Nik Antropov Nikolai Aleksandrovich " Funny Games " Antropov ( Russian : Николай Александрович Антропов ; born February 18 , 1980 ) is a Kazakhstani - Canadian professional ice hockey forward for the Winnipeg Jets of the National Hockey League ( NHL ) . He received Canadian citizenship in May , 2007 . Playing career . Antropov was expected to be drafted early in the second round , but following a dominant season with Kaztsink - Torpedo Ust - Kamenogorsk in the second - tier of the Russian Superleague ( RSL ) , including an international match against Iceland , in which he scored 11 goals and 26 points , he was drafted tenth overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft . Before going overseas to play hockey in North America , Antropov also played in the RSL with Dynamo Moscow . When Owen Nolan joined the Maple Leafs in March 2003 , Antropov changed his number from # 11 ( Nolan ' s number for the San Jose Sharks ) to # 80 , the year of his birth . In 2003 – 04 , Leaf coach Pat Quinn formed a line with Joe Nieuwendyk , Alexei Ponikarovsky , and Antropov . This line was dubbed the " Skyline " because of the players ' height . During the NHL lock - out of the 2004 – 05 season , he returned to the Russian league and played 36 games split between Ak Bars Kazan and Lokomotiv Yaroslavl . However , injuries felled the power forward , and he missed significant time during the 2005 – 06 season . Antropov managed to produce 12 goals and 19 assists for 31 points in 57 games . Upon Antropov ' s return from injury , he added 15 points in the final ten regular - season games of the 2005 – 06 NHL season . Antropov finished third on the team in even - strength scoring and also led the Leafs in + / - with a + 13 rating . In 2006 – 07 , Antropov typically played alongside team captain Mats Sundin and Ponikarovsky on the top line . On June 6 , 2007 , the Maple Leafs announced they had signed Antropov to a two - year contract extension . During a game with the New York Rangers on 6 December 2007 , Antropov scored his second career hat - trick and was named the game ' s first star . In December 2007 , a campaign was launched to encourage fans to vote Antropov as a write - in Candidate the 56th National Hockey League All - Star Game in Atlanta . On February 9 , 2008 , Antropov set a new career high in goals with 19 when he scored in overtime to give the Leafs a 3 – 2 win , tipping in an Anton Strålman slapshot — he finished the season with 26 goals . On March 4 , 2009 , Antopov was traded to the New York Rangers for a second round draft pick and conditional draft pick . During his tenure with the Leafs , he even became a Canadian citizen . On July 2 , 2009 , Antropov signed a four - year , $ 16 . 25 million deal with the Atlanta Thrashers as a free agent . He is expected to make $ 3 . 5 million the first year , $ 3 . 75 million the second , $ 4 . 25 million the third , and $ 4 . 75 million for the final year of the deal , for an average cap hit of $ 4 . 0625 million each year . His first year with the Atlanta Thrashers was his most successful scoring 24 goals and 43 assists . The team relocated to Winnipeg in the summer of 2011 . Antropov had the honor of scoring the first goal of the new Winnipeg Jets on October 9 , 2011 against the Montreal Canadiens . International play . Internationally , Antropov represented Kazakhstan in the 1999 World Junior Championships ( earning eight points in six games ) and in the recent 2006 Winter Olympics , where he scored one goal . Antropov captained the Kazakhstani squad on both occasions . He and Colorado Avalanche goaltender Vitaly Kolesnik were the lone NHL players on the team .