Ignat Zemchenko ( ua, Іґнат Земченко, born April 24, 1992) is a Ukrainian-Russian 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 ...

player currently playing with

HC Yugra Hockey Club Yugra (russian: Хоккейный клуб Югра), is a professional ice hockey team based in Khanty-Mansiysk, Yugra, Russia. They currently play in the Supreme Hockey League, the second-highest league in Russia, and played in the ...

in the

Supreme Hockey League The Supreme Hockey League (SHL) (russian: Высшая хоккейная лига (ВХЛ), links=no, ''Vysshaya hokkeinaya liga (VHL)''), also known as the Major Hockey League or Higher Hockey League (HHL), is a professional ice hockey league ...

(VHL). He was selected by

Severstal Cherepovets Hockey Club Severstal is a professional ice hockey team based in Cherepovets, Vologda Oblast, Russia. They are members of the Tarasov Division in the Kontinental Hockey League. History Founded in 1956, the club was originally known as Stroitel ...

10th overall in the

2009 KHL Junior Draft The 2009 KHL Junior Draft was the first entry draft held by the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL), taking place on June 1, 2009. Twenty-three teams would take part in the draft, selecting ice hockey players from around the world aged between 17 and ...

, and made his KHL debut in the 2009–10 KHL season. He played for

Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-eig ...

in the

2012 IIHF World U20 Championship The 2012 IIHF U20 World Championship (commonly known as the 2012 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships) was the 36th edition of the Ice Hockey World Junior Championship. It was hosted in Calgary and Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It began on Decemb ...

. Ignat Zemchenko is the son of Serhiy Zemchenko, a former

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 ...

professional ice hockey player known for his time with

Sokil Kyiv Hockey Club Sokil Kyiv ( uk, ХК Сокіл Київ; en, Falcon Hockey Club), commonly known as Sokil Kyiv or HC Sokil, is a Ukrainian Professional Hockey League team based in Kyiv. While their home arena is located in the city, the team also ...

Playing career

Zemchenko began playing hockey in his birthplace

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 ...

Ukraine Ukraine ( uk, Україна, Ukraïna, ) is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which it borders to the east and northeast. Ukraine covers approximately . Prior to the ongoing Russian inv ...

. Later on his father, Serhiy, left the country to coach hockey in

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

for seven years, causing the family to relocate; and where Ignat would continue to learn the game. In 2004 his father again relocated, this time to coach

PHC Krylya Sovetov HC Krylya Sovetov (russian: link=no, ХК Крылья Советов; ''Soviet Wings'') is a professional ice hockey team based in Moscow, Russia. The team played in the top divisions of Soviet and Russian hockey. In 2008, the team was expell ...

based in

Moscow Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 millio ...

. Ignat too would join the Krylya Sovetov hockey system. In the 2011-12 KHL season, Zemchenko's father, Serhiy, would act as coach of Almaz Cherepovets.

International play

While both his father Serhiy and older brother Ihor have played internationally for Ukraine, Ignat chose to represent Russia instead, stating that while the option existed, he had "no desire to play on the Ukrainian team" because the career opportunity was greater in Russia. Zemchenko began playing for Russia internationally in the Under-16 4 Nations Tournament.

References

External links

* * 1992 births Living people HC Izhstal players Metallurg Novokuznetsk players HC Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk players Russian ice hockey forwards Severstal Cherepovets players HC Sibir Novosibirsk players Ukrainian emigrants to Russia Sportspeople from Kyiv {{Russia-icehockey-player-stub