PENGUINS SIGN FREE AGENT DEFENSEMAN SERGEI GONCHAR
Print(Two-time NHL All-Star Inks Multi-Year Deal with Pittsburgh)
PITTSBURGH - The Pittsburgh Penguins have signed defenseman Sergei Gonchar, it was announced today by Penguins General Manager Craig Patrick. In accordance with club policy, terms of the multi-year contract were not released.
The 6-2, 215-pound Gonchar has scored more goals and more points than any NHL defenseman over the past four seasons (2000-01 through 2003-04), with 74 goals and 241 points. He was a Second Team NHL All-Star in 2001-02 and 2002-03.
In 669 career NHL games with the Washington Capitals and Boston Bruins, Gonchar has recorded 425 points (148+277) and 529 penalty minutes.
At age 31, he is the youngest of this year’s crop of Group 3 Free Agents.
“Sergei is an outstanding defenseman with excellent offensive skills, and he will be a tremendous asset to the Penguins organization,” Patrick said.
Gonchar has scored more than 20 goals in a season twice - 26 in 2001-02 and 21 in 1998-99. He set a personal high with 67 points (18+49) in 2002-03. He has played in the NHL All-Star Game three times - 2000-01, 2001-02 and 2002-03.
In 58 career Stanley Cup playoff games, Gonchar has recorded 36 points (14+22) and 52 penalty minutes.
Gonchar played in 56 games in the 2003-04 season with Washington, tallying 49 points (7+42) and 44 penalty minutes before being traded to Boston on March 3, 2004. With Boston, he recorded nine points (4+5) and 12 penalty minutes in 15 games.
Gonchar spent the 2004-05 season with Metallurg Magnitogorsk in the Russian Hockey League, where he was a teammate of the Penguins’ 2004 first-round draft pick, Evgeni Malkin. In 40 games, Gonchar tallied 19 points (2+17) and 54 penalty minutes.
Gonchar, a native of Chelyabinsk, Russia was drafted by Washington in the first round (14th overall) of the 1992 NHL Entry Draft.
SEASON |
TEAM |
LEAGUE |
GP |
G |
A |
PTS |
PIM |
|
1991-92 |
Chelyabinsk |
CIS |
31 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
6 |
|
1992-93 |
Dynamo Moscow |
CIS |
31 |
1 |
3 |
4 |
70 |
|
1993-94 |
Dynamo Moscow |
CIS |
44 |
4 |
5 |
9 |
36 |
|
Portland Pirates |
AHL |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
|
1994-95 |
Portland Pirates |
AHL |
61 |
10 |
32 |
42 |
67 |
|
WASHINGTON |
NHL |
31 |
2 |
5 |
7 |
22 |
|
|
1995-96 |
WASHINGTON |
NHL |
78 |
15 |
26 |
41 |
60 |
|
1996-97 |
WASHINGTON |
NHL |
57 |
13 |
17 |
30 |
36 |
|
1997-98 |
Lada Togliatti |
Russia |
7 |
3 |
2 |
5 |
4 |
|
Lada Togliatti |
EuroHL |
1 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
|
|
WASHINGTON |
NHL |
72 |
5 |
16 |
21 |
66 |
|
|
Russia |
Olympics |
6 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
|
|
1998-99 |
WASHINGTON |
NHL |
53 |
21 |
10 |
31 |
57 |
|
1999-00 |
WASHINGTON |
NHL |
73 |
18 |
36 |
54 |
52 |
|
2000-01 |
WASHINGTON |
NHL |
76 |
19 |
38 |
57 |
70 |
|
2001-02 |
WASHINGTON |
NHL |
76 |
26 |
33 |
59 |
58 |
|
Russia |
Olympics |
6 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
|
|
2002-03 |
WASHINGTON |
NHL |
82 |
18 |
49 |
67 |
52 |
|
2003-04 |
WASHINGTON |
NHL |
56 |
7 |
42 |
49 |
44 |
|
BOSTON |
NHL |
15 |
4 |
5 |
9 |
12 |
|
|
2004-05 |
Russia |
World Cup |
4 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
6 |
|
Metallurg Magnitogorsk |
Russia |
40 |
2 |
17 |
19 |
54 |
|
|
NHL TOTALS |
669 |
148 |
277 |
425 |
529 |
||
Most Goals By Defensemen Since 2000-01
1. SERGEI GONCHAR (74)
2. Rob Blake (65)
3. Brian Leetch (58)
4. Mathieu Schneider (53)
5. Nicklas Lidstrom (52)
Most Points By Defensemen Since 2000-01
1. SERGEI GONCHAR (241)
2. Nicklas Lidstrom (230)
3. Brian Leetch (215)
4. Rob Blake (206)
5. Sergei Zubov (192)
