Sergei Gonchar facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sergei Gonchar |
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Gonchar in March 2018
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| Born | 13 April 1974 Chelyabinsk, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union |
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| Height | 6 ft 2 in (188 cm) | ||
| Weight | 210 lb (95 kg; 15 st 0 lb) | ||
| Position | Defence | ||
| Shot | Left | ||
| Played for | Traktor Chelyabinsk Dynamo Moscow Washington Capitals Lada Togliatti Boston Bruins Metallurg Magnitogorsk Pittsburgh Penguins Ottawa Senators Dallas Stars Montreal Canadiens |
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| National team |  Russia |
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| NHL Draft | 14th overall, 1992 Washington Capitals |
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| Playing career | 1991–2015 | ||
Sergei Viktorovich Gonchar (Russian: Серге́й Ви́кторович Гонча́р; born 13 April 1974) is a famous Russian former professional ice hockey player. He played as a defence player for many years. After his playing career, he became a coach, helping other players improve their skills. He recently worked as a Defensive Development Coach for the Vancouver Canucks.
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Playing Ice Hockey
Sergei Gonchar started his professional hockey journey in 1991. He played for teams like Traktor Chelyabinsk and Dynamo Moscow in Russia.
Joining the NHL
The Washington Capitals picked Gonchar in the 1992 NHL Entry Draft. He was the 14th player chosen overall. He first played in North America in 1994 with the Portland Pirates. This team was linked to the Capitals.
Gonchar made his first appearance in the NHL on 7 February 1995. He played for the Capitals against the Buffalo Sabres. In his first full season, he scored 41 points. This showed he could be a strong offensive defenceman.
Setting Records
In the 1998–99 season, Gonchar made history. He became the first Russian defenceman to score more than 20 goals in one season. The next year, he reached over 50 points for the first time. He was also ranked fifth for the James Norris Memorial Trophy, which is given to the NHL's best defenceman.
He continued to play well, scoring 57 and 67 points in later seasons. Because of his great play, he was named to the second All-Star team twice.
In March 2004, after playing for the Capitals for ten seasons, Gonchar moved teams. He was traded to the Boston Bruins. He finished that season leading all NHL defencemen in points. Between 2000 and 2004, he scored more points than any other defenceman.
Playing for the Penguins
During a break in the NHL season (the 2004–05 lockout), Gonchar went back to Russia. He played for Metallurg Magnitogorsk. After the lockout, he signed a five-year deal with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2005.
In his second season with the Penguins, Gonchar tied his career high with 67 points. He also helped his new teammate, Evgeni Malkin, when Malkin first arrived from Russia.
Reaching the Stanley Cup Finals
In the 2007–08 season, Gonchar helped the Penguins reach the 2008 Stanley Cup Finals. This was the team's first finals appearance since 1992. He had a great regular season with 65 points. He also added 14 points in the playoffs. The Penguins eventually lost to the Detroit Red Wings. Gonchar was again ranked high for the Norris Trophy.
At the start of the 2008–09 season, Gonchar got injured. He dislocated his shoulder and missed many months. He returned to play in February 2009. He helped the Penguins make it to the playoffs. During the playoffs, he got another serious knee injury. Even with injuries, Gonchar and the Penguins went on to win the Stanley Cup! They beat the Detroit Red Wings in seven games. After winning, he shared that he had been playing with a partially torn knee ligament.
Gonchar continued to play well despite injuries. In the 2009–10 season, he recorded his ninth season with 50 or more points. He also scored his 200th NHL goal, becoming the first Russian defenceman to do so.
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From 2000 to 2010, Gonchar was one of the top defencemen in the NHL. He scored 500 points, which was second only to Nicklas Lidström. He also led the league in goals by a defenceman during that time.
Later Career Teams
On 1 July 2010, Gonchar signed a three-year contract with the Ottawa Senators. During another NHL lockout in 2012–13, he played in Russia again. He then moved to the Dallas Stars in 2013. In 2014, he was traded to the Montreal Canadiens.
In May 2015, it was announced that Gonchar would not return to the Canadiens. He tried to rejoin the Pittsburgh Penguins for training camp but was released in October 2015.
Coaching Career
Sergei Gonchar officially ended his playing career in October 2015. He accepted a coaching job with the Pittsburgh Penguins. He helped the Penguins' defence and contributed to them winning the Stanley Cup in both 2016 and 2017. Because of his success, he was promoted to a full-time assistant coach in 2017.
In August 2020, the Penguins decided not to renew his coaching contract. This decision came after the team lost in the playoffs.
On 22 January 2023, the Vancouver Canucks hired Sergei Gonchar. He joined them as a Defensive Development Coach. The Canucks said they were excited about Gonchar joining their team. They noted his long and successful playing career as a defenceman. They also mentioned that he brings a "championship pedigree" to the organization.
Awards and Achievements
Sergei Gonchar achieved many great things in his career:
- He led NHL defencemen in goals and points in several seasons.
- He played in the NHL All-Star Game five times (2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, and 2008).
- He was named to the NHL second All-Star team in 2002 and 2003.
- He won the Stanley Cup as a player with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2009.
- He also won the Stanley Cup as a development coach with the Penguins in 2016 and 2017.
International Play
| Medal record | ||
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Representing  Russia |
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| Men's ice hockey | ||
| Olympic Games | ||
| Silver | 1998 Nagano | |
| Bronze | 2002 Salt Lake City | |
| World Championships | ||
| Silver | 2010 Germany | |
| Bronze | 2007 Russia | |
Gonchar proudly represented Russia in many international tournaments. He won two medals at the Olympic Games. He earned a silver medal at the 1998 Games in Nagano. He also won a bronze medal at the 2002 Games in Salt Lake City.
He also played in the 1993 World Junior Championship. He competed in two World Cups and three World Championships.
