Alexei Cherepanov facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Alexei Cherepanov
Born	(1989-01-15)15 January 1989 Ozerki, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
Died	13 October 2008(2008-10-13) (aged 19) Chekhov, Russia
Height	6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight	183 lb (83 kg; 13 st 1 lb)
Position	Right wing
Shot	Left
Played for	Avangard Omsk
NHL Draft	17th overall, 2007 New York Rangers
Playing career	2005–2008

Alexei Andreyevich Cherepanov (Russian: Алексей Андреевич Черепанов; 15 January 1989 – 13 October 2008) was a talented Russian professional ice hockey player. He played as a winger for Avangard Omsk in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). Before joining the KHL, Cherepanov played for Avangard's younger teams and then for their main team in the Russian Super League.

In 2007, the New York Rangers picked Cherepanov 17th overall in the National Hockey League (NHL) Entry Draft. However, he never got to play professional hockey in North America. Alexei also proudly represented Russia in international hockey tournaments. He won a gold medal at the 2007 World Under-18 Championships. He also earned silver and bronze medals at the 2007 and 2008 World Junior Championships.

Sadly, in October 2008, during a KHL game, Cherepanov collapsed on the team bench. He could not be saved and passed away later that day at just 19 years old. Doctors said his death was caused by heart failure. After his death, the KHL looked into how the emergency response was handled. They also investigated team officials and doctors for how they managed Cherepanov's health. Avangard honored Alexei by retiring his #7 jersey. The KHL also renamed its Rookie of the Year trophy to the Alexei Cherepanov Trophy.

Alexei Cherepanov's Hockey Journey

Alexei Cherepanov was born in Siberia, a large region in Russia. He started playing hockey with a team called Motor Barnaul. Because he played in a far-off area, not many people knew about his skills until he joined the Avangard Omsk team.

Starting in the Russian League

Cherepanov first played for Avangard in Russia's third hockey division during the 2005–06 season. He played five games and scored two goals. In the 2006–07 season, he played for both Avangard's top team in the Russian Super League (RSL) and their team in the third division.

While playing for the main RSL team, Cherepanov scored 18 goals and made 11 assists in 46 games. His 18 goals set a new RSL record for players his age! He even scored more goals than famous Russian players like Alexander Ovechkin and Evgeni Malkin did at the same age. Because of his great play, Cherepanov was named the RSL Newcomer of the Year.

NHL Draft Experience

After the 2006–07 season, Cherepanov was old enough for the 2007 National Hockey League (NHL) Entry Draft. For most of that season, he was considered the best young player in Europe. Before the draft, Alexei went to the NHL's Scouting Combine. This event lets teams check out a player's physical skills and talk to them.

Teams noticed that Cherepanov seemed a bit young physically. However, they were very impressed with his maturity and positive attitude during interviews. At the draft, the New York Rangers picked Cherepanov in the first round, as the 17th player chosen overall. Some people thought he was picked later than expected because of rules about Russian players joining the NHL. Hockey expert Pierre McGuire believed Cherepanov was a true NHL talent. He said Alexei's speed, skill, and ability to create offense were perfect for the modern NHL. Cherepanov was very happy to be chosen by the Rangers, calling New York "the center of the United States."

Playing in the KHL

After being drafted in 2007, Cherepanov went to a camp with the Rangers' young players. For the 2007–08 season, he returned to Avangard. He played 46 games and scored 15 goals in the new Kontinental Hockey League (KHL).

For the 2008–09 KHL season, Cherepanov still had one year left on his contract with Omsk. The Rangers had been trying to get him to join their team since he was drafted. In 2008, famous Czech forward Jaromír Jágr joined Cherepanov on the Avangard team. Cherepanov played 14 games with Avangard in 2008. At the time of his passing, he was second on his team in goals with seven and fourth in total points.

Alexei Cherepanov's International Hockey

Medal record
Representing  Russia
Men's ice hockey
World Junior Championship
Silver	2007 Leksand
Bronze	2008 Pardubice
World U18 Championships
Gold	2007 Tampere

Alexei Cherepanov played for Russia in many tournaments for young players. His first international game at the Under-20 level was in 2007 in Sweden. Cherepanov and the Russian team won the silver medal after losing to Canada in the final game.

Cherepanov was named the tournament's Best Forward and made the All-Star Team. He scored five goals and had three assists, totaling eight points. His coaches also picked him as one of Russia's top three players for the tournament. Later that year, Cherepanov played with his own age group and helped Russia win the gold medal at the 2007 IIHF World U18 Championships. He even scored a goal in the final game against the United States. Cherepanov was named Russia's Player of the Game for that gold medal match. He also made the tournament All-Star Team and was again chosen as one of Russia's top three players.

Super Series and Final Tournament

The 2007 Super Series was a special tournament. It featured the best young hockey players from Canada and Russia in an 8-game series. This series celebrated the 35th anniversary of the famous 1972 Summit Series. After being drafted by the New York Rangers, Cherepanov was one of Russia's most well-known players in the series. In the second game, he got a concussion after a hit from Brandon Sutter and couldn't play for the rest of the series.

Cherepanov's last international game for Russia was at the 2008 World Junior Championships. He helped Russia win a bronze medal. He played especially well in the third-place game, scoring 3 points in a 4–2 win against the United States. He finished that tournament with six points (three goals and three assists).

Alexei Cherepanov's Playing Style

Alexei Cherepanov was known as an offensive forward, meaning he was great at scoring goals and creating chances. His agent, Jay Grossman, described him as "an exceptionally talented kid." The NHL Central Scouting Bureau said his offensive skills were his biggest strength. They felt he needed to improve his physical play and be more consistent. The Rangers' head scout, Gordie Clark, said Cherepanov had a special gift for scoring goals.

Alexei Cherepanov's Passing

Alexei Cherepanov passed away on 13 October 2008. This happened after he collapsed during the third period of a KHL game against Vityaz Chekhov. After finishing his shift, Cherepanov skated to the bench where his teammates, Jaromír Jágr and Pavel Rosa, were. His coach, Wayne Fleming, said, "He just laid back, passed out and went kind of white." Jaromir Jagr immediately called for help.

People tried to revive Cherepanov at the bench. When that didn't work, his teammates carried him to the dressing room, where doctors continued to try and help him. Cherepanov was then taken to a local hospital, but he was pronounced dead later that evening. Initial reports said he died of a heart attack.

Even though his family was from a town far from Omsk, they wanted him to be buried in Omsk. This city had welcomed him during his young hockey career. Thousands of people attended his funeral. His casket was placed on the ice in Avangard's arena for people to see before it was taken to Staro-Severnoye Cemetery for burial.

Investigation into His Death

Right after Cherepanov's death, there were many questions and different reports. Early reports suggested he had a long-term heart condition. Many people wondered why Avangard Omsk's medical staff didn't know about his heart problem. Other reports mentioned signs of inflammation in his heart. Doctors outside Russia, especially in North America, were doubtful of these early explanations. They thought it was unlikely for a young, top athlete to have an undiagnosed heart condition, especially since he had medical tests before the NHL draft. Later reports from Russia suggested a thickened heart, which is more common in sudden deaths among athletes.

Russian officials immediately started an investigation. They looked into how the emergency response was handled by the team, the arena, and the paramedics. Concerns were raised because the ambulance, which should be at all KHL games, had already left. There were only five minutes left in the game. Also, the defibrillator in the arena was not working.

The investigation continued for several months. In January 2009, the KHL suspended five Avangard officials and doctors. This was because they had tried to treat Cherepanov's condition themselves, when it should have been managed by heart specialists. The investigation was reopened in August 2009. Federal prosecutors decided that the doctors who were suspended didn't know about his heart condition and hadn't given him the medications he was taking. Cherepanov's agent, Jay Grossman, said that tests done by the NHL before the 2007 draft showed no health problems.

Alexei Cherepanov's Legacy

Soon after Cherepanov's death, Avangard Omsk honored him by retiring his #7 jersey. This ceremony happened before a game against Dynamo Minsk, with his parents in the crowd. Starting in 2009, the KHL renamed its Rookie of the Year award to the "Alexei Cherepanov Award." A tournament for Under-20 teams in August 2013 was also dedicated to his memory.

The KHL looked at its rules right after Cherepanov's death, especially because of concerns about the emergency response. New rules were put in place. Now, two ambulances must be at every KHL game. The league also asked the Russian government to set minimum standards for ambulance equipment. The KHL also started a program called a "medical passport." This allows key staff to access important medical information about all players in the league.

After his death, the New York Rangers asked the NHL for an extra draft pick as compensation. Since Cherepanov hadn't signed a contract with them when he passed away, the team argued he was still eligible to be picked in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. They felt they should get something in return. The team was eventually given the 17th pick of the second round in the 2009 draft. This happened after the Rangers' idea was approved by the other teams in the league. NHL general managers also voted to add a new rule, called the "Cherepanov rule." This rule means that if a player picked in the first round dies before signing a contract, their team will receive compensation.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

International

Year	Team	Event	Result		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2006	Russia	IH18			4	1	1	2	4
2007	Russia	WJC			6	5	3	8	2
2007	Russia	WJC18			7	5	3	8	6
2008	Russia	WJC			6	3	3	6	2
Junior totals					23	14	10	24	14

Awards and honours

International

Professional

See Also

• List of ice hockey players who died during their playing career