Alexei Emelin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Alexei Emelin |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
Emelin with the Montreal Canadiens in 2015
|
|||
| Born | 25 April 1986 Tolyatti, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union |
||
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (188 cm) | ||
| Weight | 214 lb (97 kg; 15 st 4 lb) | ||
| Position | Defence | ||
| Shoots | Left | ||
| KHL team Former teams |
Free agent Lada Togliatti Ak Bars Kazan Montreal Canadiens Nashville Predators Avangard Omsk Dinamo Minsk Spartak Moscow |
||
| National team |  Russia |
||
| NHL Draft | 84th overall, 2004 Montreal Canadiens |
||
| Playing career | 2003–present | ||
Alexei Vyacheslavovich Emelin (born 25 April 1986) is a Russian professional ice hockey player. He plays as a defenceman, which means he helps protect his team's goal. Alexei was chosen by the Montreal Canadiens in the 2004 NHL Draft. He has played for several teams in both the NHL and the KHL.
Contents
Playing Career
Starting His Hockey Journey
Alexei Emelin began his hockey journey in Russia. He spent a lot of his early career playing for Lada Togliatti. Later, he joined Ak Bars Kazan, another strong Russian team.
He also played for Russia's national teams. He represented his country in the under-18 and under-20 age groups. Eventually, he became a regular player for the senior Russian national team.
In 2009, during a KHL game, Alexei had a face injury. A bone in his face was hurt and needed surgery. After that, he tried to avoid getting into similar situations on the ice.
.jpg)
Playing for the Montreal Canadiens
On May 17, 2011, Alexei signed a contract with the Montreal Canadiens. This was his chance to play in the NHL. His first NHL game was on October 9, 2011, where his team won 5-1.
He earned his first NHL point, an assist, on December 6, 2011. Then, on January 25, 2012, he scored his very first NHL goal.
In June 2012, Alexei signed a new two-year contract with the Canadiens. He became a very important player for their defense. He often played alongside his fellow Russian teammate, Andrei Markov.
During the 2012-13 season, Alexei played 38 games. He scored three goals and had 12 points. However, his season ended early due to an injury. He hurt his left knee during a game in April 2013. This meant he missed the rest of that season and the playoffs. In October 2013, he signed another contract, keeping him with Montreal until 2018.
Time with the Nashville Predators
After six seasons with the Canadiens, Alexei was chosen by the Vegas Golden Knights in the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft. This is a special draft where new teams can pick players from other teams.
However, he didn't stay with Vegas for long. On July 1, 2017, he was traded to the Nashville Predators. He played 76 games for the Predators that season. He also played in 10 playoff games with them.
Later Teams in the KHL
In September 2018, Alexei returned to the KHL. He signed a three-year contract with Avangard Omsk. He played four seasons with this team.
After that, he joined HC Dinamo Minsk in Belarus for the 2022-23 season. He was even chosen as the team captain. Later in that same season, he moved to HC Spartak Moscow.
International Play
Alexei Emelin has proudly represented Russia in many international hockey tournaments. He has won several medals for his country.
- He won a gold medal at the 2012 Ice Hockey World Championship.
- He also earned silver medals at the 2010 World Championship, and at the World Junior Championships in 2005 and 2006.
- Alexei has two bronze medals from the World Championships in 2007 and 2016.
- He also won a gold medal at the 2004 World U18 Championships.
Awards and Achievements
Alexei Emelin has won some important awards during his career.
- He won the Gagarin Cup three times. This is the championship trophy for the KHL. He won it with Ak Bars Kazan in 2009 and 2010. He won it again with Avangard Omsk in 2021.
- He was also chosen to play in the KHL All-Star Game in 2013.
