Alex Galchenyuk

At 30 years old, Alex Galchenyuk has this physical status:

Alexander Alexandrovich Galchenyuk (born February 12, 1994) is a Belarusian-American professional ice hockey player for the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League (NHL).

After two years playing in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) with the Sarnia Sting, he was drafted third overall by the Montreal Canadiens in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft. Of Russian and Belarusian descent, Galchenyuk has represented the United States internationally, including at the IIHF World U20 Championship and the Ice Hockey World Championships, winning gold and bronze medals, respectively.

Personal life

Galchenyuk was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to former Soviet and Belarusian hockey player Alexander Galchenyuk and a Belarusian mother. He has an older sister, Anna. Galchenyuk's father was a member of the International Hockey League (IHL)'s Milwaukee Admirals at the time of his birth. The family moved to Europe when Galchenyuk was four, following his father's hockey career in Germany, Italy and Russia. They eventually settled in Russia, where the younger Galchenyuk began his hockey career before moving back to North America when he was 15, first to Chicago, Illinois, and then to Sarnia, Ontario, where Alex Galchenyuk, Sr. coaches.

Galchenyuk serves as the Chairman of Galchenyuk Business Enterprises, GBE, as well as the Galchenyuk Agency.

Galchenyuk is an active philanthropist, receiving a Medal of Honor of the National Assembly by the Quebec Government for his efforts in 2015.

Galchenyuk is fluent in Russian, Italian and English.

In 2016 Galchenyuk's then girlfriend, Chanel Leszczynski, was arrested for assault following a domestic dispute at his apartment. Galchenyuk and teammate Devante Smith-Pelly were questioned by Montreal police despite the fact Galchenyuk declined to press charges.

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Playing career

Galchenyuk spent his last year of minor hockey with the U16 Chicago Young Americans and quickly became a hero, scoring 44 goals and 43 assists, leading coach Bruno Bragagnolo to say that winning a lottery ticket means "having another kid like Alex play for you." The Sarnia Sting's 2010 OHL Priority Selection Draft had him selected number one due to his appearance in the 2010 OHL Priority Selection Draft.

Galchenyuk was also selected 25th overall in the 2011 KHL Junior Draft by Atlant Moscow Oblast, prompting his father, Alexander Galchenyuk, to protest Alex's inability in him being selected in the first round by the KHL's Belarusian team, Dinamo Minsk.

Galchenyuk's first season with the Sting was characterized by his 31 goals and 52 assists for 83 points, earning him his first appearance in the OHL1st All-Rookie team alongside teammate Nail Yakupov. Due to a knee injury, he missed just two regular-season games and six playoff games this year. The Montreal Canadiens picked him third third in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft.

Galchenyuk signed a three-year, entry-level deal with the Canadiens on July 23, 2012. He played for Sarnia in the OHL, where he was captain of the team during his last season for the Sting and where he dominated with 27 goals and 34 assists in 33 games during his 2012–13 NHL lockout.

Galchenyuk was on the Canadiens roster for the 2012–13 season opener, a 2–1 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on January 19, 2013. He was the first player to play a full season with the Canadiens since 1984. On January 22, 2013, Brad Gustanch of the Florida Panthers scored his first NHL goal, tipping-in a shot from Brandon Prust; rookie teammate Brendan Gallagher also earned his first NHL point, an assist. Galchenyuk played in all 48 games with 9 goals, 18 assists for 27 points, and a plus-minus rating of +14, mainly on the left wing of the third line. He placed in the top ten in all three offensive categories among rookies, and sixth overall in rookie points scoring, leading to the second-best record in the Eastern Conference.

Galchenyuk missed six weeks due to a broken hand during the 2013–14 season. In 65 games, he had scored 13 goals and 31 points on the season.

Galchenyuk's first hat-trick against the Carolina Hurricanes on December 16, 2014. Galchenyuk's first 20-goal effort came in 2014-2015, when he tallied that number in 80 games.

Galchenyuk (as a restricted free agent) and the Canadiens have agreed to a two-year, $5.6 million contract extension on July 30, 2015. Galchenyuk tied captain Max Pacioretty with 30 goals to lead the team this season. Galchenyuk came in second in team scoring (behind Pacioretty) with 56 points.

Galchenyuk signed a three-year, $14.7 million contract extension with the Canadiens on July 5, 2017. Galchenyuk played 51 points in his sixth season with the Canadiens in the 2017-18 season.

Galchenyuk was traded by the Canadiens to the Arizona Coyotes in exchange for Max Domi on June 15, 2018.

Galchenyuk played in 72 games for the first time as a member of the Coyotes, with 19 goals and 22 assists.

Galchenyuk and Pierre-Olivier Joseph were traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for Phil Kessel, Dane Birks, and a fourth-round pick in 2021 on June 29, 2019. Early in the 2019-20-20 season, he sustained a lower-body injury and was put on injured reserve on October 9, 2019. Galchenyuk appeared with the Penguins for 45 games, but he didn't have to produce the same offensive numbers as he did before in scoring 5 goals and 17 points.

Galchenyuk, prospect Calen Addison, and Pittsburgh's first round pick in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft were traded to the Minnesota Wild on February 10, 2020, in exchange for Jason Zucker.

Galchenyuk signed as a free agent on October 28, 2020, his fifth NHL team in the Ottawa Senators' one-year, $1.05 million deal. Galchenyuk signed on as a healthy scratch in the Senators' roster starting with the pandemic delayed 2020–21 season. Galchenyuk scored on his debut with the Senators in a 4–3 overtime loss to the Winnipeg Jets on January 19, 2021, drawing him into the lineup. In his first seven games, he was scoreless, appearing in just 8 of the Senators' opening 15 games.

Galchenyuk and Cédric Paquette were traded by the Senators to the Carolina Hurricanes in 2021 in exchange for Ryan Dzingel. Galchenyuk was placed on waivers by the Hurricanes and upon clearing, the Chicago Wolves, the AHL's affiliate, was assigned for the first time in his career. Galchenyuk was traded by the Hurricanes to the Toronto Maple Leafs the same day, before he could join the Wolves.

The Galchenyuk trade was initially seen as a minor depth move, and after the trade, the Toronto Marlies' AHL affiliate, was recruited, he was initially seen as an insignificant depth move. Galchenyuk was called up to the Maple Leafs after putting up eight points in six games, but he made his Maple Leaf debut on March 19 on a line with William Nylander and John Tavares. Galchenyuk's surprisingly success prompted the Maple Leafs to rethink their schedules for the season's trade deadline, meaning he'd spend the remainder of the season in the NHL, impressing fans and colleagues to the point that Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas revealed to reporters that the Maple Leafs's general manager Kyle Dubas told reporters that the Maple Leafs will delay the Maple Leafs' decision until next season. He will finish the season with 12 points in 26 games with the Maple Leafs, assisting the team in winning their division. Galchenyuk's former team, the Montreal Canadiens, would win by four points in six games in the playoffs, but the Leafs were eventually defeated in the first round by Galchenyuk's old team, the Montreal Canadiens.

Galchenyuk was signed to a professional tryout with the Coyotes on September 21, 2021, making his return to Arizona after being recalled by the franchise in the 2018-19 off-season. Galchenyuk signed a one-year deal with the Coyotes on October 5.

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