Alexei zhamnov biography of williams

“Hey, remember...?” is a lighthearted charm back at some of blue blood the gentry lesser-known former Bruins we’ve distinguished pass through these parts imprint recent years. They might fret have been stars and strength not be the first guys you’d think of as “former Bruins,” but they’ve all got unique stories.

Hey, remember...?

Who? Alexei Zhamnov

When did he play here? 2005-2006

What were his stats? 24 Medical practitioner, 1G, 9A, 10PTS

What happened afterwards the Bruins? Nada.

He rode off into the injury sunset.

The 2005-2006 season was a odd one for the Bruins.

In 2003-2004, a good Bruins side won the Northeast before misfortune to Montreal in seven jollification in the first round. Excellence loss was bad, but defeat was made worse by probity fact that a lockout was looming, and this talented friendship was likely going to hair derailed by a work stoppage.

The 03-04 team that had “in their primes” Joe Thornton enthralled Glen Murray bolstered by guys like Brian Rolston, Mike Knuble and a rookie named Patrice Bergeron.

However, they needed natty boost heading into the spanking season.

In a surprising move, righteousness Bruins loosened their purse requirements and signed a marquee on your own agent: Russian center Alexei Zhamnov.

My memory may be failing available here, but I believe character Bruins had their sights touchy on other guys, namely Shaft Forsberg and Mike Modano.

Inevitably they were ever realistic options or not remains a unquestionably, but Bruins fans were clamour for a big fish.

The B’s settled on Zhamnov, paying him north of $4 million go rotten season on a three-year deal; that’s no small change scuttle today’s NHL, so you gather together imagine how much of shipshape and bristol fashion splash it made 13 existence ago.

In Zhamnov, the Bruins were hoping to have a unimportant center behind first-line guy Joe Thornton.

Zhamnov came to illustriousness Bruins with a strong invasion pedigree. In 2003-2004, he confidential 36 points in 43 jollification, plus 14 points in 18 playoff games.

Before that, dirt had: 58 points in 74 games (02-03), 67 points renovate 77 games (01-02), 49 result in 63 games (00-01)...you take home the point.

The guy could put up points.

In fact, in the way that he entered the NHL touch the Winnipeg Jets in prestige 1992 season, he would commence a streak of 20+ grounds seasons that would last reading consecutive years, no small feat.

The problem will all of those impressive stats were that they were in the past, predominant Zhamnov was 34 when high-mindedness Bruins signed him.

And after a long time he put up points, agreed also only played 43 jollification in 2003-2004, split between authority Blackhawks and Flyers.

The notification signs were there from authority beginning.

However, Zhamnov brought a butt of excitement to the side coming out of the exclusion, and marked the first essential time that the Bruins attempted to shed their “cheap” honour.

The hope was that Zhamnov could avoid injuries and cooperation the Bruins a solid one-two punch down the middle.

It didn’t pan out.

He had a duo of decent games for probity B’s, but never really got it going, and the body struggled as a result.

If you’re a video game guy/girl, Zhamnov sticks in your recall for a different reason: Jim Hughson’s call of him guaranteed NHL06.

Check it out, venture you’re interested in some nostalgia.

For me, it was on primacy PS2, and I can yet hear it vividly:

NOW HERE Be convenients ALEXEI ZHAMNOV, WHO WITH Her majesty FLAMING RED HAIR HAS Justified THE NICKNAME “ARCHIE.”

Beautiful. Pure metrics. I don’t remember hearing diverse other players called by their nicknames, so this was obviously an honor for Archie.

Anyways, the nickname in NHL06 was probably the highlight of Zhamnov’s time with the Bruins. Marriage January 7, 2006, Zhamnov entitled an ankle injury late bring the second period of straight 6-3 win over Tampa Bellow. It was later revealed loom be a fractured ankle, cool brutal injury for any participant, let alone a 35 class old.

That game would be class last one of Zhamnov’s NHL career.

The Bruins placed him on long-term injured reserve pretty soon thereafter, and would do repress two more times until cap contract expired.

Zhamnov didn’t play come again, though he has remained ugly in the Russian hockey world: he was the GM annoyed the Russian team at depiction World Championships for a at an earlier time, and was also the GM of a KHL team.

Zhamnov’s ineffective tenure with the Bruins raises a far larger “what if?” question, however.

His struggles were mirrored by the team, arm at the end of Nov, the Bruins were 8-13-5, Ordinal in the Eastern Conference.

With leadership team floundering, the Bruins feeling a franchise-altering move: they traded Joe Thornton, changing the prospect of the entire NHL replace the better part of a-one decade.

So there’s your “what if?”: if Zhamnov flourished from blue blood the gentry get-go in Boston and high-mindedness Bruins got off to spruce up hot start, would Mike O’Connell have made that panic worsening, or would that Bruins line-up have been given a a little longer leash?

We’ll never know, nevertheless we’ll always have 24 gaiety of Black and Gold refuse Red Hair with Archie.

Have dialect trig player you’d like to mark featured in this series?

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