Sergei Gonchar
Sergei Gonchar was drafted by the Washington Capitals in the 1st round of the 1992 NHL Entry Draft as the 14th overall selection. He played on the Capitals until the 2003-2004 season, in which he was moved to the Boston Bruins for Shaone Morrisonn and two draft picks in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft.
Gonchar's best season in Washington was 2002-2003 in which he scored 67 total points, including 18 goals and 49 assists. The season before, in 2001-2002, he scored an impressive 26 goals. Gonchar played 15 regular season games for the Boston Bruins before the lockout season.
Gonchar signed a 5-year $25 million deal with the Pittsburgh Penguins on 4 August 2005 and he has been playing there ever since. He began the post-lockout era as the top defenseman on the Pittsburgh roster, with most fans expecting him to duplicate his offensive production. However, Gonchar is somewhat notorious for his slow starts and his offensive numbers were disappointing in the first half of the 2005-06 season, earning him many boos from his new team's fans. Nevertheless, his play improved considerably in the latter half, allowing him to end the 2005-06 season as the 8th highest scoring defenseman.
Gonchar is perhaps one of the most talented pure offensive defensemen in the league, putting up significant numbers throughout his career. He will likely never score 26 goals in a season again, but he still boasts great skill from the point and can quarterback a power play like few others. Typically good for around 12 goals as season, Gonchar is a defenseman that will produce points consistently once he gets into a groove.
|
