Nik Antropov
Antropov with the Winnipeg Jets in 2012
Born (1980-02-18) February 18, 1980
Oskemen, Kazakh SSR, Soviet Union
Height 6 ft 6 in (198 cm)
Weight 245 lb (111 kg; 17 st 7 lb)
Position Centre
Shot Left
Played for Dynamo Moscow
Toronto Maple Leafs
Ak Bars Kazan
Lokomotiv Yaroslavl
New York Rangers
Atlanta Thrashers
Winnipeg Jets
Barys Astana
National team  Kazakhstan
NHL Draft 10th overall, 1998
Toronto Maple Leafs
Playing career 19962015

Nikolai Alexandrovich Antropov (Russian: Николай Александрович Антропов; born February 18, 1980) is a Kazakhstani-Canadian former professional ice hockey centre who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Toronto Maple Leafs, New York Rangers, Atlanta Thrashers and Winnipeg Jets. He received Canadian citizenship in May 2007.[1] Internationally Antropov played for Kazakhstan at several junior and senior tournaments, including the 2006 Winter Olympics.

Playing career

Antropov was expected to be drafted early in the second round, but following a dominant season with Torpedo Ust-Kamenogorsk in the second-tier of the Russian Superleague (RSL), including an international match against Iceland, in which he scored 11 goals and 26 points, he was drafted tenth overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft.[2] Before going overseas to play hockey in North America, Antropov also played in the RSL with Dynamo Moscow.

When Owen Nolan joined the Maple Leafs in March 2003, Antropov changed his number from #11 (Nolan's number for the San Jose Sharks) to #80, the year of his birth. In 2003–04, Maple Leafs head coach Pat Quinn placed Antropov alongside Joe Nieuwendyk and Alexei Ponikarovsky dubbed the "Skyline" due to the players' height.[3]

Antropov scores in the 2009 playoffs while a member of the New York Rangers.

During the 2004–05 NHL lockout, Antropov returned to the RSL and played 36 games split between Ak Bars Kazan and Lokomotiv Yaroslavl. However, injuries felled the power forward, and he missed significant time during the 2005–06 season. Antropov managed to produce 12 goals and 19 assists for 31 points in 57 games.

Upon Antropov's return from injury, he added 15 points in the final 10 regular season games of the 2005–06 season. He finished third on the team in even strength scoring and also led the Leafs in plus-minus with a +13 rating. In 2006–07, Antropov typically played alongside team captain Mats Sundin and Ponikarovsky on Toronto's top line. On June 6, 2007, the Maple Leafs announced they had signed Antropov to a two-year contract extension. During a game against the New York Rangers on December 6, 2007, Antropov scored his second career hat-trick and was named the game's first star. In December 2007, a campaign was launched to encourage fans to vote Antropov as a write-in candidate for the 2007 NHL All-Star Game held in Atlanta.[4]

Antropov with the Thrashers in 2009.

On February 9, 2008, Antropov set a new career-high in goals with 19 when he scored in overtime to give the Maple Leafs a 3–2 win, tipping in an Anton Strålman slapshot; he finished the season with 26 goals. On March 4, 2009, Antropov was traded to the New York Rangers in exchange for a second-round draft pick and conditional draft pick.[5]

On July 2, 2009, Antropov signed a four-year, $16.25 million deal with the Atlanta Thrashers as a free agent. He was expected to make $3.5 million the first year, $3.75 million the second, $4.25 million the third and $4.75 million for the final year of the deal for an average cap hit of $4.0625 million per year.[6] Antropov's first year with the Thrashers was his most successful, scoring 24 goals and 43 assists. Following the team's relocation to Winnipeg in the summer of 2011, Antropov had scored the first goal of the new Winnipeg Jets on October 9, 2011, against the Montreal Canadiens.

On August 8, 2013, Antropov signed a two-year contract with Barys Astana of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL), where he played during 2012–13 NHL lockout.[7] At the conclusion of his two-year tenure with Barys, Antropov retired from professional hockey and returned to Canada.[8]

International play

Medal record
Representing  Kazakhstan
Ice hockey
Asian Games
Gold medal – first place 1999 Gangwon

Internationally, Antropov represented Kazakhstan in the 1998 IIHF World Championship, the 1999 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships (scoring eight points in six games) and in the 2006 Winter Olympics, where he scored one goal. Antropov captained the Kazakhstani squad on both occasions. He and Colorado Avalanche goaltender Vitali Kolesnik were the lone NHL players on the team.

Personal life

During his tenure with the Leafs, Antropov became a Canadian citizen. He received Canadian citizenship in May 2007.[9]

Antropov and his wife have three children. Antropov's oldest son, Danil was a forward for the Saginaw Spirit of the Ontario Hockey League during the 2019-20 season.[10]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GPGAPtsPIM GPGAPtsPIM
1996–97 Torpedo Ust–Kamenogorsk RUS.2 82136
1997–98 Torpedo Ust–Kamenogorsk RUS.2 4215243962
1997–98 Torpedo–2 Ust–Kamenogorsk RUS.3 42246
1998–99 Dynamo Moscow RSL 30591430 110114
1999–2000 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 6612183041 30004
1999–2000 St. John's Maple Leafs AHL 20004
2000–01 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 526111730 921312
2001–02 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 111124
2001–02 St. John's Maple Leafs AHL 3411243547
2002–03 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 72162945124 30000
2003–04 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 6213183162 1302218
2004–05 Ak Bars Kazan RSL 102356
2004–05 Lokomotiv Yaroslavl RSL 264151944 934718
2005–06 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 5712193156
2006–07 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 5418153344
2007–08 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 7226305692
2008–09 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 6321254624
2008–09 New York Rangers NHL 1876136 72136
2009–10 Atlanta Thrashers NHL 7624436744
2010–11 Atlanta Thrashers NHL 7616254142
2011–12 Winnipeg Jets NHL 6915203542
2012–13 Barys Astana KHL 263141739
2012–13 Winnipeg Jets NHL 406121816
2013–14 Barys Astana KHL 368182662 1013414
2014–15 Barys Astana KHL 397142164 70112
NHL totals 788193272465627 3544840
KHL totals 101184664165 1714516

International

Year Team Event GPGAPtsPIM
1997 Kazakhstan AJC 31124
1997 Kazakhstan WJC B 61014
1998 Kazakhstan WJC 70668
1998 Kazakhstan EJC D 52331546
1998 Kazakhstan WC 30114
1999 Kazakhstan WJC 635814
2006 Kazakhstan OG 51014
2014 Kazakhstan WC 614529
Junior totals 2728437146
Senior totals 1425737

References

  1. "Antropov still feels he doesn't belong". Canada.com. September 17, 2007. Retrieved October 6, 2013.
  2. Ulmer, Michael (June 29, 1998). "Leafs select one from afar". Vancouver Sun. Vancouver. p. D. 2.
  3. "NIK ANTROPOV". baycrestproam.ca. Retrieved December 11, 2017.
  4. "Nik Antropov's biography". Oakley.com. Retrieved October 6, 2013.
  5. "Rangers trade for Antropov, Morris". ESPN.com. March 4, 2009. Retrieved March 4, 2009.
  6. "Team Overview: Atlanta Thrashers". Archived from the original on July 15, 2009. Retrieved July 9, 2009.
  7. "Nik Antropov inks 2-year deal with KHL club". CBC Sports. August 8, 2013. Retrieved August 9, 2013.
  8. "Nikolai Antropov's KHL Profile". KHL.ru. Retrieved October 6, 2013.
  9. Joe O’Connor (March 4, 2009). "Mixed emotions for N.Y.-bound Antropov". FaceOff.com. Retrieved October 6, 2013.
  10. Dhiren Mahiban (March 20, 2017). "NIK ANTROPOV TURNS HOCKEY DAD AS SON PLAYS DEBUT OHL SEASON". thehockeynews.com. Retrieved May 25, 2018.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.