Joonas Donskoi (born 13 April 1992) is a Finnish 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 hock ...
forward
Forward is a relative direction, the opposite of backward.
Forward may also refer to:
People
* Forward (surname)
Sports
* Forward (association football)
* Forward (basketball), including:
** Point forward
** Power forward (basketball)
** Sm ...
currently playing for the
Seattle Kraken
The Seattle Kraken are a professional ice hockey team based in Seattle. The Kraken compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference and began play during the league's 2021–22 season. ...
of 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). He has also played for the
San Jose Sharks
The San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference, and are owned by San Jose Sports & Entertainm ...
and
Colorado Avalanche
The Colorado Avalanche (colloquially known as the Avs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference. The Avalanche play thei ...
.
Playing career
Donskoi played with
Oulun Kärpät
Oulun Kärpät (Finnish for "Oulu Ermines", sometimes referred to as Kärpät Oulu) is a Finnish professional ice hockey team based in Oulu and playing in the top-tier Finnish Liiga. Kärpät have won the Finnish championship title eight times ...
of the
Finnish
Finnish may refer to:
* Something or someone from, or related to Finland
* Culture of Finland
* Finnish people or Finns, the primary ethnic group in Finland
* Finnish language, the national language of the Finnish people
* Finnish cuisine
See also ...
Liiga
The SM-liiga (marketed as just Liiga from 2013 on), (Finnish for ''League'') colloquially called the Finnish Elite League in English or FM-ligan in Swedish, is the top professional ice hockey league in Finland. It is one of the six founding leagu ...
under coach Lauri Marjamaki. After witnessing Donskoi not standing upright enough while skating, he recommended the forward lengthen his stick. While with Kärpät, he was drafted in the 4th round (99th overall) of the
2010 NHL Entry Draft
The 2010 NHL Entry Draft was the 48th NHL Entry Draft, held on June 25–26, 2010 at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California, home arena of the Los Angeles Kings. This was the first time Los Angeles hosted the NHL Entry Draft. An unofficial re ...
by the
Florida Panthers
The Florida Panthers are a professional ice hockey team based in the Miami metropolitan area. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern ...
.
Donskoi continued his offensive growth setting career high of 19 goals and 49 points in the
2014–15 season with Kärpät,
San Jose Sharks
With his NHL rights relinquished by the Panthers, Donskoi was signed to a two-year entry-level contract with the San Jose Sharks on 20 May 2015.
In his first training camp and pre-season with the Sharks, Donskoi impressed and made the club's opening night roster for the
2015–16 season. Donskoi scored his first NHL goal in his first NHL game, 7 October 2015, against
Jonathan Quick
Jonathan Douglas Quick (born January 21, 1986) is an American professional ice hockey goaltender for the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League (NHL). Quick was selected in the third round, 72nd overall, by Los Angeles at the 2005 NHL ...
of the
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 ...
. Donskoi surpassed expectations with the Sharks, cementing a regular roster position amongst the Sharks offense. In 76 games with San Jose, he compiled 11 goals and 25 assists for 36 points. Helping the Sharks reach the postseason, Donskoi appeared in every game, contributing with 12 points in 23 games as the club reached the
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup (french: La Coupe Stanley) is the championship trophy awarded annually to the National Hockey League (NHL) playoff champion. It is the oldest existing trophy to be awarded to a professional sports franchise in North America, an ...
finals for the first time in franchise history. In Game 3 of the
2016 Stanley Cup Finals, Donskoi scored the game-winning goal in overtime, but the team lost the series in six games 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 ...
.
On 12 May 2017, the Sharks re-signed Donskoi to a two-year, $3.8 million contract.
He would record 28 goals and 31 assists over the next two seasons with the Sharks before becoming a free agent.
Colorado Avalanche
As a free agent from the Sharks, Donskoi signed a four-year, $15.6 million contract with the
Colorado Avalanche
The Colorado Avalanche (colloquially known as the Avs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference. The Avalanche play thei ...
on 1 July 2019. Acquired by the Avalanche to add scoring depth to the club's middle six forwards, Donskoi made his Avalanche debut on the opening night of the season, registering 2 goals in a 5-3 victory over the
Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary. The Flames compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference, and ...
on 3 October 2019. Showing versatility, Donskoi played primarily alongside
Nazem Kadri
Nazem Kadri (born October 6, 1990) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player for the Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs seventh overall in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. He played his juni ...
and
Andre Burakovsky, and notched his first career hat-trick in a 9-4 blowout victory over the
Nashville Predators
The Nashville Predators (commonly referred to as the Preds) are a professional ice hockey team based in Nashville, Tennessee. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference, and ha ...
on 7 November 2019. He made his 300th NHL regular season appearance the following game against the
Columbus Blue Jackets
The Columbus Blue Jackets (often simply referred to as the Jackets) are a professional ice hockey team based in Columbus, Ohio. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference, ...
on 9 November. He compiled a career high 14 points through the month of November, recording a career-high four points (2 goals, 2 assists), playing on the top-line in a 5-2 win against the
Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks (spelled Black Hawks until 1986, and known colloquially as the Hawks) are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago. The Blackhawks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division i ...
on 30 November. Donskoi recorded a career-high 16 goals and added 17 assists and 33 points in 65 games before the regular season was halted in March due to the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
. In the Avalanche's return to the playoffs, Donskoi added two goals in the round-robin stage and added 6 points in just 9 post-season games before missing the club's final 5 games to injury in a second-round defeat to 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 (NHL), Central Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference, and were founde ...
.
In his second season with Colorado, with added depth brought into the Avalanche line-up, Donskoi was primarily used in a third-line role alongside
Tyson Jost
Tyson Jost (born March 14, 1998) is a Canadian professional ice hockey forward, currently playing for the Buffalo Sabres in the National Hockey League (NHL).
Born in St. Albert, Alberta to a single mother, Jost moved to British Columbia to ...
and
Valeri Nichushkin for the pandemic delayed season. Donskoi began the season with an offensive burst, compiling 28 points through 35 games, including collecting his second career hat-trick, notching the fastest 3 goals to start a game in franchise history (7:31) in a 9-3 victory over the
Arizona Coyotes
The Arizona Coyotes are a professional ice hockey team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. The Coyotes compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference and currently play at the Mull ...
on 31 March 2021. After missing 5 games through April in a COVID protocol related absence, Donskoi slowed in his production, finishing with a career high 17 goals while adding 31 points in 51 regular season games. In the opening round of the playoffs, Donskoi matched a career high of 3 points in a Game 2 victory over the
St. Louis Blues
The St. Louis Blues are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Louis. The Blues compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference. The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the ...
on 19 May 2021. He collected five points in 10 playoff games, unable to help Colorado advance past the second round for the third consecutive year.
Seattle Kraken
On 21 July 2021, Donskoi's tenure with Colorado was cut short when he was selected from the Avalanche at the
2021 NHL Expansion Draft
The 2021 NHL Expansion Draft was an expansion draft that was conducted by the National Hockey League on July 21, 2021, to fill the roster of the league's expansion team for the 2021–22 NHL season, 2021–22 season, the Seattle Kraken.
Backgrou ...
by the
Seattle Kraken
The Seattle Kraken are a professional ice hockey team based in Seattle. The Kraken compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference and began play during the league's 2021–22 season. ...
.
International play
On 2 March 2016, Donskoi was named to Team Finland's roster for the
2016 World Cup of Hockey.
Personal life
Donskoi is one of six children; he has three brothers and two sisters. In his free time, he is interested in cars and skateboarding. After the
2019 Stanley Cup playoffs, he returned to Finland and paid off the debt of a skating park his childhood friend owned. He has Russian roots from his great-grandfather or grandfather.
Career statistics
Regular season and playoffs
International
Awards and honours
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Donskoi, Joonas
1992 births
Living people
Colorado Avalanche players
Finnish expatriate ice hockey players in the United States
Finnish ice hockey right wingers
Finnish people of Russian descent
Florida Panthers draft picks
Oulun Kärpät players
People from Raahe
San Jose Sharks players
Seattle Kraken players
Sportspeople from North Ostrobothnia