Leonid Toropchenko

Leonid Aleksandrovich Toropchenko (Russian: Леонид Александрович Торопченко; 28 August 1968 – May 2017) was a former Russian professional ice hockey forward.

Leonid Toropchenko
Born (1968-08-28) 28 August 1968
Moscow, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
Died May 2017(2017-05-00) (aged 48)
Height 6 ft 4 in (193 cm)
Weight 220 lb (100 kg; 15 st 10 lb)
Position Centre
Shot Right
Played for SKA Leningrad
Khimik Voskresensk
Springfield Indians
Cleveland Lumberjacks
Torpedo Yaroslavl
Metallurg Magnitogorsk
Kristall Saratov
NHL Draft 260th overall, 1993
Pittsburgh Penguins
Playing career 1987–2002

Playing career

Toropchenko played several years of professional hockey in Russia before signing with the Hartford Whalers on September 11, 1992. Because of an NHL rule where professional overseas players had to be drafted in order to play in the National Hockey League, Toropchenko did not make the final Whalers' roster and was assigned to their AHL affiliate in Springfield on 24 September 1992.[1][2] After putting up a career-best 61 points in 71 regular season games, he was drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the tenth round of the 1993 NHL Entry Draft, going 260th overall. After being drafted, Toropchenko was assigned to the Penguins' IHL affiliate in Cleveland. After attending Penguins' training camp in 1993 (where he scored a goal during a preseason game vs the Toronto Maple Leafs)[3] and 1994 and being demoted to Muskegon of the Colonial Hockey League,[4] Toropchenko did not report. Instead, Toropchenko signed a one-year contract with Torpedo Yaroslavl of the Russian Superleague. He remained with the team for one season, scoring two points in sixteen games.

Toropchenko signed with Metallurg Magnitogorsk for the 1995–96 season and improved in goals (8), assists (7), and points (15) from his previous season in Yaroslavl. He did not play during the 1996-97 RSL season, but returned to hockey by joining the Kristall Saratov during the 1997–98 season, where his points totals once again decreased.

Torpochenko finished his career in the Vysshaya Hokkeinaya Liga, splitting his time between four different teams from 1998 until his retirement in 2002.

Personal life

Toropchenko was named Massachusetts' first ever "Deadbeat Of The Month", a program started in February 1998 by Acting Governor Paul Cellucci. His daughter's mother met Toropchenko while he was a player of the Springfield Indians in 1992 and had not heard from Toropchenko since September 1994. At the time of the citation, Toropchenko owed four years of unpaid support totaling $35,400.[5] While the program had a 90% success rate in its first year, Toropchenko's case remained unsolved a year later as he left the United States in 1994.[6]

His son, Alexey, was drafted 113rd overall by the St. Louis Blues in the fourth round of the 2017 NHL Entry Draft and is currently playing for the Blues' AHL affiliate, the Springfield Thunderbirds.

Toropchenko passed away in May 2017, at the age of 48, of a heart attack.[7]

References
  1. Viv Bernstein (September 11, 1992). "Whalers Open Camp Defense Strong, But Right Wing Questionable". Courant.com. Retrieved 15 March 2013.
  2. NYTimes.com: Transactions, 24 September 1992
  3. Pens Beat Maple Leafs; sign defenseman Brown, 1 October 1993
  4. Courant.com: Transactions, 30 September 1994
  5. "Former hockey player is deadbeat dad of the month". AP.org. Associated Press. 17 February 1998. Retrieved 15 March 2013.
  6. Dan Ring (3 March 1999). "Ex-Sandwich man is deadbeat dad No. 3". CapeCodTime.com. Archived from the original on 10 April 2013. Retrieved 15 March 2013.
  7. "From the Stands: Hard to not cheer for the Storm's Toropchenko – Guelph Storm". Retrieved 2021-11-12.
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