Alexei Zhitnik

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Alexei Zhitnik
Born (1972-10-10) October 10, 1972 (age 52)
Kyiv, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union
Height 5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
Weight 214 lb (97 kg; 15 st 4 lb)
Position Defence
Shot Left
Played for Sokil Kyiv
CSKA Moscow
Los Angeles Kings
Buffalo Sabres
New York Islanders
Ak Bars Kazan
Philadelphia Flyers
Atlanta Thrashers
Dynamo Moscow
National teamFlag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union,
Olympic flag.svg Unified Team and
Flag of Russia.svg  Russia
NHL draft 81st overall, 1991
Los Angeles Kings
Playing career 19892010
Medal record
Men's ice hockey
Olympic Games
Representing Olympic flag.svg   Unified Team
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1992 Albertville
Representing Flag of Russia.svg  Russia
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 1998 Nagano
World Junior Championships
Representing Flag of the CIS.svg  CIS
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1992 Germany
European Junior Championships
Representing Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 1990 Finland

Alexei Zhitnik (Ukrainian : Олексій Миколайович Житник, Russian : Алексей Николаевич Житник; born October 10, 1972) is a Ukrainian-Russian former professional ice hockey defenceman. He has represented the Soviet Union, CIS, and Russia internationally; and Ukraine during two NHL All-Star Games. His number, 13, has been honored by Sokil Kyiv.

Contents

Playing career

Zhitnik was drafted 81st overall by the Los Angeles Kings in the 1991 NHL Entry Draft after playing for Sokil Kyiv in the Soviet Championship League for two years. After another year, he came to the NHL for the 1992–93 NHL season.

Zhitnik made his NHL debut on October 6, 1992, against the Calgary Flames and scored his first goal nine nights later, also against Calgary. In his rookie season with the Kings, he finished second among rookie defenceman in points with 48. He was an important part of the Kings' playoff [ broken anchor ] run to the Stanley Cup Finals, where they lost to the Montreal Canadiens.

After another year of playing with the Kings and Wayne Gretzky, Zhitnik was traded on February 14, 1995, along with Robb Stauber, Charlie Huddy and a fifth-round draft pick, to the Buffalo Sabres for Grant Fuhr, Denis Tsygurov and Philippe Boucher. He became one of the team's best players, helping the Sabres win the Northeast Division in the 1996–97 NHL season, his second full year with the team. In the 1997–98 NHL season, he led all defensemen in shorthanded goals (3). He also helped the Sabres reach the finals in the 1998–99 NHL season and stayed on the team until the 2004–05 NHL lockout when he returned to the Russian Super League.

Following the lockout, Zhitnik signed a four-year contract with the New York Islanders. He became an effective force on the team, and even though he missed the last 18 games of the season with a fractured ankle, he finished second among team defenceman in scoring.

On December 16, 2006, Zhitnik was traded to the Philadelphia Flyers for Freddy Meyer and a conditional third-round draft pick. [1] However, he was traded two months later on February 24, 2007, to the Atlanta Thrashers to add experience for playoffs, in exchange for Braydon Coburn.

Due to Zhitnik's disappointing play and the Thrashers focus on rebuilding, the team bought out Zhitnik's contract on June 30, 2008, making him a free agent. [2] On July 26, 2008, Zhitnik joined the Kontinental Hockey League, signing a tryout contract with Dynamo Moscow.

He played for Ukraine at the Maccabi “Jewish Olympics” in 2013 and 2017. Zhitnik also won a gold medal as part of Team Ukraine's Masters hockey team at the 2017 Maccabiah Games. [3]

Awards

Records

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

   Regular season   Playoffs
Season TeamLeagueGP G A Pts PIM GPGAPtsPIM
1988–89 ShVSM Kyiv USSR II 51012
1989–90 Sokil Kyiv USSR 3134716
1990–91 Sokil KyivUSSR4614546
1990–91ShVSM KyivUSSR III10000
1991–92 CSKA Moscow CIS362794480008
1992–93 Los Angeles Kings NHL 781236488024391226
1993–94 Los Angeles KingsNHL81124052101
1994–95 Los Angeles KingsNHL1125727
1994–95 Buffalo Sabres NHL2125734501114
1995–96 Buffalo SabresNHL806303658
1996–97 Buffalo SabresNHL8072835951210116
1997–98 Buffalo SabresNHL781530451021503336
1998–99 Buffalo SabresNHL817263396214111522
1999–2000 Buffalo SabresNHL74211139540008
2000–01 Buffalo SabresNHL7882937751316712
2001–02 Buffalo SabresNHL821333480
2002–03 Buffalo SabresNHL703182185
2003–04 Buffalo SabresNHL6842428102
2004–05 Ak Bars Kazan RSL 231893040002
2005–06 New York Islanders NHL595242988
2006–07 New York IslandersNHL30291140
2006–07 Philadelphia Flyers NHL313101338
2006–07 Atlanta Thrashers NHL18212141440004
2007–08 Atlanta ThrashersNHL6535858
2008–09 Dynamo Moscow KHL 564711581212322
2009–10 Dynamo MoscowKHL5607760
USSR/CIS totals1136152110680008
NHL totals1,085963754711,2689893039168

International

Alexei Zhitnik
Medal record
Men's ice hockey
Representing Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union
World Junior Championship
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 1991 Saskatoon Ice hockey
Representing Flag of the CIS.svg  CIS
World Junior Championship
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1992 Fũssen Ice hockey
Olympic Games
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1992 Albertville Ice hockey
Representing Flag of Russia.svg  Russia
Olympic Games
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 1998 Nagano Ice hockey
YearTeamEventResult GPGAPtsPIM
1990 Soviet Union EJC Silver medal icon.svg62242
1991 Soviet Union WJC Silver medal icon.svg71122
1991 Soviet Union CC 5th50004
1992 CIS WJCGold medal icon.svg71122
1992 Unified Team OG Gold medal icon.svg81010
1992 Russia WC5th60226
1994 RussiaWC5th61018
1996 RussiaWC4th81126
1996 Russia WCH SF30112
1998 RussiaOGSilver medal icon.svg60222
2000 RussiaWC11th60112
2006 RussiaOG4th00000
Junior totals204486
Senior totals48371030

Career transactions

See also

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References

  1. New York Islanders - News: ISLANDERS ACQUIRE MEYER FOR ZHITNIK - 12/16/2006
  2. "Zhitnik, Westcott, bought out". TSN.ca. 2008-06-30. Retrieved 2008-06-30.
  3. "Canada wraps up Maccabiah games with 50 medals". 21 July 2017.