Alexei Zhamnov facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Alexei Zhamnov |
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| Born | October 1, 1970 Moscow, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union |
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| Height | 6 ft 1 in (185 cm) | ||
| Weight | 187 lb (85 kg; 13 st 5 lb) | ||
| Position | Center | ||
| Shot | Left | ||
| Played for | Dynamo Moscow Winnipeg Jets Chicago Blackhawks Philadelphia Flyers Boston Bruins |
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| Current KHL coach | Spartak Moscow | ||
| National team |  Soviet Union, Unified Team and Russia |
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| NHL Draft | 77th overall, 1990 Winnipeg Jets |
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| Playing career | 1992–2006 | ||
| Coaching career | 2013–present | ||
Alexei Yuryevich "Alex" Zhamnov (born October 1, 1970) is a famous former professional ice hockey player from Russia. He played as a center, which is a key position in ice hockey. Alex Zhamnov spent many years playing in the National Hockey League (NHL), which is the top ice hockey league in North America. He played for teams like the Winnipeg Jets, Chicago Blackhawks, Philadelphia Flyers, and Boston Bruins. After his playing career, he became a coach. He is currently the head coach of HC Spartak Moscow in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). He also used to be a general manager for other teams and coached the Russia men's national ice hockey team.
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Alexei Zhamnov's Playing Career
Starting with the Winnipeg Jets
Alexei Zhamnov was chosen by the Winnipeg Jets in the 1990 NHL Entry Draft. He was the 77th player picked overall. After playing in the 1992 Olympics, he started his NHL career with the Jets in the 1992–93 season.
Zhamnov played center on a very strong line for the Jets. His teammates were Keith Tkachuk and Teemu Selanne. All three players had been Olympians for their home countries.
Success with the Jets
Zhamnov was very successful during his time with the Jets. In each of his four seasons there, he scored more than one point per game. A "point" in hockey is given for a goal or an assist.
His best season was in 1994–95, which was shorter due to a lockout. He led the Jets in scoring that year. He also finished third in scoring across the entire league. A special moment was when he scored five goals in one game. This happened against the Los Angeles Kings on April 1, 1995. The game ended in a 7–7 tie.
Moving to the Chicago Blackhawks
After the Jets team moved to Phoenix, Zhamnov was traded. He went to the Chicago Blackhawks in the summer of 1996. The trade was for another famous player, Jeremy Roenick.
With the Blackhawks, Zhamnov did not score as many points per game. However, he played well with Tony Amonte, who was Roenick's childhood friend. Zhamnov became the team captain for the Blackhawks. He served as captain from 2002 to 2004.
Later NHL Teams
On February 20, 2004, Zhamnov was traded again. He moved from Chicago to the Philadelphia Flyers. In return, the Blackhawks received Jim Vandermeer, Colin Fraser, and a draft pick.
On August 4, 2005, Zhamnov signed a three-year contract with the Boston Bruins. However, he played only 24 games in his first season with the Bruins. He was often injured. On January 7, 2006, he suffered a broken ankle. This injury ended his professional playing career. He retired from playing hockey in 2006.
Alexei Zhamnov's International Play
Alexei Zhamnov played for his country in many important international tournaments. He represented the Unified Team and Russia.
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Ice hockey | ||
Representing  Unified Team |
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| Winter Olympics | ||
| Gold | 1992 Albertville | |
| Representing Russia |
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| Winter Olympics | ||
| Silver | 1998 Nagano | |
| Bronze | 2002 Salt Lake City | |
Representing  Soviet Union |
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| World Championships | ||
| Bronze | 1991 Finland | |
| World Junior Championship | ||
| Silver | 1990 Finland | |
Olympic Games Achievements
Zhamnov participated in three Olympic Games. He won a gold medal, a silver medal, and a bronze medal.
- In 1992, he won a gold medal with the Unified Team.
- In 1998, he won a silver medal with the Russian team.
- In 2002, he won a bronze medal with the Russian team.
He was chosen to play in the 2006 Olympics. However, he could not participate because of his injury. During the 2004–05 NHL lockout, Zhamnov played hockey in his home country.
Awards and Honors
Alexei Zhamnov received several awards during his career.
| Award | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| NHL | ||
| Second All-Star team | 1994–95 | |
| All-Star Game | 2001–02 | |
- In the 1994–95 NHL season, he was named to the NHL Second All-Star team. This means he was recognized as one of the best players in the league at his position.
- He also played in the NHL All-Star Game in the 2001–02 season. This game features the top players from different teams playing against each other.
