Peter Bondra
Encyclopedia
Peter Bondra is a former Slovak
professional ice hockey
player. He was the general manager of the Slovak national team from 2007 to 2011. Bondra became the 37th player in NHL history to score 500 NHL goals.
from Lutsk
, Ukraine
, where he had moved in 1947 in order to seek better work. From 1982, Bondra and his older brothers, Vladimír and Juraj, were raised by their mother Nadežda as their father had died in that year. He was still a Soviet citizen when he arrived in the United States, later obtaining a Slovak passport and citizenship in 1993. Currently, Bondra and his wife Luba, as well as their daughter Petra and two sons, David and Nick, reside in Riva
, Maryland
. His son David is a forward for the Chilliwack Chiefs
. His other son Nick is playing for the Metro Maple Leafs U18 AA. He is currently an assistant coach for the Washington Jr. Nationals
Junior B team.
in 1990, 156th overall. Before joining the Capitals he played for TJ VSŽ Košice (now called HC Košice
) for four seasons from 1986-90 in Czechoslovakia
. In Washington, Bondra became one of the more prolific goal-scorers of the 1990s. Due to the language barrier, he became good friends with Ukrainian-born Capitals player Dmitri Khristich
, who he spoke with in both Russian
and Ukrainian
. His deepest playoff run came in 1997–98, when the Capitals advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals before being swept by Detroit. In the 2004 season, Bondra's 14th with Washington, the Capitals endured a disappointing year and in a salary purge move traded veteran members of the team to contenders. Bondra was traded to the Ottawa Senators
for Brooks Laich
and a second round draft pick. At the press conference announcing this trade Bondra notably became choked up.
In 14 years with the Capitals, he scored 472 goal
s and racked up 353 assist
s in 961 games. He holds Capitals team records in goals (472), points (825), power-play goals (137), game-winning goals (73), short-handed goals (32) and hat tricks (19). With the Caps he appeared in five all-star games (1993, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999). In 1997 and 1999 Bondra won the Fastest Skater Competition on All-Star weekend. In 2004, the Capitals held a vote for fans to determine the top 30 players in franchise history to celebrate their 30th season in the league. Bondra finished second with 2,018 votes. The winner, Olaf Kölzig
, beat him by only 20 votes.
During the 1994-1995 (with 34 in a lockout
-shortened season) and 1997–1998 seasons (with 52), Bondra led the league in goals scored.
After the 2004-2005 NHL season was canceled due to the NHL labor dispute, Bondra played a handful of games with HK Tatravagónka ŠKP Poprad of the Slovak Extraliga
. Prior to the 2005-2006 NHL season, Bondra was in talks to rejoin the Capitals. He ended up signing with the Atlanta Thrashers
.
On December 10, Bondra signed a one-year contract with the Chicago Blackhawks
. On December 22, 2006, he scored his 500th NHL career goal at the United Center
, in Chicago's 3–1 victory against the Toronto Maple Leafs
. Bondra drove to the net and netted the rebound of Jassen Cullimore
's shot from the left point past Toronto's Jean-Sébastien Aubin
, 6:37 into the third period on the power play. Bondra was the 37th player in league history to reach the 500–goal mark and the fourth player to record his 500th goal in a Chicago Blackhawks sweater (joining Bobby Hull
, Stan Mikita
and Michel Goulet
).
On October 29, 2007, Bondra announced his retirement from professional hockey at the age of 39.
on seven occasions in international competition, including the 1994 Winter Olympics
qualifying tournament, the 1998 Winter Olympics
, the 2006 Winter Olympics
, the 1996 World Cup of Hockey
and the Ice Hockey World Championship in 2002 and 2003. He scored a tournament-leading seven goals (including the tournament-winning goal) and ranked third among all players with nine points to lead Slovakia 4–3 over Russia to the gold medal at the 2002 World Championship. He notched five points (three goals, two assists) in eight games to help Slovakia earn the bronze medal at the 2003 World Championship. Overall, he played 47 games and scored 35 goals for Slovakia.
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
professional ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
player. He was the general manager of the Slovak national team from 2007 to 2011. Bondra became the 37th player in NHL history to score 500 NHL goals.
Life and family
When Bondra was three years old, his father moved with the family back to CzechoslovakiaCzechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
from Lutsk
Lutsk
Lutsk is a city located by the Styr River in northwestern Ukraine. It is the administrative center of the Volyn Oblast and the administrative center of the surrounding Lutskyi Raion within the oblast...
, Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
, where he had moved in 1947 in order to seek better work. From 1982, Bondra and his older brothers, Vladimír and Juraj, were raised by their mother Nadežda as their father had died in that year. He was still a Soviet citizen when he arrived in the United States, later obtaining a Slovak passport and citizenship in 1993. Currently, Bondra and his wife Luba, as well as their daughter Petra and two sons, David and Nick, reside in Riva
Riva, Maryland
Riva is a census-designated place in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States. The population was 3,966 at the 2000 census. The area is scenic, especially where the two-lane Riva Road crosses the South River on a bridge...
, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
. His son David is a forward for the Chilliwack Chiefs
Chilliwack Chiefs
The Chilliwack Chiefs were a Junior "A" ice hockey team from Chilliwack, British Columbia, Canada. They were a part of the British Columbia Hockey League and played in the Mainland Division/Coastal Conference...
. His other son Nick is playing for the Metro Maple Leafs U18 AA. He is currently an assistant coach for the Washington Jr. Nationals
Washington Jr. Nationals
The Washington Junior Nationals are an USA Hockey-sanctioned Tier III Jr. A ice hockey team from Laurel, Maryland. Until the 2010-11 season the team played in Arlington, Virginia at the 1,200-seat Kettler Capitals Iceplex, official practice facility of the Washington Capitals, but now play at the...
Junior B team.
Playing career
Bondra was drafted by the CapitalsWashington Capitals
The Washington Capitals are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Since their founding in 1974, "The Caps" have won one conference championship to reach the 1998 Stanley Cup...
in 1990, 156th overall. Before joining the Capitals he played for TJ VSŽ Košice (now called HC Košice
HC Košice
Hockey Club Košice is a professional ice hockey team playing in the Slovak Extraliga and is one of the most successful hockey teams in Slovakia and the former Czechoslovakia.-Honours:* Czechoslovak First Ice Hockey League* 1985–86, 1987–88...
) for four seasons from 1986-90 in Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
. In Washington, Bondra became one of the more prolific goal-scorers of the 1990s. Due to the language barrier, he became good friends with Ukrainian-born Capitals player Dmitri Khristich
Dmitri Khristich
Dmytro Anatoliiovych "Dmitri" Khristich is a former professional ice hockey player. The Ukrainian played 811 games in the NHL in his career, for the Washington Capitals, Los Angeles Kings, Boston Bruins, and Toronto Maple Leafs...
, who he spoke with in both Russian
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
and Ukrainian
Ukrainian language
Ukrainian is a language of the East Slavic subgroup of the Slavic languages. It is the official state language of Ukraine. Written Ukrainian uses a variant of the Cyrillic alphabet....
. His deepest playoff run came in 1997–98, when the Capitals advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals before being swept by Detroit. In the 2004 season, Bondra's 14th with Washington, the Capitals endured a disappointing year and in a salary purge move traded veteran members of the team to contenders. Bondra was traded to the Ottawa Senators
Ottawa Senators
The Ottawa Senators are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
for Brooks Laich
Brooks Laich
Evan Brooks Laich is a Canadian ice hockey player with the Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League. Laich was originally drafted by the Ottawa Senators in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft, and was later traded to the Capitals as part of the package for Peter Bondra...
and a second round draft pick. At the press conference announcing this trade Bondra notably became choked up.
In 14 years with the Capitals, he scored 472 goal
Goal (ice hockey)
In ice hockey, a goal is scored when the puck completely crosses the goal line between the two goal posts and below the goal crossbar. A goal awards one point to the team attacking the goal scored upon, regardless of which team the player who actually deflected the puck into the goal belongs to...
s and racked up 353 assist
Assist (ice hockey)
In ice hockey, an assist is attributed to up to two players of the scoring team who shot, passed or deflected the puck towards the scoring teammate, or touched it in any other way which enabled the goal, meaning that they were "assisting" in the goal. There can be a maximum of two assists per goal...
s in 961 games. He holds Capitals team records in goals (472), points (825), power-play goals (137), game-winning goals (73), short-handed goals (32) and hat tricks (19). With the Caps he appeared in five all-star games (1993, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999). In 1997 and 1999 Bondra won the Fastest Skater Competition on All-Star weekend. In 2004, the Capitals held a vote for fans to determine the top 30 players in franchise history to celebrate their 30th season in the league. Bondra finished second with 2,018 votes. The winner, Olaf Kölzig
Olaf Kölzig
Olaf Kölzig is a retired German professional ice hockey goaltender and associate goalie coach for the Washington Capitals. With the exception of 8 games with the Tampa Bay Lightning, he played his entire 14 year career with the Capitals...
, beat him by only 20 votes.
Lockout (industry)
A lockout is a work stoppage in which an employer prevents employees from working. This is different from a strike, in which employees refuse to work.- Causes :...
-shortened season) and 1997–1998 seasons (with 52), Bondra led the league in goals scored.
After the 2004-2005 NHL season was canceled due to the NHL labor dispute, Bondra played a handful of games with HK Tatravagónka ŠKP Poprad of the Slovak Extraliga
Slovak Extraliga
Slovak Extraliga is the name of the highest-level ice hockey league in Slovakia. As of 2009, it is ranked by the IIHF as the fifth strongest league in Europe. The name of the league is leased to sponsor and changes frequently. From 1993/94 to 1997/98 season it was called Extraliga, then the name...
. Prior to the 2005-2006 NHL season, Bondra was in talks to rejoin the Capitals. He ended up signing with the Atlanta Thrashers
Atlanta Thrashers
The Atlanta Thrashers were a professional ice hockey team based in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. Atlanta was granted a franchise in the National Hockey League on June 25, 1997, and became the league's 28th franchise when it began play in the 1999–2000 NHL season...
.
On December 10, Bondra signed a one-year contract with the Chicago Blackhawks
Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They have won four Stanley Cup championships since their founding in 1926, most recently coming in 2009-10...
. On December 22, 2006, he scored his 500th NHL career goal at the United Center
United Center
The United Center is an indoor sports arena located in Chicago. It is named after its corporate sponsor, United Airlines. The United Center is home to both the Chicago Bulls of the National Basketball Association and the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League...
, in Chicago's 3–1 victory against the Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
. Bondra drove to the net and netted the rebound of Jassen Cullimore
Jassen Cullimore
Jassen A. Cullimore is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who is currently playing for the Iserlohn Roosters in the DEL in Germany.-Playing career:...
's shot from the left point past Toronto's Jean-Sébastien Aubin
Jean-Sébastien Aubin
Jean-Sébastien "J. S." Aubin is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who plays for the DEG Metro Stars of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga .-Playing career:...
, 6:37 into the third period on the power play. Bondra was the 37th player in league history to reach the 500–goal mark and the fourth player to record his 500th goal in a Chicago Blackhawks sweater (joining Bobby Hull
Bobby Hull
Robert Marvin "Bobby" Hull, OC is a former Canadian ice hockey player. He is regarded as one of the greatest ice hockey players of all time and perhaps the greatest left winger to ever play the game. Hull was famous for his blonde hair, blinding skating speed, and having the hardest shot, earning...
, Stan Mikita
Stan Mikita
Stanislav "Stan" Mikita , is a Slovak-born Canadian retired professional ice hockey player, generally regarded as the best centre of the 1960s. In 1961, he won the Stanley Cup with the Chicago Blackhawks, with whom he played his entire career.-Early life:Mikita was born in Sokolče, Slovak Republic...
and Michel Goulet
Michel Goulet
This page is about the ice hockey player. For the sculptor, please see Michel Goulet .Michel Goulet is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey forward who played for the Birmingham Bulls in the World Hockey Association and the Quebec Nordiques and Chicago Blackhawks in the National Hockey League...
).
On October 29, 2007, Bondra announced his retirement from professional hockey at the age of 39.
Career statistics
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season Season (sports) In an organized sports league, a season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session. For example, in Major League Baseball, one season lasts approximately from April 1 through October 1; in Association football, it is generally from August until May In an... |
Team | League | GP | G Goal (ice hockey) In ice hockey, a goal is scored when the puck completely crosses the goal line between the two goal posts and below the goal crossbar. A goal awards one point to the team attacking the goal scored upon, regardless of which team the player who actually deflected the puck into the goal belongs to... |
A Assist (ice hockey) In ice hockey, an assist is attributed to up to two players of the scoring team who shot, passed or deflected the puck towards the scoring teammate, or touched it in any other way which enabled the goal, meaning that they were "assisting" in the goal. There can be a maximum of two assists per goal... |
Pts Point (ice hockey) Point in ice hockey has three official meanings:* A point is awarded to a player for each goal scored or assist earned. The total number of goals plus assists equals total points. In some European leagues, a goal counts as two points, and an assist counts as one... |
PIM Penalty (ice hockey) A penalty in ice hockey is a punishment for inappropriate behavior. Most penalties are enforced by detaining the offending player within a penalty box for a set number of minutes, during which, the player can not participate in play. The offending team usually may not replace the player on the ice,... |
+/- | PP | SH | GW | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1986–87 | TJ VSŽ Košice HC Košice Hockey Club Košice is a professional ice hockey team playing in the Slovak Extraliga and is one of the most successful hockey teams in Slovakia and the former Czechoslovakia.-Honours:* Czechoslovak First Ice Hockey League* 1985–86, 1987–88... |
CSSR Czechoslovak Extraliga The Czechoslovak First Ice Hockey League was the elite ice hockey league in Czechoslovakia from 1930 until 1993, when the country split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The Slovak Extraliga and Czech Extraliga formed from the split.-See also:... |
32 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 24 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1987–88 | TJ VSŽ Košice | CSSR | 45 | 27 | 11 | 38 | 20 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1988–89 | TJ VSŽ Košice | CSSR | 40 | 30 | 10 | 40 | 20 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1989–90 | TJ VSŽ Košice | CSSR | 49 | 36 | 19 | 55 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1990–91 | Washington Capitals Washington Capitals The Washington Capitals are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Since their founding in 1974, "The Caps" have won one conference championship to reach the 1998 Stanley Cup... |
NHL National Hockey League The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States... |
54 | 12 | 16 | 28 | 47 | -10 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||
| 1991–92 | Washington Capitals | NHL | 71 | 28 | 28 | 56 | 42 | +16 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 6 | 2 | 8 | 4 | ||
| 1992–93 | Washington Capitals | NHL | 83 | 37 | 48 | 85 | 70 | +8 | 10 | 0 | 7 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 0 | ||
| 1993–94 | Washington Capitals | NHL | 69 | 24 | 19 | 43 | 40 | +22 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 4 | ||
| 1994–95 | Washington Capitals | NHL | 47 | 34 | 9 | 43 | 24 | +9 | 12 | 6 | 3 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 8 | 10 | ||
| 1995–96 | Washington Capitals | NHL | 67 | 52 | 28 | 80 | 40 | +18 | 11 | 4 | 7 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 8 | ||
| 1995–96 | Detroit Vipers Detroit Vipers The Detroit Vipers was an International Hockey League team. The team was founded in 1994, and played at The Palace of Auburn Hills.-Beginning:... |
IHL | 7 | 8 | 1 | 9 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1996–97 | Washington Capitals | NHL | 77 | 46 | 31 | 77 | 72 | +7 | 10 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1997–98 | Washington Capitals | NHL | 76 | 52 | 26 | 78 | 44 | +14 | 11 | 5 | 13 | 17 | 7 | 5 | 12 | 12 | ||
| 1998–99 | Washington Capitals | NHL | 66 | 31 | 24 | 55 | 56 | -1 | 6 | 3 | 5 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1999–00 | Washington Capitals | NHL | 62 | 21 | 17 | 38 | 30 | +5 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | ||
| 2000–01 | Washington Capitals | NHL | 82 | 45 | 36 | 81 | 60 | +8 | 22 | 4 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | ||
| 2001–02 | Washington Capitals | NHL | 77 | 39 | 31 | 70 | 80 | -2 | 17 | 1 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2002–03 | Washington Capitals | NHL | 76 | 30 | 26 | 56 | 52 | -3 | 9 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 8 | ||
| 2003–04 | Washington Capitals | NHL | 54 | 21 | 14 | 35 | 22 | -17 | 12 | 0 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2003–04 | Ottawa Senators Ottawa Senators The Ottawa Senators are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League... |
NHL | 23 | 5 | 9 | 14 | 16 | +1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | ||
| 2004–05 | HK ŠKP Poprad | SVK Slovak Extraliga Slovak Extraliga is the name of the highest-level ice hockey league in Slovakia. As of 2009, it is ranked by the IIHF as the fifth strongest league in Europe. The name of the league is leased to sponsor and changes frequently. From 1993/94 to 1997/98 season it was called Extraliga, then the name... |
6 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2005–06 | Atlanta Thrashers Atlanta Thrashers The Atlanta Thrashers were a professional ice hockey team based in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. Atlanta was granted a franchise in the National Hockey League on June 25, 1997, and became the league's 28th franchise when it began play in the 1999–2000 NHL season... |
NHL | 60 | 21 | 18 | 39 | 40 | -3 | 8 | 0 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2006–07 | Chicago Blackhawks Chicago Blackhawks The Chicago Blackhawks are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They have won four Stanley Cup championships since their founding in 1926, most recently coming in 2009-10... |
NHL | 37 | 5 | 9 | 14 | 14 | +2 | 2 | 0 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| NHL totals | 1081 | 503 | 389 | 892 | 749 | +74 | 149 | 32 | 78 | 80 | 30 | 26 | 56 | 60 | ||||
International play
Bondra has represented SlovakiaSlovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
on seven occasions in international competition, including the 1994 Winter Olympics
1994 Winter Olympics
The 1994 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XVII Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event celebrated from 12 to 27 February 1994 in and around Lillehammer, Norway. Lillehammer failed to win the bid for the 1992 event. Lillehammer was awarded the games in 1988, after having beat...
qualifying tournament, the 1998 Winter Olympics
1998 Winter Olympics
The 1998 Winter Olympics, officially the XVIII Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event celebrated from 7 to 22 February 1998 in Nagano, Japan. Seventy-two nations and 2,176 participans contested in seven sports and 72 events at 15 venues. The games saw the introduction of Women's ice...
, the 2006 Winter Olympics
2006 Winter Olympics
The 2006 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XX Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in Turin, Italy from February 10, 2006, through February 26, 2006. This marked the second time Italy hosted the Olympic Winter Games, the first being the VII Olympic Winter...
, the 1996 World Cup of Hockey
1996 World Cup of Hockey
The first World Cup of Hockey , or 1996 World Cup of Hockey, replaced the Canada Cup as one of the premier championships for professional ice hockey ....
and the Ice Hockey World Championship in 2002 and 2003. He scored a tournament-leading seven goals (including the tournament-winning goal) and ranked third among all players with nine points to lead Slovakia 4–3 over Russia to the gold medal at the 2002 World Championship. He notched five points (three goals, two assists) in eight games to help Slovakia earn the bronze medal at the 2003 World Championship. Overall, he played 47 games and scored 35 goals for Slovakia.
See also
- List of NHL players with 1000 games played
- List of NHL players with 500 goals
- List of players with five or more goals in an NHL game
- Slovaks in the NHL
External links
- http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/players/profile?statsId=114