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Washington Capitals: A look back at Sergei Gonchar

ByMichael Marzzacco|
WASHINGTON - APRIL 15: Sergei Gonchar #55 of the Washington Capitals skates with the puck against the Tampa Bay Lightning in game three of the first round of the 2003 Eastern Conference Stanley Cup playoffs at the MCI Center on April 15, 2003 in Washington DC. The Lightning defeated the Capitals 4-3 in overtime. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images/NHLI)
WASHINGTON - APRIL 15: Sergei Gonchar #55 of the Washington Capitals skates with the puck against the Tampa Bay Lightning in game three of the first round of the 2003 Eastern Conference Stanley Cup playoffs at the MCI Center on April 15, 2003 in Washington DC. The Lightning defeated the Capitals 4-3 in overtime. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images/NHLI)

Former Washington Capitals defenseman Sergei Gonchar deserves to be in the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Once again he did not get voted in but that doesn’t deny the great playing career Sergei Gonchar had. Drafted in the first round at 14th overall by the Washington Capitals in 1992, Gonchar was an defenseman with offensive skills.

Gonchar made his NHL debut on Feb. 7, 1995 in Buffalo and appeared in 31 games the remainder of that regular season, finishing with seven points (2 goals, 5 assists) and added a two-goal performance in the first game of Washington’s first round playoff series against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Gonchar continued to flash offensive brilliance his next season recording 41 points (15 goals, 26 assists) in 78 games in the 1995-96 campaign. After a 30-point (13 goals, 17 assists) season in 1996-97, Gonchar finished the 1997-98 regular season with 21 points (5 goals, 16 assists) in 72 games.

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Gonchar was even better in the playoffs in Washington’s run to their first Stanley Cup Final appearance in franchise history with seven goals and four assists. That spring performance carried over into brighter days into the new millennium.

In 1998-99, Gonchar became the first Russian defenseman in score over 20 goals in the regular season with a 21 goals 10 assists in 53 games. Gonchar shattered the 50-point plateau in 1999-2000 with 54 (18 goals, 36 assists) in 73 games, and never looked back the rest of his time in Washington.

Gonchar followed that up with 57 (19 goals, 38 assists) and 59-point (26 goals, 33 assists) seasons respectively before a monster career-high 67-point season (18 goals, 49 assists) in the 2002-03 season, his last full season with the Capitals.

Gonchar was traded to the Boston Bruins at the trade deadline in March of 2004 for Shaone Morrisonn and two picks. It was the end of an era with the Capitals going a full rebuild but not the end of Gonchar. Gonchar finished with 49 points (7 goals, 42 assists) in 56 games. Gonchar played in just 15 games with the Bruins, registering nine points (4 goals, 5 assists).

When the NHL went on a lockout, Gonchar went to Russia to play for Matallurg Magnitogorsk, the same KHL team as Ilya Samsonov. Gonchar was teammates with Evgeni Malkin overseas and when the lockout ended, Gonchar signed a five-year deal with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Gonchar spent five seasons with the Penguins, winning a Stanley Cup in 2009. He finished out his career with three seasons with the Ottawa Senators as well as stops with the Dallas Stars and Montreal Canadiens before retiring in 2015. Gonchar has since been a part of the Penguins coaching staff starting as a defensemen development coach before becoming promoted as a full time assistant in 2017.

But here in Washington, Capitals fans will always remember Gonchar’s 10 seasons. He was the 1990’s version of Mike Green and the Russian superstar before Alex Ovechkin came onto the scene.

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