Alexei Zhitnik

Alexei Zhitnik	Alexei Zhitnik
Born 	October 10, 1972 (1972-10-10) (age 37),
Kiev, Ukrainian SSR, USSR
Height
Weight 	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
214 lb (97 kg; 15 st 4 lb)
Position 	Defence
Shoots 	Left
Oleksiy Mykolaiovych Zhytnyk (Ukrainian: Олексій Миколайович Житник; Russian: Алексей Житник, Alexei Zhitnik; born October 10, 1972) is a Ukrainian ice hockey defenceman who is currently a free agent, having most recently played for Dynamo Moscow of the Kontinental Hockey League, serving as captain for 2009-10 season before being released as Dynamo collapsed and folded. 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 Soviet Championship 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.[1] 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 the teams focus on rebuilding, the team bought out Zhitnik's contract on June 30, 2008, making him a free agent.[2] On July 26, 2008, Zhitnik returned to Russia and the now-Kontinental Hockey League, signing a tryout contract with Dynamo Moscow. Zhitnik eventually became Dynamo's final captain before being released as Dynamo folded following the 2009-10 KHL season.
== 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 were (at the time; Sergei Zubov has since joined Zhitnik as Russian/Soviet defencemen to play in 1,000 NHL games): 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 	Dynamo Moscow 	KHL 		56 	4 	7 	11 	58 		12 	1 	2 	3 	22
2009–10 	Dynamo Moscow 	KHL 		56 	0 	7 	7 	60 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
NHL totals	NHL totals 	NHL totals		1,085 	96 	375 	471 	1,268 		98 	9 	30 	39 	168
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
== International play==
Medal record 	Medal record 	Medal record
Men's ice hockey 	Men's ice hockey 	Men's ice hockey
Competitor for Soviet Union	Competitor for Soviet Union	Competitor for Soviet Union
World Junior Championship 	World Junior Championship 	World Junior Championship
Silver 	1991 Saskatoon 	Ice hockey
Competitor for CIS 	Competitor for CIS 	Competitor for CIS
World Junior Championship 	World Junior Championship 	World Junior Championship
Gold 	1992 Fũssen 	Ice hockey
Olympic Games 	Olympic Games 	Olympic Games
Gold 	1992 Albertville 	Ice hockey
Competitor for Russia 	Competitor for Russia 	Competitor for Russia
Olympic Games 	Olympic Games 	Olympic Games
Silver 	1998 Nagano 	Ice hockey
=== International statistics===
Year 	Team 	Event 	Place 		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1991 	Soviet Union 	WJC 	2 		7 	1	1	2 	2
1991 	Soviet Union 	CC 	5th 		5 	0	0	0 	4
1992 	CIS 	WJC 	1 		7 	1	1	2 	2
1992 	Unified Team 	Oly 	1 		8 	1	0	1 	0
1992 	CIS 	WC 	5th 		6 	0	2	2 	6
1994 	Russia 	WC 	5th 		6 	1	0	1 	8
1996 	Russia 	WC 	4th 		8 	1	1	2 	6
1996 	Russia 	WCH 	SF 		3 	0	1	1 	2
1998 	Russia 	Oly 	2 		6 	0	2	2 	2
2000 	Russia 	WC 	11th 		6 	0	1	1 	2
2006 	Russia 	Oly 	4th 		0 	0	0	0 	0
Junior Int'l totals	Junior Int'l totals	Junior Int'l totals	Junior Int'l totals		14	2	2	4 	4
Senior Int'l totals	Senior Int'l totals	Senior Int'l totals	Senior Int'l totals		48	3	7	10 	30
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
== 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
Category:Atlanta Thrashers players