Sergei Zubov

Sergei Alexandrovich Zubov (Russian: Сергей Зубов; born July 22, 1970) is a former Russian professional ice hockey defenceman who played for the Dallas Stars, New York Rangers and Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League as well as SKA St. Petersburg of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). Zubov won Stanley Cups with the Rangers in 1994 and the Stars in 1999.
==Playing career==
He is considered one of the best offensive defensemen in NHL history. He played in the NHL All-Star Game in 1998, 1999, and 2000. He has also won two Stanley Cups, one with the New York Rangers in 1994, and the other with Dallas in 1999. In 1992, Zubov won a gold medal at the Olympic Games, playing for the Unified Team. He is also the NHL's all-time leading scorer among Russian defensemen, and the all-time leading scorer among defensemen in the history of the Stars franchise.
Zubov was drafted in the fifth round of the 1990 NHL Entry Draft by the New York Rangers. Prior to this, he played for the Red Army's hockey team, HC CSKA Moscow, in Russia. He continued to play for the Red Army until 1992, after the fall of the USSR. Although Sergei spent some of his rookie season with New York's AHL affiliate, the Binghamton Rangers, he played forty-nine games as a rookie for the Rangers, scoring 31 points, considered then to be above-average for a defenceman. Zubov's high-scoring ways continued, as he scored 12 goals and earned 77 assists during the 1993–94 season, which led the team in regular season scoring. He contributed 19 points to the Rangers' playoff campaign, as he, along with Alexander Karpovtsev, Sergei Nemchinov, and Alexei Kovalev became the first Russians to have their names engraved on the Stanley Cup.
Zubov continued to play well for the Rangers, but on August 31, 1995, he was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins with Petr Nedvěd for Ulf Samuelsson and Luc Robitaille. Zubov only spent one season in Pittsburgh, probably because he and team captain Mario Lemieux didn't get along, especially on the powerplay where both men wanted to be in control. Ultimately, he was traded to the Dallas Stars on June 22, 1996 for Kevin Hatcher.
Although Zubov never again reached the scoring height of his 1993–94 season with the Rangers, due to a combination of Dallas's more defensive system and decreased scoring in general, he has earned all three of his trips to the All-Star game with the Stars. He never again reached an 80+ point total, but he is currently the only active defenceman in the NHL to have 11 consecutive years of 40+ point seasons or 30+ assists.
He is also excellent defensively and while he has a well-sized body, he is known more for his positioning and puck-dislodging abilities out of corners rather than powerfully hitting opponents. He has been a mainstay on the penalty killing squad for several years now and has only recorded a negative plus/minus four times in his career, with two of them within his first three years in the leagues.
Zubov has always played a solid game, but for years went under the radar and did not garner any nominations for the NHL awards or the NHL First/Second All-Star teams. However, in the 2005–06 regular season, Zubov posted 71 points for his highest outing in over a decade - and also received his first Norris Trophy nomination.
Zubov and his wife Irina have two kids, a son named Paul and a daughter named Anastasia.
Their children are currently going to the same American school in St. Petersburg, Russia.
Zubov missed nearly half of the 2007–08 NHL season with a sports hernia injury and most of the 2008–09 NHL season with a hip injury.
On July 30, 2009, he decided to leave the NHL as he signed a contract with SKA St. Petersburg of the KHL.
On April 18, 2011, it was reported that Zubov would officially retire due to hip-related injury problems.http://www.defendingbigd.com/2011/4/18/2119444/report-former-dallas-star-sergei-zubov-retireshttp://news.sport-express.ru/2011-04-17/432830/
==Awards==
* Played in NHL All-Star Game in 1998, 1999, and 2000.
* 2006 Norris Trophy finalist
* Stanley Cup winner in 1994 and 1999
* Named to Second NHL All-Star Team in 2006
==Legacy==
* Fastest Defenceman in NHL history to reach 200 career points (207 GP).
* Ranked No. 72 on the all-time list of New York Rangers in the book 100 Ranger Greats (John Wiley & Sons, 2009).
* One of two Russian/Soviet-born defensemen (Alexei Zhitnik) to play in at least 1,000 NHL games.
* One of the few hockey players to smoke cigarettes.
* Zubov left the NHL as the league's all-time scoring leader for Russian-born defensmen.
==Career statistics==
  	  	  	 	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	 	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs
Season 	Team 	League 	 	GP 	G 	A 	Pts 	+/- 	PIM 	 	GP 	G 	A 	Pts 	+/- 	PIM
1988–89 	CSKA Moscow 	USSR 	 	29 	1 	4 	5 	— 	10 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1989–90 	CSKA Moscow 	USSR 	 	48 	6 	2 	8 	— 	16 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1990–91 	CSKA Moscow 	USSR 	 	41 	6 	5 	11 	— 	12 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1991–92 	CSKA Moscow 	USSR 	 	36 	4 	7 	11 	— 	6 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1992–93 	CSKA Moscow 	RSL 	 	1 	0 	1 	1 	— 	0 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1992–93 	Binghamton Rangers 	AHL 	 	30 	7 	29 	36 	— 	14 	 	11 	5 	5 	10 	— 	2
1992–93 	New York Rangers 	NHL 	 	49 	8 	23 	31 	-1 	4 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1993–94 	Binghamton Rangers 	AHL 	 	2 	1 	2 	3 	— 	0 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1993–94 	New York Rangers 	NHL 	 	78 	12 	77 	89 	+20 	39 	 	22 	5 	14 	19 	+10 	0
1994–95 	New York Rangers 	NHL 	 	38 	10 	26 	36 	-2 	18 	 	10 	3 	8 	11 	-9 	2
1995–96 	Pittsburgh Penguins	NHL 	 	64 	11 	55 	66 	+28 	22 	 	18 	1 	14 	15 	+9 	26
1996–97 	Dallas Stars 	NHL 	 	78 	13 	30 	43 	+19 	24 	 	7 	0 	3 	3 	+4 	2
1997–98 	Dallas Stars 	NHL 	 	73 	10 	47 	57 	+16 	16 	 	17 	4 	5 	9 	+3 	2
1998–99 	Dallas Stars 	NHL 	 	81 	10 	41 	51 	+9 	20 	 	23 	1 	12 	13 	+13 	4
1999–00 	Dallas Stars 	NHL 	 	77 	9 	33 	42 	-2 	18 	 	18 	2 	7 	9 	+1 	6
2000–01 	Dallas Stars 	NHL 	 	79 	10 	41 	51 	+22 	24 	 	10 	1 	5 	6 	+2 	4
2001–02 	Dallas Stars 	NHL 	 	80 	12 	32 	44 	-4 	22 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2002–03 	Dallas Stars 	NHL 	 	82 	11 	44 	55 	+21 	26 	 	12 	4 	10 	14 	+2 	4
2003–04 	Dallas Stars 	NHL 	 	77 	7 	35 	42 	0 	20 	 	5 	1 	1 	2 	-5 	0
2005–06 	Dallas Stars 	NHL 	 	78 	13 	58 	71 	+20 	46 	 	5 	1 	5 	6 	-1 	6
2006–07 	Dallas Stars 	NHL 	 	78 	12 	42 	54 	0 	26 	 	6 	0 	4 	4 	+3 	2
2007–08 	Dallas Stars 	NHL 	 	46 	4 	31 	35 	+6 	12 	 	11 	1 	5 	6 	-4 	4
2008–09 	Dallas Stars 	NHL 	 	10 	0 	4 	4 	-4 	0 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2009–10 	SKA St. Petersburg 	KHL 	 	53 	10 	32 	42 	— 	32 	 	4 	0 	2 	2 	— 	0
USSR/RSL totals	USSR/RSL totals 	USSR/RSL totals	 	155 	17 	19 	36 	— 	44 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
NHL totals 	NHL totals 	NHL totals 	 	1068 	152 	619 	771 	+148 	337 	 	164 	24 	93 	117 	+28 	62
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
==International statistics==
Year 	Team 	Event 	Place 	 	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1989 	Soviet Union 	WJC 	 	 	7 	0	5	5 	4
1990 	Soviet Union 	WJC 	 	 	7 	1	3	4 	14
Junior int'l totals	Junior int'l totals	Junior int'l totals	Junior int'l totals	 	14	1	8	9 	18
1992 	Unified Team 	Oly 	 	 	8 	0	1	1 	0
1992 	CIS 	WC 	5th 	 	6 	2	2	4 	10
1996 	Russia 	WCH 	SF 	 	3 	1	1	2 	0
Senior int'l totals	Senior int'l totals	Senior int'l totals	Senior int'l totals	 	17	3	4	7 	10
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
==See also==
* List of NHL players with 1000 games played
* List of NHL statistical leaders by country
==References==
==External links==
* 
* 
* 
* 
Category:Born in 1970
Category:Binghamton Rangers players
Category:Dallas Stars players
Category:HC CSKA Moscow players
Category:1992 Olympian
Category:National Hockey League All-Stars
Category:New York Rangers draft picks
Category:New York Rangers players
Category:Olympic ice hockey players of the Unified Team
Category:Retired in 2010
Category:Pittsburgh Penguins players
Category:Russian ice hockey players
Category:SKA Saint Petersburg players
Category:Soviet ice hockey players
Category:Stanley Cup champions