Dainius Zubrus facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Dainius Zubrus |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
Zubrus with the New Jersey Devils in 2014
|
|||
| Born | June 16, 1978 Elektrėnai, Lithuanian SSR, Soviet Union |
||
| Height | 6 ft 5 in (196 cm) | ||
| Weight | 225 lb (102 kg; 16 st 1 lb) | ||
| Position | Forward | ||
| Shot | Left | ||
| Played for | Philadelphia Flyers Montreal Canadiens Washington Capitals Buffalo Sabres New Jersey Devils San Jose Sharks |
||
| National team |  Russia and Lithuania |
||
| NHL Draft | 15th overall, 1996 Philadelphia Flyers |
||
| Playing career | 1996–2019 | ||
Dainius Gintas Zubrus (born June 16, 1978) is a famous former ice hockey player from Lithuania. He played as a forward in the National Hockey League (NHL). He was the very first Lithuanian player to play over 1,000 games in the NHL, which is a huge achievement! He was picked by the Philadelphia Flyers in the 1996 NHL Entry Draft. During his career, he played for many teams, including the Montreal Canadiens, Washington Capitals, Buffalo Sabres, New Jersey Devils, and San Jose Sharks.
Contents
Becoming a Hockey Star
Early Hockey Days
When Dainius was 11 years old, he moved to Kharkiv in Ukraine to train for ice hockey. He played for a team called Druzhba-78 for six years. He even played in the famous Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament in 1992. This is a big event for young hockey players from all over the world.
Starting His Professional Career
The Philadelphia Flyers picked Zubrus as the 15th player overall in the 1996 NHL Entry Draft. This was a big deal because he was one of the highest-picked players from a junior league at that time. Before joining the Flyers, he played for teams like the Caledon Canadians and the Pembroke Lumber Kings.
Dainius Zubrus played his first NHL game on October 5, 1996. He even scored a goal in that game against the Florida Panthers! In his first season, he helped the Flyers reach the 1997 Stanley Cup Finals, which is the championship series of the NHL.
Playing for Different Teams
Over his career, Zubrus played for several NHL teams:
- Montreal Canadiens: In 1999, the Flyers traded him to the Montreal Canadiens. He scored his first hat-trick (three goals in one game) in 2000 against the Chicago Blackhawks.
- Washington Capitals: In 2001, he was traded to the Washington Capitals. During the 2004–05 NHL lockout, when NHL games were paused, Zubrus played in Russia for a team called Lada Togliatti. When he returned to the Capitals, he had his best season in 2005–06, scoring 57 points while playing with star player Alexander Ovechkin.
- Buffalo Sabres: In 2007, he was traded to the Buffalo Sabres.
- New Jersey Devils: On July 3, 2007, Zubrus signed a six-year contract with the New Jersey Devils. He had one of his best games with the Devils in 2008, scoring four goals against the Tampa Bay Lightning. He also reached the 2012 Stanley Cup Finals with the Devils, but they lost to the Los Angeles Kings. He played eight seasons with the Devils before leaving in 2015.
- San Jose Sharks: In November 2015, Zubrus joined the San Jose Sharks. He reunited with his former coach and a teammate there. With the Sharks, he reached his third Stanley Cup Finals, but they lost to the Pittsburgh Penguins. After this, he decided to retire from playing professional hockey.
Playing for His Country
Dainius Zubrus first played for the Russian national team in the 2004 World Cup of Hockey. However, he later chose to play for Lithuania, his home country. He said that Lithuania needed him more than Russia. He played for Lithuania in several World Championships. Because he was born when the Soviet Union existed, players like him could choose which new country to represent after the Soviet Union broke up.
Life After Playing Hockey
After retiring from playing, Zubrus continued to be involved in hockey. In 2018, he was chosen as the president of Hockey Lietuva, which is the main organization for ice hockey in Lithuania. He was re-elected for a second term in 2022.
Personal Life
Dainius Zubrus is married and has two children. He is a citizen of both Lithuania and the United States.
Images for kids
-
Zubrus in 2010
-
Zubrus with the Washington Capitals
