19]

Career Statistics

References

External links

* [http://www.poni23.com/ Official site of Alexei Ponikarovsky]
* [http://www.russianprospects.com/public/profile.php?player_id=162 Russian Prospects profile]
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