Brandon Bochenski facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Brandon Bochenski
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Bochenski in 2023
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| 27th Mayor of Grand Forks | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Assumed office June 23, 2020 |
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| Preceded by | Michael Brown | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born |
Brandon Louis Bochenski
April 4, 1982 Blaine, Minnesota, U.S. |
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| Spouse |
Jennifer Helt
(m. 2007) |
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| Children | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Education | University of North Dakota (BA) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Brandon Louis Bochenski (born April 4, 1982) is an American who used to play professional ice hockey. After a successful career on the ice, he became a politician. He played 156 games in the National Hockey League (NHL) for several teams. Later, he was the captain of Barys Astana in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). Brandon also played for both the United States and Kazakhstan in international tournaments. In June 2020, Bochenski was elected mayor of Grand Forks, North Dakota.
Contents
Brandon Bochenski: From Hockey Star to Mayor
Early Hockey Days
Brandon Bochenski grew up playing hockey in Blaine, where he went to Blaine High School. In 2000, his team, the Blaine Bengals, won the state championship. He was a top scorer in that tournament.
After high school, Brandon played for the Lincoln Stars in the USHL. He was amazing, scoring 47 goals in one season! This was the most goals scored in the league in 15 years. Because of his great skills, the Ottawa Senators picked him in the 2001 NHL Draft.
Brandon then decided to play college hockey at the University of North Dakota. He spent three seasons there, leading his team in goals and points in his last two years. He helped his team reach the NCAA tournament twice.
Playing in the NHL
Brandon Bochenski started his professional hockey career in the AHL with the Binghamton Senators. He scored a lot of goals and points, showing he was ready for the big leagues.
In the 2005–06 season, Brandon made his debut in the NHL with the Ottawa Senators. He scored his first NHL goal against the Boston Bruins. He even got his first career hat trick (three goals in one game) against the Florida Panthers!
Over the next few years, Brandon played for several NHL teams, including the Chicago Blackhawks, Boston Bruins, Anaheim Ducks, Nashville Predators, and Tampa Bay Lightning. He often moved between the NHL and the AHL, where he continued to be a strong scorer. He became the Norfolk Admirals' all-time leading goal scorer.
Life in the KHL
In 2010, Brandon decided to play hockey in Russia's top league, the KHL, for a team called Barys Astana. He became one of the league's best scorers there.
He played for Barys Astana for seven seasons and became their captain. He was known for being a top foreign player in the KHL. In 2017, he decided to retire from hockey to spend more time with his family. However, he made a comeback in 2018 for one more season with Barys Astana before retiring for good in 2019.
Becoming a Mayor
After his long hockey career, Brandon Bochenski started a new chapter. He took a job with a real estate company in Grand Forks, North Dakota.
Then, in June 2020, he decided to run for mayor of Grand Forks. He won the election, beating the mayor who had been in office for 20 years! This was a big change, going from a professional athlete to leading a city.
Playing for His Country
Brandon also played ice hockey for his country on the international stage. He first represented the United States in the World Championship.
Later, in 2016, he was approved to play for Kazakhstan. He played for Kazakhstan in several international tournaments, including the World Championship and the Division IA World Championship. As captain of the Kazakhstan team in 2019, he helped them win their tournament and move up to the top level for the next World Championship.
