Valeri Kamensky

Full Name: Valeri Viktorovich Kamensky
Last Team: Khimik Voskresensk (RSL)
Number: 13
Position: Left Wing
Height: 6’1”/185 cm
Weight: 196 lbs/89 kg
Born: April 18, 1966 in Voskresensk, RUS
Drafted: Selected by the Quebec Nordiques in 7th round (129th overall) of the 1988 Entry Draft

Strengths: Kamensky was one of the best forwards that developed in the Soviet Union in the 1980s. His playmaking and sniping abilities carried over successfully to the NHL, where he was one of the fastest skaters.

Weaknesses: Kamensky played best with equally talented linemates, but struggled when he had to lead a team. Despite his strong efforts, he did not develop into a great all-around forward.

Biography: Valeri Kamensky grew up and began his hockey career in Voskresensk, a small city in the Moscow Region that has raised several hockey stars, including Igor Larionov and Vyacheslav Kozlov. Like Larionov, Kamensky developed with the Khimik sports club and after a few seasons moved to CSKA – the country’s top club. In 1985, he was a member of the bronze-medal Soviet team at the World Junior Championship and in the following year won the gold medal with the team. In the late 1980s, Kamensky became one of the top scorers for both the Red Army team and for the national team. He primarily played on a line with Vyacheslav Bykov and Andrei Khomutov – the Soviet Union’s top scoring threat after the famous Krutov-Larionov-Makarov troika. With Kamensky, the Soviet Union won World Championship gold medals in 1986, 1988, 1989, and 1990, a silver medal in 1987, and a bronze in 1991. At the 1991 World Championship, he was named the tournament’s top forward. Kamensky also had memorable performances at the 1987 Canada Cup, where the USSR finished second, and the 1988 Olympics which the team won. While he was with CSKA, his team won four consecutive Soviet championships from 1986 to 1989. Kamensky was named the top Soviet hockey player in 1991. Although he was drafted by the NHL’s Quebec Nordiques in 1988, Valeri had to wait until 1991 to play hockey in North America. By the time he left CSKA and Russia, he had a rank of First Lieutenant and was decorated with a Medal for Labour Valour. With the Nordiques, Kamensky was playing at near point-per-game pace in his first few seasons and was one of several European stars on the team, along with Swedes Mats Sundin and Peter Forsberg. For the duration of the 1994-95 NHL lockout, Kamensky joined Ambri-Piotta of the Swiss league. The following season was the most successful not only for the Nordiques (which moved to Colorado and became the Avalanche), but also for Kamensky. He scored a career-high 38 goals and 85 points and added 22 points in the playoffs, with his team winning the Stanley Cup. With this victory, Valeri was one of the first Russians (with teammate Alexei Gusarov) to join the rare Triple-Gold club of players who have won the World Junior Championship, the World Championship, and the Stanley Cup. Kamensky maintained a high-scoring rate in the next two seasons and his dangling goal against Panthers keeper John Vanbiesbrouck was selected the best goal of the 1997-98 season. That year, Kamensky also played for Russia at the Nagano Olympics, where the team lost in the gold-medal final to the Czechs. In 1999, Kamensky signed with the New York Rangers and in 2001-02 played his final NHL season for the Dallas Stars and the New Jersey Devils. At this point, he was a supporting rather than a top-line player and was scratched from the lineup on a regular basis. He announced his retirement in 2002, but the next year returned to Russia to play for the club where he began his career – Khimik. Kamensky had a productive final season in 2004-05, scoring 17 goals and not missing any games. Kamensky is currently a board member of the Kontinental Hockey League and is chairman of the league’s disciplinary committee. He is also a noted collector of autographed hockey sticks.

Club Stats:

Season	Team	GP	G	A	PTS	+/-	PIM
1982-83	Khimik Voskresensk	5	0	0	0		0
1983-84	Khimik Voskresensk	20	2	2	4		6
1984-85	Khimik Voskresensk	45	9	3	12		24
1985-86	CSKA Moscow	40	15	9	24		8
1986-87	CSKA Moscow	37	13	8	21		16
1987-88	CSKA Moscow	51	26	20	46		40
1988-89	CSKA Moscow	40	18	10	28		30
1989-90	CSKA Moscow	45	19	18	37		40
1990-91	CSKA Moscow	46	20	26	46		66
1991-92	Quebec	23	7	14	21	-1	14
1992-93	Quebec	32	15	22	37	+13	14
1993-94	Quebec	76	28	37	65	+12	42
1994-95	HC Ambri-Piotta (Switz.)	12	13	6	19		2
1994-95	Quebec	40	10	20	30	+3	22
1995-96	Colorado	81	38	47	85	+14	85
1996-97	Colorado	68	28	38	66	+5	38
1997-98	Colorado	75	26	40	66	-2	60
1998-99	Colorado	65	14	30	44	+1	28
1999-00	NY Rangers	58	13	19	32	-13	24
2000-01	NY Rangers	65	14	20	34	-18	36
2001-02	Dallas/New Jersey	54	7	14	21	+1	20
2003-04	Khimik Voskresensk	23	5	9	14	+4	53
2004-05	Khimik Voskresensk	57	17	19	36	+3	59

Totals	USSR/RSL Reg. Season	409	144	124	268		342
Totals	NHL Reg. Season	637	200	301	501	+15	383
Totals	NHL Playoffs	66	25	35	60	+15	72

National Team Stats:

Year	Tournament	GP	G	A	PTS	PIM
1984	European U18	5	1	3	4	0
1985	World Juniors U20	7	2	2	4	8
1986	World Juniors U20	7	7	6	13	6
1986	World Championship	9	2	0	2	8
1987	World Championship	10	5	3	8	6
1987	Canada Cup	9	6	1	7	6
1988	Olympic Games	8	4	2	6	4
1989	World Championship	10	4	4	8	8
1990	World Championship	10	7	2	9	20
1991	World Championship	10	6	5	11	10
1994	World Championship	6	5	5	10	12
1998	Olympic Games	6	1	2	3	0
2000	World Championship	6	0	0	0	10

Totals	U18 Level	5	1	3	4	0
Totals	U20 Level	14	9	8	17	14
Totals	Senior Level	84	40	24	64	84