Alexander Perezhogin

Alexander Perezhogin

Born	(1983-08-10) August 10, 1983 Ust-Kamenogorsk, Kazakh SSR, Soviet Union
Height	6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight	211 lb (96 kg; 15 st 1 lb)
Position	Right Wing
Shoots	Left
KHL team Former teams	Avangard Omsk Montreal Canadiens Salavat Yulaev Ufa
National team	Russia
NHL Draft	25th overall, 2001 Montreal Canadiens
Playing career	2000–present

Alexander Valerievich Perezhogin (Russian: Александр Пережогин; born August 10, 1983) is a Kazakhstani-Russian professional ice hockey player currently playing for Avangard Omsk of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL).

Playing career

Perezhogin began his playing career in his homeland of Kazakhstan before leaving in 1998, with his coach Sergei Gersonsky, to play for Avangard Omsk’s farm team Avangard VDV.^[1] He would then gain Russian citizenship upon his recruitment. Perezhogin remained with the Omsk organization for the remainder of his Russian league career prior to being drafted.

Perezhogin was drafted by the Montreal Canadiens in the first round of the 2001 NHL Entry Draft, 25th overall. In the 2003-04 season, Perezhogin came to North America to play with the Hamilton Bulldogs, Montreal's American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate. He played with the Montreal Canadiens for two seasons.

During Perezhogin's suspension from the AHL for his stick-swinging incident on Garrett Stafford, on the advice of Bob Gainey and the Montreal Canadiens, he re-joined his former team, Avangard Omsk of the Russian Superleague (RSL), and scored 33 points in 43 games. In total, Perezhogin tallied 55 points in 95 games in his career with Avangard.

He scored his first NHL goal on a break-away in his first career game, on October 6, 2005 at Madison Square Garden against New York Rangers goaltender Kevin Weekes.

On May 8, 2007, Perezhogin signed a contract with Salavat Yulayev Ufa of the Russian Superleague. He would earn nearly $1.8 million US, almost three times his NHL salary during the 2006-07 season. The Montreal Canadiens still hold his NHL rights as he is a restricted free agent.

In April 2009, Perezhogin was invited to represent Russia in the 2009 IIHF World Championship hosted in Switzerland, where he played along the sides of Russian NHL superstars such as Ilya Kovalchuk and five of his teammates from Salavat Yulaev Ufa. Russia won its second consecutive gold medal against Canada on May 10, 2009.

In April 2010, Perezhogin was traded to once again join his former team, Avangard Omsk, with Salavat Yulaev Ufa receiving Igor Volkov in return.^[2]

Stick swinging incident

On April 30, 2004, during the 2004 Calder Cup playoffs against the Cleveland Barons, Perezhogin was cross-checked in the face by Garrett Stafford, with both players falling to the ice. While both were trying to get back up, Stafford swung his stick at Perezhogin's head making contact with his helmet. In response, while getting up, Perezhogin turned around and swung his stick in an axe swinging, almost chopping fashion and caught Stafford, who was still getting up, in the face.

The consequent blow knocked Stafford unconscious, and into convulsions. Stafford required twenty stitches, lost some teeth and was diagnosed with a concussion. He was released the next day from Hamilton General Hospital and has since made a full recovery. Perezhogin was suspended for the rest of the playoffs, and in an unprecedented move for the entire following AHL season of 2004–05. Perezhogin was also charged by Hamilton Police Service, and was given a one year probation, ordered to donate $5,000 to charity, and to cover all of Stafford's medical bills.

Perezhogin actually did play pro hockey in 2004–05, but in the Russian Superleague with Avangard. He returned to Hamilton for the 2005–06 season. He was called up to the Montreal Canadiens that season and played 67 games for the Habs. Since 2007, however, he returned to Russia, playing for Salavat Yulaev Ufa of the KHL.

Career statistics

			Regular season					Playoffs
Season	Team	League	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1999–00	Avangard Omsk	RSL	1	0	0	0	0	—	—	—	—	—
2000–01	Avangard Omsk	RSL	—	—	—	—	—	1	0	0	0	0
2001–02	Avangard Omsk	RSL	3	1	0	1	4	—	—	—	—	—
2002–03	Avangard Omsk	RSL	48	15	6	21	28	8	0	2	2	4
2003–04	Hamilton Bulldogs	AHL	77	23	27	50	52	5	3	3	6	16
2004–05	Avangard Omsk	RSL	43	15	18	33	18	11	3	2	5	8
2005–06	Hamilton Bulldogs	AHL	11	0	2	2	8	—	—	—	—	—
2005–06	Montreal Canadiens	NHL	67	9	10	19	38	6	1	1	2	4
2006–07	Montreal Canadiens	NHL	61	6	9	15	48	—	—	—	—	—
2007–08	Salavat Yulaev Ufa	RSL	50	21	20	41	42	16	3	2	5	14
2008–09	Salavat Yulaev Ufa	KHL	55	28	24	52	32	4	0	0	0	2
2009–10	Salavat Yulaev Ufa	KHL	56	13	19	32	36	16	4	1	5	22
2010–11	Avangard Omsk	KHL	51	20	17	37	28	11	5	5	10	6
2011–12	Avangard Omsk	KHL	53	17	10	27	28	21	8	4	12	8
2012–13	Avangard Omsk	KHL	45	17	8	25	38	12	1	4	5	10
2013–14	Avangard Omsk	KHL	53	16	20	36	43	—	—	—	—	—
2014–15	Avangard Omsk	KHL	60	17	21	38	34	12	4	3	7	8
	NHL totals		128	15	19	34	86	6	1	1	2	4
	RSL totals		145	52	44	96	92	36	6	6	12	26
	KHL totals		373	128	119	247	239	76	22	17	39	56

International statistics

Year	Team	Event	Place	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2001	Russia	WJC18	01 !	6	4	3	7	0
2002	Russia	WJC	01 !	5	0	0	0	4
2003	Russia	WJC	01 !	6	3	6	9	4
Junior int'l totals				17	7	9	16	8
2009	Russia	WC	01 !	9	3	3	6	6
2012	Russia	WC	01 !	10	4	5	9	4
Senior int'l totals				19	7	8	15	10

References

External links

Preceded by Mike Komisarek	Montreal Canadiens first round draft pick 2001	Succeeded by Christopher Higgins

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