Alexei Ponikarovsky ( ua, Олексій Володимирович Понікаровський; born 9 April 1980) is a
Ukrainian
Ukrainian may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to Ukraine
* Something relating to Ukrainians, an East Slavic people from Eastern Europe
* Something relating to demographics of Ukraine in terms of demography and population of Ukraine
* So ...
-
Canadian
Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...
former professional
ice hockey
Ice hockey (or simply hockey) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an ice skating rink with lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. In ice hockey, two opposing teams use ice h ...
left winger
A midfielder is an outfield position in association football.
Midfielders may play an exclusively defensive role, breaking up attacks, and are in that case known as defensive midfielders. As central midfielders often go across boundarie ...
. He played in the
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...
(NHL) for the
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs (officially the Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club and often referred to as the Leafs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Div ...
,
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins (colloquially known as the Pens) are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division of the Eastern Conference, and have playe ...
,
Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles. The team competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference and was founded on June 5, 1967, after Jack Kent ...
,
Carolina Hurricanes
The Carolina Hurricanes (colloquially known as the Canes) are a professional ice hockey team based in Raleigh, North Carolina. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference ...
,
Winnipeg Jets
The Winnipeg Jets are a professional ice hockey team based in Winnipeg. The team competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference, and is owned by True North Sports & Entertainment, p ...
and
New Jersey Devils, having originally been drafted in the third round, 87th overall, by the Maple Leafs at the
1998 NHL Entry Draft. He also holds
Russian
Russian(s) refers to anything related to Russia, including:
*Russians (, ''russkiye''), an ethnic group of the East Slavic peoples, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries
*Rossiyane (), Russian language term for all citizens and peo ...
citizenship.
Playing career
![Ponikarovsky](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d1/Ponikarovsky.png)
As a youth, Ponikarovsky played in the 1994
Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament
The Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament (french: Tournoi international de hockey pee-wee de Québec) is an annual minor ice hockey event in Quebec City. The tournament was founded in 1960 to coincide with the Quebec Winter Carnival, ...
with a team from
Kyiv
Kyiv, also spelled Kiev, is the capital and most populous city of Ukraine. It is in north-central Ukraine along the Dnieper River. As of 1 January 2021, its population was 2,962,180, making Kyiv the seventh-most populous city in Europe.
Kyi ...
.
Ponikarovsky began his career with the
Dynamo Moscow
MGO VFSO "Dynamo" (russian: МГО ВФСО «Динамо»), commonly known as Dynamo Moscow (russian: Динамо Москва) is a Russian sports club based in Moscow. Founded by Felix Dzerzhinsky on 18 April 1923, Dynamo Moscow was the first ...
organization, playing with the team's affiliates, Dynamo-2 and Dynamo Jr., from 1995 to 1999 campaigns, seeing a little action with the main club during the 1998–99 season before becoming a regular fixture on the team during the 1999–2000 season when Dynamo won the
Russian Superleague
The Russian Superleague (russian: Чемпионат России Суперлига, ''Russian Championship Superleague''), commonly abbreviated as RSL, was the highest division of the main professional ice hockey league in Russia. It was consi ...
(RSL) championship.
In 1997–98, Ponikarovsky played 24 games for Dynamo in the First Division of the Russian Hockey League, collecting three points. He then played 13 games for
Krylya Sovetov of the Russian Elite League in 1998–99 and played three playoff games for Dynamo.
In 1999–2000, Ponikarovsky played 19 games for Dynamo of the Russian Elite League and played 29 games for
THK Tver in the First Division of the Russian Hockey League, collecting 22 points (eight goals and 14 assists).
In the
2005–06 season, Ponikarovsky put up career-highs in
goals
A goal is an objective that a person or a system plans or intends to achieve.
Goal may also refer to:
Sport
* Goal (sports), a method of scoring in many sports, or the physical structure or area where scoring occurs
** Goals, the goal frame in ...
,
assists,
points and
penalty minutes
A penalty in ice hockey is a punishment for an infringement of the rules. Most penalties are enforced by sending the offending player to a penalty box for a set number of minutes. During the penalty the player may not participate in play. Penaltie ...
. He saw added responsibility and was given more ice-time, often with former Dynamo Moscow teammate
Nik Antropov
Nikolai Alexandrovich Antropov (russian: Николай Александрович Антропов; born February 18, 1980) is a Kazakhstani-Canadian former professional ice hockey centre who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the ...
or
Mats Sundin
Mats Johan Sundin (; born 13 February 1971) is a Swedish former professional ice hockey player who played the majority of his career in the National Hockey League (NHL), retiring in 2009. Originally drafted first overall in 1989, Sundin played ...
, and became one of the team's regular penalty-killers. Ponikarovsky finished the season with four shorthanded goals and one assist. His four shorthanded goals tied ten players, including teammate
Matt Stajan
Matthew Stajan ( ; born December 19, 1983) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre. He was a second round selection, 57th overall, of the Toronto Maple Leafs at the 2002 NHL Entry Draft. Stajan made his NHL debut in 2004 and was a memb ...
, for eighth in the NHL.
On 16 December 2006, Ponikarovsky notched a career-high five points in Toronto's 9–2 victory over the
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the New York City borough of Manhattan. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference. The team plays its home ...
, scoring two goals and assisting on three others. He was commonly referred to by his teammates as "
The Poni Express", "The Ukraine Train" or simply "Poni". On 10 May 2007, the Maple Leafs re-signed Ponikarovsky to a three-year, $6.315 million contract extension.
![Alexei Ponikarovsky 2012-03-17](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a0/Alexei_Ponikarovsky_2012-03-17.JPG)
On 2 March 2010, Ponikarovsky was traded to the
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins (colloquially known as the Pens) are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division of the Eastern Conference, and have playe ...
in exchange for
Luca Caputi
Gianluca Caputi (born October 1, 1988) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and current head coach with the Kingston Frontenacs of the Ontario Hockey League.
Playing career Junior hockey Mississauga/Niagara IceDogs (2004–2008)
...
and
Martin Škoula. Following the trade, he remained optimistic he would resume contract talks with Toronto in the off-season.
In his debut game with the Penguins on 6 March 2010, against the
Dallas Stars
The Dallas Stars are a professional ice hockey team based in Dallas. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference, and were founded during the 1967 NHL expansion as the Minne ...
, he scored his first goal with his new team.
On 27 July 2010, Ponikarovsky signed with the Los Angeles Kings, receiving a signing bonus of $200,000 and a one-year contract for $3 million.
On 1 July 2011, Ponikarovsky signed a one-year contract with the
Carolina Hurricanes
The Carolina Hurricanes (colloquially known as the Canes) are a professional ice hockey team based in Raleigh, North Carolina. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference ...
reportedly worth $1.5 million.
On January 20, 2012, Ponikarovsky was traded to the
New Jersey Devils in exchange for defenceman Joe Sova and a fourth-round pick in
2012
File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gat ...
. In 33 games, he scored 18 points before helping the Devils to the
2012 Stanley Cup Finals
The 2012 Stanley Cup Finals was the championship series of the National Hockey League's (NHL) season, and the culmination of the 2012 Stanley Cup playoffs. The Western Conference playoff champion Los Angeles Kings defeated the Eastern Con ...
, scoring an overtime game winner in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the
Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia. The Flyers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference. The team plays its home games in Well ...
.
On July 1, 2012, Ponikarovsky signed as a free agent with the
Winnipeg Jets
The Winnipeg Jets are a professional ice hockey team based in Winnipeg. The team competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference, and is owned by True North Sports & Entertainment, p ...
on a one-year, $1.8 million contract. However, due to the
2012–13 NHL lockout
The 2012–13 NHL lockout was a labor dispute between the National Hockey League (NHL) and the National Hockey League Players' Association (NHLPA) that began at 11:59 pm EDT on September 15, 2012. A tentative deal on a new collective barg ...
, Ponikarovsky signed a temporary contract with the Ukrainian
Kontinental Hockey League
The Kontinental Hockey League (KHL; russian: Континентальная хоккейная лига (КХЛ), Kontinental'naya khokkeynaya liga) is an international professional ice hockey league founded in 2008. It comprises member clubs ba ...
(KHL) club
HC Donbass
Hockey Club Donbass ( uk, Хокейний Клуб Донбас; russian: link=no, Хоккейный Клуб Донбасс, '' tr. Hokeinyi Klub Donbas'') is a Ukrainian professional ice hockey team based in Druzhkivka, currently playing in th ...
for the
2012–13 season. In Donetsk, he had scored 18 points in 32 games, after which he returned to start the shortened NHL season with the Jets. After scoring only 2 goals in 12 games, Ponikarovsky was traded back to the New Jersey Devils in exchange for fourth- and seventh-round picks in the
2014 NHL Entry Draft
The 2014 NHL Entry Draft was the 52nd NHL Entry Draft. The draft was held on June 27–28, 2014 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The top three selections were Aaron Ekblad, Sam Reinhart and Leon Draisaitl, going to the F ...
on 13 February 2013.
![Alexei Ponikarovsky 20171229](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/43/Alexei_Ponikarovsky_20171229.jpg)
Upon the conclusion of the 2012–13 season, with limited NHL interest in free agency, Ponikarovsky decided to return to the KHL, signing a two-year contract with
SKA Saint Petersburg on 5 August 2013. The move reunited him with former New Jersey Devils teammate
Ilya Kovalchuk
Ilya Valeryevich Kovalchuk (russian: Илья Валерьевич Ковальчук; born 15 April 1983) is a Russian former professional ice hockey winger. He played for the Atlanta Thrashers, New Jersey Devils, Los Angeles Kings, Montrea ...
, who also just signed with SKA.
Personal
On 7 June 2007, Ponikarovsky became a
Canadian citizen
Canadian nationality law details the conditions in which a person is a national of Canada. With few exceptions, almost all individuals born in the country are automatically citizens at birth. Foreign nationals may naturalize after living in C ...
during a ceremony in
Etobicoke
Etobicoke (, ) is an administrative district of, and one of six municipalities amalgamated into, the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Comprising the city's west-end, Etobicoke was first settled by Europeans in the 1790s, and the municipalit ...
,
Ontario
Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central C ...
. Ponikarovsky lives in
Miami
Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a coastal metropolis and the county seat of Miami-Dade County in South Florida, United States. With a population of 442,241 at ...
with his wife Inna, daughter Jessica, and sons Alex and Maxim, while still owning a house in
Toronto
Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the anch ...
. He has favoured wearing the number 23 as two of his grandparents were born on the 23rd, along with his wife. After signing with SKA Saint Petersburg, Ponikarovsky obtained additional Russian citizenship, as many
Ukrainians in the KHL do.
Career statistics
Regular season and playoffs
International
References
External links
*
Russian Prospects profile
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ponikarovsky, Alexei
1980 births
Living people
Sportspeople from Kyiv
People with acquired Russian citizenship
HC Donbass players
HC Dynamo Moscow players
HC Khimik Voskresensk players
Krylya Sovetov Moscow players
HC Kunlun Red Star players
Ice hockey players at the 2002 Winter Olympics
Olympic ice hockey players of Ukraine
Ukrainian ice hockey left wingers
Ukrainian emigrants to Canada
Naturalized citizens of Canada
St. John's Maple Leafs players
Ukrainian expatriate sportspeople in the United States
Ukrainian expatriate sportspeople in Canada
Ukrainian expatriate sportspeople in Russia
Pittsburgh Penguins players
Los Angeles Kings players
Carolina Hurricanes players
New Jersey Devils players
SKA Saint Petersburg players
Toronto Maple Leafs draft picks
Toronto Maple Leafs players
Winnipeg Jets players
Expatriate ice hockey players in the United States
Expatriate ice hockey players in Canada
Expatriate ice hockey players in China
Ukrainian expatriate sportspeople in China
Ukrainian expatriate ice hockey people
Canadian expatriate ice hockey players in China