Anton Babchuk

Anton Anatoliiovych Babchuk (Ukrainian: Антон Анатолійович Бабчук, Russian: Антон Анатольевич Бабчук; born May 6, 1984) is a Ukrainian-Russian former professional ice hockey defenceman He last played for Atlant Moscow Oblast of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL).

Anton Babchuk
Babchuk with the Calgary Flames in 2010
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
Shot Right
Played for 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 2002–2015

Babchuk was a first round selection, 21st overall, of the Chicago Blackhawks at the 2002 NHL Entry Draft, and played for the Blackhawks, Carolina Hurricanes, and Calgary Flames in his NHL career. He 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. He played in the 1998 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with a youth team from Kyiv.[2] While participating in the tournament, 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.[3]

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.[4] 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."[5]

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.[6] 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.[7] During the very first training day in Omsk, he broke the ice rink glass with a shot at Arena Omsk.[8][9] 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
1999–2000 Kristall–2 Elektrostal RUS.3 18 0 1 1 18 — — — — —
2000–01 Elemash Elektrostal RUS.2 7 0 0 0 12 — — — — —
2001–02 Elemash Elektrostal RUS.2 40 7 8 15 90 — — — — —
2001–02 Elemash–2 Elektrostal RUS.3 3 0 0 0 8 — — — — —
2002–03 Ak Bars Kazan RSL 10 0 0 0 4 — — — — —
2002–03 SKA Saint Petersburg RSL 20 3 0 3 10 — — — — —
2002–03 SKA–2 St. Petersburg RUS.3 1 1 0 1 0 — — — — —
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 — — — — —
AHL totals 177 23 46 69 201 10 0 2 2 8
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 U17 7th 5 0 2 2 10
2001 Russia WJC18 1st place, gold medalist(s) 6 0 0 0 0
2002 Russia WJC18 2nd place, silver medalist(s) 8 3 3 6 10
Junior totals 19 3 5 8 20

References
  1. "Anton Babchuk's first North American interview". russianprospects.com. 2002-06-11. Archived from the original on 2007-10-19. Retrieved 2008-11-10.
  2. "Pee-Wee players who have reached NHL or WHA" (PDF). Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament. 2018. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2019-03-06. Retrieved 2019-02-12.
  3. "Nikolai Zherdev: To CSKA fans- Thankyou for your support". russianprospects.com. 2003-01-12. Archived from the original on 2007-10-18. Retrieved 2008-11-10.
  4. "Blackhawks acquire Danny Richmond in exchange for Anton Babchuk". Chicago Blackhawks. 2006-01-20. Retrieved 2009-07-23.
  5. "Hockey Hall of Fame - Stanley Cup Journals: 20". Archived from the original on 2007-09-27. Retrieved 2007-07-07.
  6. "Anton Babchuk agrees to terms with Carolina". Carolina Hurricanes. 2008-07-01. Archived from the original on 2011-07-21. Retrieved 2009-07-23.
  7. "Babchuk signs with Avangard Omsk". Archived from the original on 2011-07-07. Retrieved 2009-09-20.
  8. "Anton Babchuk's first day". Avangard Omsk. 2009-09-21. Archived from the original on 2009-09-25.
  9. "Babchuk at the first training session broke the barrier glass". Championat.ru. 2009-09-21. Archived from the original on 2009-09-27.
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