Nik Antropov

Nik Antropov
Antropov with the Jets in 2012.
Born February 18, 1980
Oskemen, Kazakhstan
Height 6 ft 6 in (198 cm)
Weight 245 lb (111 kg; 17 st 7 lb)
Position Centre
Shoots Left
KHL team
Former teams
Barys Astana
NHL
Toronto Maple Leafs
New York Rangers
Atlanta Thrashers
Winnipeg Jets
AHL
St. John's Maple Leafs
RSL
Dynamo Moscow
Ak Bars Kazan
Lokomotiv Yaroslavl
National team  Kazakhstan
NHL Draft 10th overall, 1998
Toronto Maple Leafs
Playing career 1996present

Nikolai Alexandrovich Antropov (Russian: Николай Александрович Антропов; born February 18, 1980) is a Kazakhstani-Canadian professional ice hockey centre who currently plays for the Barys Astana of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL).[1] He received Canadian citizenship in May 2007.[2]

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.[3] 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, Leaf coach Pat Quinn formed a line with Joe Nieuwendyk, Alexei Ponikarovsky, and Antropov. This line was dubbed the "Skyline" because of the players' height.

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

During the NHL lock-out of the 2004–05 season, he returned to the Russian league 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 ten regular-season games of the 2005–06 NHL season. Antropov finished third on the team in even-strength scoring and also led the Leafs in +/- with a +13 rating.

In 2006–07, Antropov typically played alongside team captain Mats Sundin and Ponikarovsky on the top line.

On June 6, 2007, the Maple Leafs announced they had signed Antropov to a two-year contract extension. During a game with the New York Rangers on 6 December 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 the 56th National Hockey League All-Star Game in Atlanta.[4]

On February 9, 2008, Antropov set a new career high in goals with 19 when he scored in overtime to give the 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 for a second round draft pick and conditional draft pick.[5] During his tenure with the Leafs, he became a Canadian citizen. He received Canadian citizenship in May 2007.[6]

Antropov with the Thrashers in 2009.

On July 2, 2009, Antropov signed a four-year, $16.25 million deal with the Atlanta Thrashers as a free agent. He is 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 each year.[7] His first year with the Atlanta Thrashers was his most successful scoring 24 goals and 43 assists.

The team relocated to Winnipeg in the summer of 2011. Antropov had the honor of scoring the first goal of the new Winnipeg Jets on October 9, 2011 against the Montreal Canadiens.

During the 2004-05 NHL lockout, Antropov split the season between Ak-Bars Kazan and Lokomotiv Yaroslavl.

On August 8, 2013, Antropov signed a two-year deal with Barys Astana of the KHL, where he played during 2012-13 NHL lockout.[8]

International play

Internationally, Antropov represented Kazakhstan in the 1998 IIHF World Championships, the 1999 World Junior Championships (earning eight points in six games) and in the recent 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.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

    Regular season   Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1996–97 Torpedo Ust-Kamenogorsk RUS-2 82136
1997–98 Torpedo Ust-Kamenogorsk RUS-2 4215243962
1998–99 Dynamo Moscow RSL 30591430 110114
1999–00 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 6612183041 30004
1999–00 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   GP G A Pts PIM
1997 Kazakhstan Jr. AJC 31124
1997 Kazakhstan Jr. WJC B 61014
1998 Kazakhstan Jr. EJC D 52331546
1998 Kazakhstan Jr. WJC 70668
1998 Kazakhstan WC 30114
1999 Kazakhstan Jr. WJC 635814
2006 Kazakhstan OG 51014
2014 Kazakhstan WC 614529
Junior int'l totals 27 28 43 71 46
Senior int'l totals 14 2 5 7 37

References

  1. "Nikolai Antropov's KHL Profile". KHL.ru. Retrieved October 6, 2013.
  2. "Antropov still feels he doesn't belong". Canada.com. September 17, 2007. Retrieved October 6, 2013.
  3. Ulmer, Michael (1998-06-29). "Leafs select one from afar: Toronto associate general manager Mike Smith says 18-year-old Kazakhstan native Nikolai Antropov has "world class" hands". Vancouver Sun (Vancouver). p. D. 2.
  4. "Nik Antropov's biografy". Oakley.com. Retrieved October 6, 2013.
  5. "Rangers trade for Antropov, Morris". ESPN.com. March 4, 2009. Retrieved March 4, 2009.
  6. Joe O’Connor, (March 4, 2009). "Mixed emotions for N.Y.-bound Antropov". FaceOff.com. Retrieved October 6, 2013.
  7. "Team Overview: Atlanta Thrashers". Retrieved 2009-07-09.
  8. "Nik Antropov inks 2-year deal with KHL club". CBC Sports. August 8, 2013. Retrieved August 9, 2013.

External links

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Awards and achievements
Preceded by
Jeff Ware
Toronto Maple Leafs first round draft pick
1998
Succeeded by
Luca Cereda