Ruslan Fedotenko facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ruslan Fedotenko |
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Fedotenko with the New York Rangers in 2011
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| Born | 18 January 1979 Kiev, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union (now Kyiv, Ukraine) |
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| Height | 6 ft 1 in (185 cm) | ||
| Weight | 200 lb (91 kg; 14 st 4 lb) | ||
| Position | Left wing | ||
| Shot | Left | ||
| Played for | Sokil Kyiv Philadelphia Flyers Tampa Bay Lightning New York Islanders Pittsburgh Penguins New York Rangers Donbass Donetsk |
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| National team |  Ukraine |
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| NHL Draft | Undrafted | ||
| Playing career | 1995–2016 | ||
Ruslan Viktorovych Fedotenko (born January 18, 1979) is a former professional ice hockey player. He played as a winger.
Ruslan is famous for winning the Stanley Cup twice. He played for several teams in the National Hockey League (NHL). These teams include the Philadelphia Flyers, Tampa Bay Lightning, New York Islanders, Pittsburgh Penguins, and New York Rangers. He also played for his home country, Ukraine, in the 2002 Winter Olympics.
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Ruslan Fedotenko's Hockey Journey
Starting His NHL Career
When Ruslan was young, he played in the 1993 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament. He was part of a team from Ukraine.
Ruslan was not chosen in the NHL draft. However, the Philadelphia Flyers signed him in 1999. This was his first step into the NHL. In 2002, he scored an important goal in overtime. This goal helped the Flyers win Game 1 of their playoff series against the Ottawa Senators.
Winning the Stanley Cup with Tampa Bay
After playing two seasons with the Flyers, Ruslan moved to the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2002. He was part of a trade that sent him and two draft picks to Tampa Bay.
In 2004, Ruslan helped the Lightning win their first-ever Stanley Cup. He scored both goals for the Lightning in Game 7 of the Finals. They won against the Calgary Flames. This was a huge moment for the team!
In the 2005–06 season, Ruslan had his best year. He scored 26 goals and earned 41 points. After this great season, he signed a new contract with the Lightning in July 2006.
Playing for the New York Islanders
After four seasons in Tampa Bay, Ruslan signed a one-year contract with the New York Islanders in July 2007. He joined other new players like Mike Comrie and Bill Guerin. In his only season with the Islanders, he scored 33 points.
Second Stanley Cup with Pittsburgh
The next year, in July 2008, Ruslan signed another one-year contract. This time, he joined the Pittsburgh Penguins. He had a great season with 39 points in 65 games. He played alongside talented players like Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Jordan Staal.
In the 2009 playoffs, Ruslan scored 14 points in 24 games. He helped the Penguins win his second Stanley Cup! They beat the Detroit Red Wings in a tough seven-game series. After this win, he signed another contract to stay with the Penguins.
Time with the New York Rangers
On September 10, 2010, Ruslan joined the New York Rangers for a try-out. He played well during the preseason. Because of this, the Rangers signed him to a one-year contract on October 4, 2010.
He re-signed with the New York Rangers on July 1, 2011, for another year.
Back to the Philadelphia Flyers
On July 5, 2012, Ruslan returned to the Philadelphia Flyers, the team where his NHL career began. He signed a one-year deal with them. During the 2012–13 NHL lockout, when NHL games were paused, Ruslan played for HC Donbass in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). After the 2012–13 NHL season, he signed a three-year contract to continue playing for Donbass.
Later Career and Retirement
On January 20, 2015, Ruslan signed a special contract to try out with the Iowa Wild. He played 13 games for Iowa and scored 3 goals in the 2014–15 season. On July 1, 2015, he signed a one-year contract with the Minnesota Wild, which is the main team for Iowa.
On October 11, 2016, Ruslan Fedotenko announced he was retiring from professional hockey. He ended his career as a two-time Stanley Cup Champion. He played in 863 NHL games for five different teams. He scored 173 goals and made 193 assists, totaling 366 points.
Playing for Ukraine
Ruslan Fedotenko also played for the Ukrainian national ice hockey team. He played one game for Ukraine in the 2002 Winter Olympics. Ukraine won that game 5–2 against Switzerland.
Images for kids
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Fedotenko with the New York Rangers in 2011
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Fedotenko with the Pittsburgh Penguins.
