Anton Babchuk
Encyclopedia
Anton Anatoliiovych Babchuk is a Ukrainian-Russian
professional ice hockey
defenceman
currently playing for Calgary Flames
of the National Hockey League
(NHL). He was a first round selection, 21st overall, of the Chicago Blackhawks
at the 2002 NHL Entry Draft
, and has played for the Blackhawks, Carolina Hurricanes
, and Calgary Flames
in his NHL career. He has also played with Ak Bars Kazan, SKA Saint Petersburg
and Avangard Omsk
of the Russian Super League/Kontinental Hockey League
.
, Ukraine
, Babchuk began playing hockey at the age of three. He began his training with the Sokil Kyiv junior hockey affiliate, a team which included fellow future Ukrainian NHLer Nikolai Zherdev
. While participating in an overseas peewee tournament in Quebec
, Canada
, Babchuk's team found itself competing against a team from Elektrostal
, Russia. The rival team's coach, Ravil Iskakhov, took note of both Babchuk and Zherdev, and invited the pair to further their development with the Elemash Elektrostal hockey club of the Russian Major League, to which they accepted together.
He was drafted into the National Hockey League
(NHL) 21st overall by the Chicago Blackhawks
in the 2002 Entry Draft
. Babchuk made his North American debut with the Blackhawks affiliate, the Norfolk Admirals
of the American Hockey League
(AHL), in the 2003–04 season. Babchuk also made his NHL debut by seasons end, appearing in five games with the Blackhawks.
In the 2005–06 season, Babchuk was traded to the Carolina Hurricanes
for Danny Richmond
on January 20, 2006. Babchuk scored his first goal for the Hurricanes on January 28, 2006. He was also named second star of the game. Babchuk played in 22 games with the Hurricanes for the season and was a part of the extended squad of the Hurricanes as they became the Stanley Cup
Champions. After winning the Cup, Babchuk took it with him to Kiev, Ukraine, and celebrated with teammate Oleg Tverdovsky
. "I wish hockey was as popular as soccer in Ukraine," he told those in attendance. "If it was, I gladly would have played for a team in Kiev."
In the 2006–07 season, on February 6, 2007, the Hurricanes activated František Kaberle
from injury, forcing them to send Babchuk down to the Albany River Rats
. Babchuk was the only possible defenceman they could send down because he was the only one on the Hurricanes' roster that was not subject to waiver wire claims. The next day, Carolina announced that they had suspended Babchuk because of his refusal to report to Albany. In 2007–08, Babchuk played in the Russian Superleague
(RSL) for Avangard Omsk
.
On July 1, 2008, Babchuk re-signed with the Hurricanes to a one-year contract for the 2008–09
season. He led all Hurricanes' defensemen with 16 goals in 72 games. Following a contract dispute that lead to him requesting a trade out of Carolina, Babchuk turned back to Russia on 19 September 2009, re-signing with Kontinental Hockey League
(KHL) club Avangard Omsk
. During the very first training day in Omsk
, he broke the ice rink glass with a shot at Arena Omsk.
Babchuk was chosen to play on Team Yashin at the 2nd Kontinental Hockey League All-Star Game
.
On July 1, 2010, Babchuk again re-signed with the Carolina Hurricanes to a one-year contract for the 2010-2011 season. This contract was worth 1.4 million US dollars.
On November 17, 2010, Babchuk was traded along with Tom Kostopoulos
to the Calgary Flames for Ian White and Brett Sutter
.
On July 4, 2011, Babchuk re-signed with the Flames for two years, at 2.5 million dollars per season.
in:
Ukrainians in Russia
The Ukrainians in Russia make up the largest single Ukrainian diaspora of the Ukrainian people. Officially there are 2,942,961 Ukrainians living in Russia or just over 2% of the total population making them the third largest ethnic group after ethnic Russians and Tatars in the Russian...
professional ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
defenceman
Defenceman (ice hockey)
Defence in ice hockey is a player position whose primary responsibility is to prevent the opposing team from scoring...
currently playing for Calgary Flames
Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is the third major-professional ice hockey team to represent the city of Calgary, following the...
of the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
(NHL). He was a first round selection, 21st overall, of the Chicago Blackhawks
Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They have won four Stanley Cup championships since their founding in 1926, most recently coming in 2009-10...
at the 2002 NHL Entry Draft
2002 NHL Entry Draft
The 2002 NHL Entry Draft was held June 22–23 at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Canada. 291 players were drafted in total: 35 from the OHL; 23 from the QMJHL; 43 from the WHL; 41 from the NCAA; 6 from U.S high schools and 110 from outside North America....
, and has played for the Blackhawks, Carolina Hurricanes
Carolina Hurricanes
The Carolina Hurricanes are a professional ice hockey team based in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League , and play their home games at the 18,680-seat RBC Center...
, and Calgary Flames
Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is the third major-professional ice hockey team to represent the city of Calgary, following the...
in his NHL career. He has also played with Ak Bars Kazan, SKA Saint Petersburg
SKA Saint Petersburg
SKA Saint Petersburg is a Russian professional ice hockey club that plays in the Kontinental Hockey League. SKA is an abbreviation for "Sports Club of the Army"...
and Avangard Omsk
Avangard Omsk
Avangard Omsk are a professional ice hockey team from Siberia based in the city of Omsk, Russia. They are members of the Chernyshev Division of the Kontinental Hockey League.-Overview:...
of the Russian Super League/Kontinental Hockey League
Kontinental Hockey League
The Kontinental Hockey League is an international professional ice hockey league in Eurasia founded in 2008. As of 2009, it is ranked as the strongest hockey league in Europe....
.
Playing career
Originally from KievKiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
, Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
, Babchuk began playing hockey at the age of three. He began his training with the Sokil Kyiv junior hockey affiliate, a team which included fellow future Ukrainian NHLer Nikolai Zherdev
Nikolai Zherdev
Mykola Olehovych "Nikolay" Zherdev is a Ukrainian-Russian professional ice hockey right winger who currently plays for Atlant Moscow Oblast of the Russian Kontinental Hockey League...
. While participating in an overseas peewee tournament in Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, Babchuk's team found itself competing against a team from Elektrostal
Elektrostal
Elektrostal , known as Zatishye until 1938, is a city in Moscow Oblast, Russia, located east of Moscow. Population: 135,000 ; 123,000 ; 97,000 ; 43,000 . Town status was granted to it in 1938.-Industry:...
, Russia. The rival team's coach, Ravil Iskakhov, took note of both Babchuk and Zherdev, and invited the pair to further their development with the Elemash Elektrostal hockey club of the Russian Major League, to which they accepted together.
He was drafted into the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
(NHL) 21st overall by the Chicago Blackhawks
Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They have won four Stanley Cup championships since their founding in 1926, most recently coming in 2009-10...
in the 2002 Entry Draft
2002 NHL Entry Draft
The 2002 NHL Entry Draft was held June 22–23 at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Canada. 291 players were drafted in total: 35 from the OHL; 23 from the QMJHL; 43 from the WHL; 41 from the NCAA; 6 from U.S high schools and 110 from outside North America....
. Babchuk made his North American debut with the Blackhawks affiliate, the Norfolk Admirals
Norfolk Admirals
The Norfolk Admirals are a minor professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League, and are affiliated with the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Admirals play in Norfolk, Virginia, at the Norfolk Scope.-History:...
of the American Hockey League
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
(AHL), in the 2003–04 season. Babchuk also made his NHL debut by seasons end, appearing in five games with the Blackhawks.
In the 2005–06 season, Babchuk was traded to the Carolina Hurricanes
Carolina Hurricanes
The Carolina Hurricanes are a professional ice hockey team based in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League , and play their home games at the 18,680-seat RBC Center...
for Danny Richmond
Danny Richmond
Danny Richmond is a professional ice hockey defenseman for the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League. He is the son of retired NHL defenseman, Steve Richmond.-Amateur career:...
on January 20, 2006. Babchuk scored his first goal for the Hurricanes on January 28, 2006. He was also named second star of the game. Babchuk played in 22 games with the Hurricanes for the season and was a part of the extended squad of the Hurricanes as they became the Stanley Cup
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
Champions. After winning the Cup, Babchuk took it with him to Kiev, Ukraine, and celebrated with teammate Oleg Tverdovsky
Oleg Tverdovsky
Oleh Fedorovych "Oleg" Tverdovsky is a Ukrainian-Russian professional ice hockey defenceman currently playing for Salavat Yulaev Ufa of the Kontinental Hockey League .-Early years:...
. "I wish hockey was as popular as soccer in Ukraine," he told those in attendance. "If it was, I gladly would have played for a team in Kiev."
In the 2006–07 season, on February 6, 2007, the Hurricanes activated František Kaberle
František Kaberle
František "Frank" Kaberle is a Czech professional ice hockey defenceman, currently playing for HC Pardubice of the Czech Extraliga. During the 2005–06 season, he won his first Stanley Cup with the Carolina Hurricanes. He has previously played for Modo Hockey, the Los Angeles Kings, the Atlanta...
from injury, forcing them to send Babchuk down to the Albany River Rats
Albany River Rats
The Albany River Rats were an ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They played in Albany, New York at the Times Union Center.- Founding to 2010 :...
. Babchuk was the only possible defenceman they could send down because he was the only one on the Hurricanes' roster that was not subject to waiver wire claims. The next day, Carolina announced that they had suspended Babchuk because of his refusal to report to Albany. In 2007–08, Babchuk played in the Russian Superleague
Russian Superleague
The Russian Superleague , commonly abbreviated as RSL, was the highest division of the main professional ice hockey league in Russia. It was considered the second best league in the world, after the National Hockey League of North America...
(RSL) for Avangard Omsk
Avangard Omsk
Avangard Omsk are a professional ice hockey team from Siberia based in the city of Omsk, Russia. They are members of the Chernyshev Division of the Kontinental Hockey League.-Overview:...
.
On July 1, 2008, Babchuk re-signed with the Hurricanes to a one-year contract for the 2008–09
2008–09 NHL season
The 2008–09 NHL season was the 92nd season of operation of the National Hockey League . It was the first season since prior to the 2004–05 lockout in which every team played each other at least once during the season, following three seasons where teams only played against two divisions in the...
season. He led all Hurricanes' defensemen with 16 goals in 72 games. Following a contract dispute that lead to him requesting a trade out of Carolina, Babchuk turned back to Russia on 19 September 2009, re-signing with Kontinental Hockey League
Kontinental Hockey League
The Kontinental Hockey League is an international professional ice hockey league in Eurasia founded in 2008. As of 2009, it is ranked as the strongest hockey league in Europe....
(KHL) club Avangard Omsk
Avangard Omsk
Avangard Omsk are a professional ice hockey team from Siberia based in the city of Omsk, Russia. They are members of the Chernyshev Division of the Kontinental Hockey League.-Overview:...
. During the very first training day in Omsk
Omsk
-History:The wooden fort of Omsk was erected in 1716 to protect the expanding Russian frontier along the Ishim and the Irtysh rivers against the Kyrgyz nomads of the Steppes...
, he broke the ice rink glass with a shot at Arena Omsk.
Babchuk was chosen to play on Team Yashin at the 2nd Kontinental Hockey League All-Star Game
2nd Kontinental Hockey League All-Star Game
The 2nd Kontinental Hockey League All-Star Game was the All-Star game for the 2009–10 Kontinental Hockey League season. It took place on 30 January 2010, at the new Minsk-Arena in Minsk, Belarus. As in the previous year, Team Jágr won against Team Yashin, this time with a score of...
.
On July 1, 2010, Babchuk again re-signed with the Carolina Hurricanes to a one-year contract for the 2010-2011 season. This contract was worth 1.4 million US dollars.
On November 17, 2010, Babchuk was traded along with Tom Kostopoulos
Tom Kostopoulos
Thomas Kostopoulos is a Canadian professional ice hockey player currently playing for the Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League . Kostopoulos previously played with the Carolina Hurricanes, Montreal Canadiens, Los Angeles Kings, and Pittsburgh Penguins...
to the Calgary Flames for Ian White and Brett Sutter
Brett Sutter
Brett Darryl Sutter is a Canadian professional ice hockey player who is currently playing for the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League. Sutter was drafted by the Calgary Flames in the 6th round, 179th overall, in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft, and traded to the Carolina Hurricanes on...
.
On July 4, 2011, Babchuk re-signed with the Flames for two years, at 2.5 million dollars per season.
Regular season and playoffs
Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Season Season (sports) In an organized sports league, a season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session. For example, in Major League Baseball, one season lasts approximately from April 1 through October 1; in Association football, it is generally from August until May In an... |
Team | League | GP | G Goal (ice hockey) In ice hockey, a goal is scored when the puck completely crosses the goal line between the two goal posts and below the goal crossbar. A goal awards one point to the team attacking the goal scored upon, regardless of which team the player who actually deflected the puck into the goal belongs to... |
A Assist (ice hockey) In ice hockey, an assist is attributed to up to two players of the scoring team who shot, passed or deflected the puck towards the scoring teammate, or touched it in any other way which enabled the goal, meaning that they were "assisting" in the goal. There can be a maximum of two assists per goal... |
Pts Point (ice hockey) Point in ice hockey has three official meanings:* A point is awarded to a player for each goal scored or assist earned. The total number of goals plus assists equals total points. In some European leagues, a goal counts as two points, and an assist counts as one... |
PIM Penalty (ice hockey) A penalty in ice hockey is a punishment for inappropriate behavior. Most penalties are enforced by detaining the offending player within a penalty box for a set number of minutes, during which, the player can not participate in play. The offending team usually may not replace the player on the ice,... |
GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
2000–01 | Elemash Elektrostal | RML | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2001–02 | Elemash Elektrostal | RML | 40 | 7 | 8 | 15 | 90 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2002–03 | Ak Bars Kazan | RSL Russian Superleague The Russian Superleague , commonly abbreviated as RSL, was the highest division of the main professional ice hockey league in Russia. It was considered the second best league in the world, after the National Hockey League of North America... |
10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2002–03 | SKA Saint Petersburg SKA Saint Petersburg SKA Saint Petersburg is a Russian professional ice hockey club that plays in the Kontinental Hockey League. SKA is an abbreviation for "Sports Club of the Army"... |
RSL | 20 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2003–04 2003–04 AHL season The 2003–04 AHL season was the 68th season of the American Hockey League. The league introduces the Willie Marshall Award in honour the career points leader in the AHL, and awards it to the annual top goal scorer.... |
Norfolk Admirals Norfolk Admirals The Norfolk Admirals are a minor professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League, and are affiliated with the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Admirals play in Norfolk, Virginia, at the Norfolk Scope.-History:... |
AHL American Hockey League The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League... |
73 | 8 | 14 | 22 | 89 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 6 | ||
2003–04 | Chicago Blackhawks Chicago Blackhawks The Chicago Blackhawks are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They have won four Stanley Cup championships since their founding in 1926, most recently coming in 2009-10... |
NHL National Hockey League The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States... |
5 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2004–05 2004–05 AHL season The 2004–05 AHL season was the 69th season of the American Hockey League. Twenty-eight teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Rochester Americans finished first overall in the regular season... |
Norfolk Admirals | AHL | 66 | 8 | 16 | 24 | 88 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||
2005–06 2005–06 AHL season The 2005–06 AHL season was the 70th season of the American Hockey League. Twenty-seven teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Hershey Bears won the Calder Cup, defeating the Milwaukee Admirals in the finals.... |
Norfolk Admirals | AHL | 24 | 5 | 7 | 12 | 22 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2005–06 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 17 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 16 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2005–06 | Carolina Hurricanes Carolina Hurricanes The Carolina Hurricanes are a professional ice hockey team based in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League , and play their home games at the 18,680-seat RBC Center... |
NHL | 22 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2005–06 | Lowell Lock Monsters | AHL | 5 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2006–07 | Carolina Hurricanes | NHL | 52 | 2 | 12 | 14 | 30 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2006–07 2006–07 AHL season The 2006–07 AHL season was the 71st season of the American Hockey League. Twenty-seven teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Hamilton Bulldogs won their first Calder Cup, defeating the defending champions, the Hershey Bears in the finals.... |
Albany River Rats Albany River Rats The Albany River Rats were an ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They played in Albany, New York at the Times Union Center.- Founding to 2010 :... |
AHL | 9 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2007–08 | Avangard Omsk Avangard Omsk Avangard Omsk are a professional ice hockey team from Siberia based in the city of Omsk, Russia. They are members of the Chernyshev Division of the Kontinental Hockey League.-Overview:... |
RSL Russian Superleague The Russian Superleague , commonly abbreviated as RSL, was the highest division of the main professional ice hockey league in Russia. It was considered the second best league in the world, after the National Hockey League of North America... |
57 | 9 | 15 | 24 | 30 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 | ||
2008–09 2008–09 NHL season The 2008–09 NHL season was the 92nd season of operation of the National Hockey League . It was the first season since prior to the 2004–05 lockout in which every team played each other at least once during the season, following three seasons where teams only played against two divisions in the... |
Carolina Hurricanes | NHL | 72 | 16 | 19 | 35 | 16 | 13 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 10 | ||
2009–10 2009–10 KHL season The 2009–10 KHL season was the second season of the Kontinental Hockey League. It was held from 10 September 2009 to 27 April 2010, with a break for the Olympic winter games from 8 February to 3 March... |
Avangard Omsk | KHL Kontinental Hockey League The Kontinental Hockey League is an international professional ice hockey league in Eurasia founded in 2008. As of 2009, it is ranked as the strongest hockey league in Europe.... |
49 | 9 | 13 | 22 | 36 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
2010–11 2010–11 NHL season The 2010–11 NHL season was the 94th season of operation of the National Hockey League . It was the fourth consecutive season that opened in Europe with NHL Premiere . A record three events were scheduled, all in previous NHL Premiere cities: Helsinki, Finland; Stockholm, Sweden; and Prague, Czech... |
Carolina Hurricanes | NHL | 17 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2010–11 | Calgary Flames Calgary Flames The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is the third major-professional ice hockey team to represent the city of Calgary, following the... |
NHL | 65 | 8 | 19 | 27 | 20 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
NHL totals | 250 | 34 | 62 | 96 | 102 | 13 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 10 | ||||
RSL/KHL totals | 87 | 12 | 15 | 27 | 44 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 |
International play
Played for RussiaRussian national ice hockey team
The Russian men's national ice hockey team is the national ice hockey team of Russia and are controlled by the Ice Hockey Federation of Russia. They are currently rated number one in the IIHF World Ranking; with 3980 points...
in:
- 2000: 4 Nations Tournament
- 2000: 5 Nations Tournament
- 2002: U18 World Junior Championships2002 World Junior Ice Hockey ChampionshipsThe 2002 IIHF World U20 Championship, commonly referred as the 2002 World Junior Hockey Championships , was the 26th edition of the World Junior Ice Hockey Championships...
- 2002: 4 Nations Tournament
International statistics
Year | Team | Event | Place | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2001 2001 IIHF World U18 Championships -Quarterfinals:-Semifinals:-Fifth place game:-Bronze medal game:-Gold medal game:-Final standings: is relegated to Division I for the 2002 IIHF World U18 Championships.-Scoring leaders:-Goaltending leaders:... |
Russia | WJC18 IIHF World U18 Championships The IIHF World U18 Championship is an annual event organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation for national under-18 ice hockey teams from around the world. The tournament is usually played in April and is organized according to a system similar to Ice Hockey World Championships and World... |
6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
2002 2002 IIHF World U18 Championships The 2002 IIHF World U18 Championships were held in Piešťany and Trnava, Slovakia. The championships began on April 11, 2002, and finished on April 21, 2002. Games were played at Zimny Stadion in Piešťany and Zimny Stadion in Trnava... |
Russia | WJC18 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 10 |