Darius Kasparaitis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Darius Kasparaitis |
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Kasparaitis with the Hartford Wolf Pack in 2006
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| Born | October 16, 1972 Elektrėnai, Lithuanian SSR, Soviet Union |
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| Height | 5 ft 11 in (180 cm) | ||
| Weight | 215 lb (98 kg; 15 st 5 lb) | ||
| Position | Defence | ||
| Shot | Left | ||
| Played for | Dynamo Moscow New York Islanders Pittsburgh Penguins Colorado Avalanche New York Rangers Ak Bars Kazan SKA Saint Petersburg Hockey Punks Vilnius |
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| National team |  Soviet Union, Unified Team, Russia and Lithuania |
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| NHL Draft | 5th overall, 1992 New York Islanders |
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| Playing career | 1988–2009 2013–2018 |
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Darius Kasparaitis (born October 16, 1972) is a Lithuanian–American former professional ice hockey defenceman. He was known for his tough, physical style of play. Darius mainly played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for teams like the New York Islanders, Pittsburgh Penguins, Colorado Avalanche, and New York Rangers.
He is a four-time Olympian and won three medals for his country. These include one gold medal, one silver medal, and one bronze medal. In 1992, he earned the title of Honoured Master of Sports of the USSR. He was also added to the Russian and Soviet Hockey Hall of Fame in 2016. Darius holds a record for playing 28 Olympic games, more than any other Russian national team player.
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Becoming a Hockey Star
Darius Kasparaitis was born in Elektrėnai, Lithuania. When he was 14, he moved from Lithuania to Russia. He wanted to play ice hockey at a higher level. He trained with a coach named Aleksey Nikiforov.
Early Career in Russia
At just 16 years old, Darius played his first game for HC Dynamo Moscow. This was a top team in the Soviet Union. He helped them win the Soviet League championship in 1992. Later that year, the New York Islanders picked him in the 1992 NHL Entry Draft. He was the fifth player chosen overall.
Playing in the NHL
Darius played for several NHL teams. These included the New York Islanders, Pittsburgh Penguins, Colorado Avalanche, and New York Rangers. He was famous for his very physical playing style. He often led his teams in the number of hits he made. This was true even in his first NHL season, 1992–93.
In 1996, Darius joined the Pittsburgh Penguins. While with the Penguins, he made a strong hit on Eric Lindros in 1998. This hit kept Lindros out of games for 18 days. In 2002, he moved to the Colorado Avalanche. He finished the 2001–02 season there.
Later, Darius signed with the New York Rangers in 2002. During the 2005–06 season, he was an alternate captain for the Rangers. He shared this role with Jaromír Jágr and Steve Rucchin. The team did not have a main captain at that time.
Leaving the NHL
In 2005, Darius was chosen to play for Russia in the 2006 Winter Olympics. He was replaced as an alternate captain for the Rangers in 2006. This happened when Brendan Shanahan joined the team. In 2007, the Rangers sent him to their minor league team, the Hartford Wolf Pack.
Later in 2007, Darius was loaned to SKA St. Petersburg in Russia. This team was part of the Russian Superleague (now the KHL). The Rangers still held his NHL rights.
Rangers' Stick Salute
Darius left a special mark on Rangers fans. After every home win, he would lead the team to center ice. There, all the players would raise their sticks to salute the fans. This tradition is still carried on by the Rangers today after every home victory.
Darius continued to play for SKA Saint Petersburg until 2009. He did not play in the 2009–10 season due to an injury. He then announced his retirement from professional hockey.
Playing for Lithuania
After retiring, Darius wanted to play for the Lithuanian national team. He finally got to do this in 2018. He played for Lithuania in the IIHF World Championship Division I.
Playing Style: The Tough Defenceman
Darius Kasparaitis was known as a "stay-at-home" defenceman. This means his main job was to defend his team's net. He was also famous for his hard hits and for being a bit of a "pesky" player. He would often get under the skin of opposing stars.
In his first NHL season, he already had a reputation for being tough. He wasn't afraid to challenge big NHL stars. For example, in a playoff game in 1993, he constantly bothered Mario Lemieux.
Another famous moment was in 1998 when he hit Philadelphia Flyers captain Eric Lindros. This hit caused Lindros to miss over a month of games. Interestingly, Darius and Eric later became teammates and friends. Eric even called Darius at midnight to convince him to join the Rangers!
Darius also had some memorable run-ins with other players. In 2006, he hit Grant Marshall of the New Jersey Devils. Marshall later punched Darius in retaliation. Marshall said he had "zero respect" for Darius. But Darius said he always stayed in control of his emotions. He never let his playing style distract his own team.
International Achievements
Darius Kasparaitis had a very successful international career. He played for the Soviet Union, the Unified Team, Russia, and Lithuania.
| Medal record | ||
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| Ice hockey | ||
| Representing Unified Team & Russia |
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| Winter Olympics | ||
| Gold | 1992 Albertville | Ice hockey |
| Silver | 1998 Nagano | Ice hockey |
| Bronze | 2002 Salt Lake City | Ice hockey |
| Representing Lithuania |
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| World Championship Division I | ||
| Gold | 2018 Lithuania | Ice hockey |
Representing  Soviet Union &  CIS |
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| World Junior Championships | ||
| Gold | 1992 Germany | Ice hockey |
| Silver | 1991 Canada | Ice Hockey |
| European Junior Championships | ||
| Silver | 1990 Sweden | Ice Hockey |
Junior and Olympic Success
Darius first played internationally at the 1990 IIHF European U18 Championship. He helped his team win a gold medal. The next year, he won a silver medal at the 1991 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. In 1992, he won another gold medal at the 1992 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships.
He won a gold medal at the 1992 Winter Olympics as part of the Unified Team. This team was made up of athletes from former Soviet Union countries. After these Olympics, he played for the Russian national team.
World Championships and More Olympics
Darius played in the 1992 Men's Ice Hockey World Championships for Russia. He also competed in the 1996 Men's Ice Hockey World Championships and the 1996 World Cup of Hockey.
In 1998, he won a silver medal at the 1998 Winter Olympics with Russia. Four years later, at the 2002 Winter Olympics, he scored a goal in the bronze medal game. This helped Russia win the bronze medal. He played in his last Olympics in 2006.
In 2018, Darius played for the Lithuanian national team. He helped them win a gold medal at the 2018 IIHF World Championship Division I.
Life After Hockey
After retiring from playing, Darius tried new things.
Coaching
In 2010, Darius became an assistant coach for SKA Saint Petersburg in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). His coaching contract ended later that year.
Business
In 2015, Darius co-founded a real estate company called Verzasca Group. It's based in Florida, USA. He is the president of the company. The company is named after a river in Switzerland. This is because they want to be "transparent" (clear and honest) with their investors. Later that year, his company got approval for two building projects in Miami.
Personal Life
Darius Kasparaitis is a citizen of both Lithuania and the United States. He has six children. He has a daughter from his first marriage. His current wife, Lisa, is a designer from Sweden. She lives in Stockholm and Miami. Darius lived in Sweden from 2009 to 2011. He and Lisa have twin daughters and three sons.
Awards and Honors
- 1990: European Junior Championship All-Star Team
- 1992: World Junior Championships Best Defenceman
- 1992: Honoured Master of Sports of the USSR (a high sports honor)
- 2016: Russian Hockey Hall of Fame
