Sergei Gonchar und Mikael Nylander zu den Boston Bruins
Bruins acquire Gonchar
The Boston Bruins have acquired defenseman Sergei Gonchar from the Washington Capitals in exchange for defenseman Shaone Morrisonn and Boston's first and second round selections in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft, it was announced today by Bruins General Manager Mike O'Connell. Gonchar is expected in Boston on Thursday, March 4th when the Bruins host the New York Rangers at the FleetCenter in a 7:30 p.m. game.
"The addition of Sergei makes us a better hockey club," said O'Connell. "He is one of the premier offensive defensemen in the game and that was an element that we felt needed upgrading on our team. He moves the puck very well, has great awareness on the ice and will be a great addition to our power play."
Gonchar, 29, is in his tenth NHL season and Boston becomes just his second NHL team. Since the start of the 1998-99 season, he is the leading goal scorer among NHL defensemen with 109 goals and is second only to Nicklas Lidstrom (353) among defensemen in points with 317 and he has been named an NHL Second Team All-Star on defense in each of the last two seasons. He has twice scored 20+ goals in a season and has scored 50+ points in each of his last four seasons, including a career-high 67-point campaign in 2002-03. He currently leads all NHL defensemen in scoring with seven goals and 42 assists for 49 points in 56 Capitals games and is tied for fifth overall in the league in assists.
The 6'2", 215 lb. native of Chelyabinsk, Russia was Washington's first pick, 14th overall, in the 1992 NHL Entry Draft and has spent his entire career to date with the Capitals. He played two seasons in Russia with Dynamo Moscow before turning professional at the end of the 1993-94 season, joining Washington's AHL affiliate in Portland for two playoff games. He began the 1994-95 season in Portland before his recall to Washington when that NHL season resumed and he has remained in the NHL since that time. He has led the Capitals in goals by a defenseman seven times and has led all team blueliners in scoring on six occasions. He leaves Washington fourth on the team's all-time list of points by a defenseman (Johansson, Stevens, Hatcher), is second overall in team history in goals by a defenseman (Hatcher), is first in defenseman power play goals and he is ranked 12th overall on the team's all-time scoring list with 416 career points as a Capital.
Gonchar was leading the Capitals in assists and points at the time of the trade with 7-42=49 totals, including four power play tallies and 11 multiple-point games. He leads the Capitals in ice time with a 27:57 average and has played over 30 minutes in a game on 16 occasions this season, including a season-high 34:17 at Florida on Dec. 17. He represented Russia in both the 1998 and 2002 Olympic Games. His career NHL totals to date are 144 goals and 272 assists for 416 points with 517 penalty minutes in 654 career games.
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