# Valeri Kamensky

Valeri Viktorovich Kamensky (Russian: Валерий Викторович Каменский) (born 18 April 1966) is a Russian former professional ice hockey player. He played in the Soviet Championship League before moving to the National Hockey League. Internationally, he represented the Soviet Union men's national ice hockey team and later the Russia men's national ice hockey team. Kamensky was inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame in 2016.

## Playing career

Before the National Hockey League (NHL), he started his career with Khimik Voskresensk in the Soviet Championship League (1982–1985) and then played for the powerhouse club CSKA Moscow (1985–1991). In 1991 he moved to the NHL, where he played for the Quebec Nordiques (1991–1995, spending the 1994 lockout break in HC Ambri-Piotta, Switzerland), Colorado Avalanche (1995–1999), New York Rangers (1999–2001), Dallas Stars and New Jersey Devils (2001–2002). He won a Stanley Cup in 1996 with the Avalanche.
He is also known for scoring one of the most memorable goals of the 1997–98 season. He received a pass and scored while spinning in mid-air. The goal was used in the opening intro for the NHL 98 video game. He also scored the first goal in the Avalanche's history in Denver since the relocation from Quebec City.

## Career statistics
### Regular season and playoffs

| | | | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs |
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| 1982–83 | Khimik Voskresensk | USSR | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1983–84 | Khimik Voskresensk | USSR | 20 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1984–85 | Khimik Voskresensk | USSR | 45 | 9 | 3 | 12 | 24 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1985–86 | CSKA Moscow | USSR | 40 | 15 | 9 | 24 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1986–87 | CSKA Moscow | USSR | 37 | 13 | 8 | 21 | 16 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1987–88 | CSKA Moscow | USSR | 51 | 26 | 20 | 46 | 40 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1988–89 | CSKA Moscow | USSR | 40 | 18 | 10 | 28 | 30 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1989–90 | CSKA Moscow | USSR | 45 | 19 | 18 | 37 | 38 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1990–91 | CSKA Moscow | USSR | 46 | 20 | 26 | 46 | 66 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1991–92 | Quebec Nordiques | NHL | 23 | 7 | 14 | 21 | 14 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1992–93 | Quebec Nordiques | NHL | 32 | 15 | 22 | 37 | 14 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 6 |
| 1993–94 | Quebec Nordiques | NHL | 76 | 28 | 37 | 65 | 42 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1994–95 | HC Ambrì–Piotta | NDA | 12 | 13 | 6 | 19 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1994–95 | Quebec Nordiques | NHL | 40 | 10 | 20 | 30 | 22 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1995–96 | Colorado Avalanche | NHL | 81 | 38 | 47 | 85 | 85 | 22 | 10 | 12 | 22 | 28 |
| 1996–97 | Colorado Avalanche | NHL | 68 | 28 | 38 | 66 | 38 | 17 | 8 | 14 | 22 | 16 |
| 1997–98 | Colorado Avalanche | NHL | 75 | 26 | 40 | 66 | 60 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 18 |
| 1998–99 | Colorado Avalanche | NHL | 65 | 14 | 30 | 44 | 28 | 10 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 4 |
| 1999–2000 | New York Rangers | NHL | 58 | 13 | 19 | 32 | 24 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2000–01 | New York Rangers | NHL | 65 | 14 | 20 | 34 | 36 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2001–02 | Dallas Stars | NHL | 24 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2001–02 | New Jersey Devils | NHL | 30 | 4 | 8 | 12 | 18 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2003–04 | Khimik Voskresensk | RSL | 23 | 5 | 9 | 14 | 53 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2004–05 | Khimik Voskresensk | RSL | 57 | 17 | 19 | 36 | 59 | — | — | — | — | — |
| USSR/Russia totals | USSR/Russia totals | USSR/Russia totals | 329 | 122 | 96 | 218 | 230 | — | — | — | — | — |
| NHL totals | NHL totals | NHL totals | 637 | 200 | 301 | 501 | 383 | 66 | 25 | 35 | 60 | 72 |

### International

| Year | Team | Event | Result | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| 1984 | Soviet Union | EJC | | 5 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 0 |
| 1985 | Soviet Union | WJC | | 7 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 8 |
| 1986 | Soviet Union | WJC | | 7 | 7 | 6 | 13 | 6 |
| 1986 | Soviet Union | WC | | 9 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 8 |
| 1987 | Soviet Union | WC | | 10 | 5 | 3 | 8 | 6 |
| 1987 | Soviet Union | CC | | 9 | 6 | 1 | 7 | 6 |
| 1988 | Soviet Union | OG | | 8 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 4 |
| 1989 | Soviet Union | WC | | 10 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 8 |
| 1990 | Soviet Union | WC | | 10 | 7 | 2 | 9 | 20 |
| 1991 | Soviet Union | WC | | 10 | 6 | 5 | 11 | 10 |
| 1994 | Russia | WC | 5th | 6 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 12 |
| 1998 | Russia | OG | | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 |
| 2000 | Russia | WC | 11th | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| Junior totals | Junior totals | Junior totals | Junior totals | 19 | 10 | 11 | 21 | 14 |
| Senior totals | Senior totals | Senior totals | Senior totals | 84 | 40 | 24 | 64 | 84 |

## Awards

* 1985–86: Gold medal, CSKA Moscow (Soviet Championship League).
* 1986: Gold medal (Ice Hockey World Championships).
* 1986–87: Gold medal, CSKA Moscow (Soviet Championship League).
* 1988: Gold medal (XV Olympic Winter Games).
* 1987–88: Gold medal, CSKA Moscow (Soviet Championship League).
* 1987–88: Gold medal, CSKA Moscow (USSR Cup).
* 1989: Gold medal (Ice Hockey World Championships).
* 1988–89: Gold medal, CSKA Moscow (Soviet Championship League).
* 1990: Gold medal (Ice Hockey World Championships).
* 1995–96: Stanley Cup, Colorado Avalanche (NHL)
* 1998: Silver medal (XVIII Olympic Winter Games).
* 2004–05: Faith Towards Hockey Award.
* 2016: Inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame.