Anton Babchuk

Anton Babchuk
Born (1984-05-06) May 6, 1984
Kyiv, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union
Height 6 ft 5 in (196 cm)
Weight 212 lb (96 kg; 15 st 2 lb)
Position Defence
Shoots Right
team
Former teams
Free Agent
Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod
Salavat Yulaev Ufa
Ak Bars Kazan
SKA Saint Petersburg
Chicago Blackhawks
Carolina Hurricanes
Avangard Omsk
Calgary Flames
HC Donbass
Atlant Moscow Oblast
NHL Draft 21st overall, 2002
Chicago Blackhawks
Playing career 2002present

Anton Anatoliiovych Babchuk (Ukrainian: Антон Анатолійович Бабчук; born May 6, 1984) is a Ukrainian-Russian professional ice hockey defenceman currently an unrestricted free agent. He most recently played for Atlant Moscow Oblast of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL).

Babchuk 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, Avangard Omsk, HC Donbass, Salavat Yulaev Ufa and Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod of the Kontinental Hockey League (formerly the Russian Super League).

Playing career

Originally from Kyiv, Ukraine, Babchuk began playing hockey at the age of three.[1] 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.[2]

Babchuk on the Calgary Flames.

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 season's 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.[3] 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 Kyiv, 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 Kyiv." [4]

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.[5] 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.[6] During the very first training day in Omsk, he broke the ice rink glass with a shot at Arena Omsk.[7][8] Babchuk was chosen to play on Team Yashin at the 2nd Kontinental Hockey League All-Star Game.

On July 1, 2010, Babchuk re-signed with the Carolina Hurricanes to a one-year contract worth $1.4 million.

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 per season. Following the 2012 NHL lockout, he signed in his native Ukraine with HC Donbass along with fellow Ukrainian NHL players Ruslan Fedotenko and Alexei Ponikarovsky.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM 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 10 0 0 0 4
2002–03 SKA Saint Petersburg RSL 20 3 0 3 10
2003–04 Norfolk Admirals AHL 73 8 14 22 89 8 0 2 2 6
2003–04 Chicago Blackhawks NHL 5 0 2 2 2
2004–05 Norfolk Admirals AHL 66 8 16 24 88 2 0 0 0 2
2005–06 Norfolk Admirals AHL 24 5 7 12 22
2005–06 Chicago Blackhawks NHL 17 2 3 5 16
2005–06 Carolina Hurricanes 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 Albany River Rats AHL 9 1 6 7 2
2007–08 Avangard Omsk RSL 57 9 15 24 30 4 1 1 2 6
2008–09 Carolina Hurricanes NHL 72 16 19 35 16 13 0 1 1 10
2009–10 Avangard Omsk KHL 49 9 13 22 36 2 0 0 0 0
2010–11 Carolina Hurricanes NHL 17 3 5 8 12
2010–11 Calgary Flames NHL 65 8 19 27 20
2011–12 Calgary Flames NHL 32 2 8 10 6
2012–13 HC Donbass KHL 31 1 2 3 22
2012–13 Calgary Flames NHL 7 0 1 1 0
2013–14 Salavat Yulaev Ufa KHL 54 3 9 12 24 3 0 0 0 0
2014–15 Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod KHL 12 0 3 3 12
2014–15 Atlant Moscow Oblast KHL 20 6 4 10 12
NHL totals 289 36 71 107 108 13 0 1 1 10
KHL totals 166 19 31 50 106 5 0 0 0 0

International

Year Team Event Result GP G A Pts PIM
2001 Russia WJC18 1st 6 0 0 0 0
2002 Russia WJC18 2nd 8 3 3 6 10
Junior totals 14 3 3 6 10

References

External links

Awards and achievements
Preceded by
Adam Munro
Chicago Blackhawks first round draft pick
2002
Succeeded by
Brent Seabrook
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