Alexei Zhitnik

Alexei Nikolayevich Zhitnik (born October 10, 1972) is a Ukrainian ice hockey defenceman currently playing for Dynamo Moscow of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). Zhitnik has played more games in the National Hockey League (NHL) than any other Soviet-born defenceman. He has represented the Soviet Union, CIS, and Russia internationally.
== Playing career ==
Zhitnik was drafted 81st overall by the Los Angeles Kings in the 1991 NHL Entry Draft after playing for Sokil Kyiv in the Russian Super League for two years. After another year, he came to the NHL for the 1992–93 NHL season.
He made his NHL debut on October 6, 1992 against the Calgary Flames and scored his first goal nine nights later, also against Calgary. In his rookie season with the Kings, he finished second among rookie defenceman in points with 48. He was an important part of the Kings' playoff run to the Stanley Cup Final, where they lost to the Montreal Canadiens.
After another year of playing with the Kings and Wayne Gretzky, he was traded on February 14, 1995, along with Robb Stauber, Charlie Huddy and a fifth-round draft pick, to the Buffalo Sabres for Grant Fuhr, Denis Tsygurov and Philippe Boucher. He became one of the team's best players, helping the Sabres win the Northeast Division in the 1996–97 NHL season, his second full year with the team. In the 1997–98 NHL season, he led all defensemen in shorthanded goals (3). He also helped the Sabres reach the finals in the 1998–99 NHL season and stayed on the team until the 2004–05 NHL lockout when he returned to the Russian 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 fractured ankle, 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 the Philadelphia Flyers for Freddy Meyer and a conditional third round draft pick. However, he was traded two months later on February 24, 2007 to the Atlanta Thrashers to add experience for playoffs, in exchange for Braydon Coburn.
Due to Zhitnik's disappointing play with the Thrashers combined with the team's focus on rebuilding, the team bought out Zhitnik's contract on June 30, 2008, making him a free agent.
On July 26, 2008, Zhitnik signed a tryout contract with Dynamo Moscow.
== Awards ==
*1992: Gold Medal (XVII Olympic Winter Games)
*1992–93: Clarence S. Campbell Bowl (Los Angeles Kings)
*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)
*2008: Spengler Cup Champion (Dynamo Moscow)
*2008–09: Played in the All-Star Game (KHL)
== Records ==
*On February 20, 2007, as a Flyer, he became the eighth defenseman born outside of North 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 from Sweden), Petr Svoboda from the Czech Republic and Teppo Numminen of Finland.
== Career statistics ==
  	  	  	 	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
1989–90 	Sokil Kyiv 	USSR 	 	32 	3 	4 	7 	16 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1990–91 	Sokil Kyiv 	USSR 	 	46 	1 	4 	5 	46 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1991–92 	CSKA Moscow 	CIS 	 	36 	2 	7 	9 	48 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1992–93 	Los Angeles Kings 	NHL 	 	78 	12 	36 	48 	80 	 	24 	3 	9 	12 	26
1993–94 	Los Angeles Kings 	NHL 	 	81 	12 	40 	52 	101 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1994–95 	Los Angeles Kings 	NHL 	 	11 	2 	5 	7 	27 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1994–95 	Buffalo Sabres 	NHL 	 	21 	2 	5 	7 	34 	 	5 	0 	1 	1 	14
1995–96 	Buffalo Sabres 	NHL 	 	80 	6 	30 	36 	58 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1996–97 	Buffalo Sabres 	NHL 	 	80 	7 	28 	35 	95 	 	12 	1 	0 	1 	16
1997–98 	Buffalo Sabres 	NHL 	 	78 	15 	30 	45 	102 	 	15 	0 	3 	3 	36
1998–99 	Buffalo Sabres 	NHL 	 	81 	7 	26 	33 	96 	 	21 	4 	11 	15 	22
1999–00 	Buffalo Sabres 	NHL 	 	74 	2 	11 	13 	95 	 	4 	0 	0 	0 	8
2000–01 	Buffalo Sabres 	NHL 	 	78 	8 	29 	37 	75 	 	13 	1 	6 	7 	12
2001–02 	Buffalo Sabres 	NHL 	 	82 	1 	33 	34 	80 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2002–03 	Buffalo Sabres 	NHL 	 	70 	3 	18 	21 	85 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2003–04 	Buffalo Sabres 	NHL 	 	68 	4 	24 	28 	102 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2004–05 	Ak Bars Kazan 	RSL 	 	23 	1 	8 	9 	30 	 	4 	0 	0 	0 	2
2005–06 	New York Islanders 	NHL 	 	59 	5 	24 	29 	88 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2006–07 	New York Islanders 	NHL 	 	30 	2 	9 	11 	40 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2006–07 	Philadelphia Flyers	NHL 	 	31 	3 	10 	13 	38 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2006–07 	Atlanta Thrashers 	NHL 	 	18 	2 	12 	14 	14 	 	4 	0 	0 	0 	4
2007–08 	Atlanta Thrashers 	NHL 	 	65 	3 	5 	8 	58 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2008–09 	Moscow Dynamo 	KHL 	 	56 	4 	7 	11 	58 	 	12 	1 	2 	3 	22
NHL totals	NHL totals 	NHL totals	 	1,085 	96 	375 	471 	1,268 	 	98 	9 	30 	39 	168
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
== International play ==
Played for the USSR in:
*1990 - World Junior Ice Hockey Championships
*1991 - World Junior Ice Hockey Championships
*1991 - Canada Cup
Played for the Unified Team team in:
*1992 - XVII Olympic Winter Games
Played 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 ===
Year	Team 	Event	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1990	USSR 	EJC 	6 	2	2	4 	2
1991	USSR 	WJC 	7 	1	1	2 	2
1991	USSR 	CC 	5 	0	0	0 	4
1992	Russa 	WJC 	7 	1	1	2 	2
1992	CIS 	Olym 	8 	1	0	1 	0
1992	Russia	WC 	6 	0	2	2 	6
1994	Russia	WC 	6 	1	0	1 	8
1996	Russia	WC 	8 	1	1	2 	6
1996	Russia	WCH 	3 	0	1	1 	2
1998	Russia	Olym 	6 	0	2	2 	2
2000	Russia	WC 	6 	0	1	1 	2
==Career transactions==
* Selected by Los Angeles Kings in 1991 NHL Entry Draft. He was Los Angeles' 4th round choice, 81st overall.
* Traded to Buffalo by Los Angeles Kings with Robb Stauber, Charlie Huddy and Los Angeles' 5th round choice (Marian Menhart) in 1995 Entry Draft for Philippe Boucher, Denis Tsygurov and Grant 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 for Freddy Meyer and a conditional 3rd round draft pick on December 16, 2006.
* Traded to Atlanta by Philadelphia for defenseman Braydon Coburn on February 24, 2007
== References ==
* Atlanta Thrashers. (24 Feb 2007). Thrashers Acquire Defenceman Alexei Zhitnik from Philadelphia. Press release.
* 
* 
* National Hockey League Players Association. Alexei Zhitnik. Retrieved 16 Dec 2006.
* Philadelphia Flyers. 
** (16 Dec 2006). Flyers Acquire Defenceman Alexei Zhitnik. Press release.
** (16 Dec 2006). Zhitnik Brings Speed and Experience to Blue Line. Press release.
** (24 Feb 2007). Flyers Acquire Defenceman Braydon Coburn from Atlanta. Press release.
* Sports Network, The.
**
** Isles trade Zhitnik to Flyers for Meyer. 16 Dec 2006.
Category:Born in 1972
Category:Atlanta Thrashers players
Category:Buffalo Sabres players
Category:Los Angeles Kings draft picks
Category:Los Angeles Kings players
Category:NHL All-Stars
Category:New York Islanders players
Category:1992 Olympian
Category:1998 Olympian
Category:2006 Olympian
Category:Olympic ice hockey players of Russia
Category:Philadelphia Flyers players
Category:Russian hockey players
Category:Ukrainian hockey players
Category:Sokol Kiev player
Category:CSKA Moscow player
Category:Ak Bars Kazan player
Category:Dynamo Moscow player