Alexander Alexandrovich Galchenyuk (born February 12, 1994) is a Russian-American professional
ice hockey
Ice hockey (or simply hockey in North America) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an Ice rink, ice skating rink with Ice hockey rink, lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. Tw ...
center for
Amur Khabarovsk
Hockey Club Amur (), commonly referred to as the Amur Khabarovsk, is a professional ice hockey club based in Khabarovsk, Russia. It is a member of the Chernyshev Division in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). Located in the Russian Far East, th ...
of the
Kontinental Hockey League
The Kontinental Hockey League (KHL; ) is an international professional ice hockey league founded in 2008. It comprises member clubs based in Russia (20), Belarus (1), Kazakhstan (1), and China (1) for a total of 23 clubs.
It was considered in ...
(KHL). He was selected third overall by the
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens (), officially ' ( Canadian Hockey Club) and colloquially known as the Habs, are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal. The Canadiens compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic D ...
in the
2012 NHL entry draft. Galchenyuk has also previously played for the
Arizona Coyotes
The Arizona Coyotes are an inactive professional ice hockey team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. They competed in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division (1996–1998, 2021–2024) and ...
,
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins (colloquially known as the Pens) are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh. The Penguins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), E ...
,
Minnesota Wild
The Minnesota Wild are a professional ice hockey team based in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The Wild compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Confer ...
,
Ottawa Senators
The Ottawa Senators (), officially the Ottawa Senators Hockey Club and colloquially known as the Sens, are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa. The Senators compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Di ...
,
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs (officially the Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club and often referred to as the Leafs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto. The Maple Leafs compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the A ...
, and
Colorado Avalanche
The Colorado Avalanche (colloquially known as the Avs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver. The Avalanche compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division in the Western Con ...
.
Galchenyuk is of
Belarusian descent, but was born in the United States and has represented the United States internationally. As of 2025 he is a dual citizen of the
United States of America
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 contiguo ...
and the
Russian Federation
Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...
.
Playing career
Minor and junior
Galchenyuk played his final year of minor hockey with the U16 Chicago Young Americans and quickly became a star player, tallying 44 goals and 43 assists, leading coach Bruno Bragagnolo to refer to winning a lottery ticket as "the odds of having another kid like Alex play for you".
His performance led to him being drafted number one in the 2010
Ontario Hockey League
The Ontario Hockey League (OHL; ) is one of the three major junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League, alongside the Western Hockey League and the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League. The league is for players ag ...
(OHL) Priority Selection Draft by the
Sarnia Sting.
Galchenyuk was also selected 25th overall in the 2011
Kontinental Hockey League
The Kontinental Hockey League (KHL; ) is an international professional ice hockey league founded in 2008. It comprises member clubs based in Russia (20), Belarus (1), Kazakhstan (1), and China (1) for a total of 23 clubs.
It was considered in ...
(KHL)
Junior Draft by
Atlant Moscow Oblast
Hockey Club Atlant Moscow Oblast (, ) was a Russian professional ice hockey team based in Mytishchi, Moscow Oblast. They were members of the Bobrov Division of the Kontinental Hockey League in the 2014–15 season, but have not been active si ...
, which caused his father,
Alexander Galchenyuk, to express his displeasure in Alex not being drafted in the first round by the Belarusian KHL team,
Dinamo Minsk.
In his first season with the Sting, Galchenyuk recorded 31 goals and 52 assists for 83 total points, which led to him being selected to the OHL 1st All-Rookie team alongside teammate
Nail Yakupov
Nail Railovich Yakupov (, ; born 6 October 1993) is a Russian professional ice hockey forward for Avangard Omsk of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). He was selected first overall by the Edmonton Oilers at the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, and als ...
. The following year, he missed all but two regular-season games and six playoff games with a knee injury.
He was selected third in the
2012 NHL entry draft by the
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens (), officially ' ( Canadian Hockey Club) and colloquially known as the Habs, are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal. The Canadiens compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic D ...
.
On July 23, 2012, Galchenyuk signed a three-year,
entry-level contract
An entry-level job is a job that is normally designed or designated for recent graduates of a given discipline and typically does not require prior experience in the field or profession. These roles may require some on-site training. Many entr ...
with the Canadiens. During the
2012–13 NHL lockout
1 (one, unit, unity) is a number, numeral, and glyph. It is the first and smallest positive integer of the infinite sequence of natural numbers. This fundamental property has led to its unique uses in other fields, ranging from science to ...
, he played for Sarnia in the OHL, where he served as captain of the team during his final season for the Sting and where he dominated by recording 27 goals and 34 assists in 33 games.
Professional
Montreal Canadiens
Galchenyuk made the Canadiens roster for the
2012–13 season opener, a 2–1 loss to the
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs (officially the Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club and often referred to as the Leafs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto. The Maple Leafs compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the A ...
on January 19, 2013. He was the youngest player to play a full season with the Canadiens since 1984. He scored his first NHL goal on January 22, 2013, against
Scott Clemmensen
Scott Lee Clemmensen (born July 23, 1977) is an American former professional ice hockey goaltender. Drafted in the eighth round, 215th overall, of the 1997 NHL Entry Draft, he played with the New Jersey Devils, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Florida Pa ...
of the
Florida Panthers
The Florida Panthers are a professional ice hockey team based in the Miami metropolitan area. The Panthers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The team initially played it ...
, tipping-in a shot from
Brandon Prust; rookie teammate
Brendan Gallagher also recorded his first NHL point, an assist. Galchenyuk finished the season playing in all 48 games with 9 goals, 18 assists for 27 points and a
plus-minus rating of +14, playing primarily on the left wing of the third line. He finished in the top ten in all three offensive categories among rookies, and was sixth overall in rookie points scoring, helping propel a resurgent Canadiens team to the second-best record in the
Eastern Conference.

During the
2013–14 season, Galchenyuk missed six weeks due to a broken hand. He finished the season with 13 goals and 31 points in 65 games.
Galchenyuk scored his first career
hat-trick
A hat-trick or hat trick is the achievement of a generally positive feat three times in a match, or another achievement based on the number three.
Origin
The term first appeared in 1858 in cricket, to describe H. H. Stephenson taking three Wick ...
on December 16, 2014, against the
Carolina Hurricanes
The Carolina Hurricanes (colloquially known as the Canes) are a professional ice hockey team based in Raleigh, North Carolina. The Hurricanes compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Con ...
. The
2014–15 season also marked Galchenyuk's first 20-goal campaign, as he tallied that amount in 80 games.
On July 30, 2015, Galchenyuk (as a restricted free agent) signed a two-year, $5.6 million contract extension with the Canadiens. The
2015–16, Galchenyuk tied
captain
Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...
Max Pacioretty with 30 goals to lead the team. Galchenyuk finished second in team scoring (behind Pacioretty) with 56 points.
On July 5, 2017, Galchenyuk signed a three-year, $14.7 million contract extension with the Canadiens. In the following
2017–18 campaign, Galchenyuk produced 51 points in his sixth season with the Canadiens.
Arizona Coyotes
On June 15, 2018, Galchenyuk was traded by the Canadiens to the
Arizona Coyotes
The Arizona Coyotes are an inactive professional ice hockey team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. They competed in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division (1996–1998, 2021–2024) and ...
in exchange for
Max Domi
Maxwell Johannes Domi (born March 2, 1995) is a Canadian professional ice hockey Forward (ice hockey), forward for the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected in the first round, 12th overall, by the Arizona Coyo ...
.
In his first season as a member of the Coyotes, Galchenyuk played in 72 games, with 19 goals and 22 assists.
Pittsburgh Penguins
On June 29, 2019, Galchenyuk was traded to the
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins (colloquially known as the Pens) are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh. The Penguins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), E ...
along with
Pierre-Olivier Joseph in exchange for
Phil Kessel
Philip Joseph Kessel Jr. (born October 2, 1987) is an American professional ice hockey winger (ice hockey), winger who is an unrestricted free agent. Nicknamed "Phil the Thrill", he has previously played for the Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Lea ...
, Dane Birks, and a fourth-round pick in
2021
Like the year 2020, 2021 was also heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, due to the emergence of multiple Variants of SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19 variants. The major global rollout of COVID-19 vaccines, which began at the end of 2020, continued ...
. He suffered a lower-body injury early in the
2019–20 season and was placed on injured reserve on October 9, 2019. Galchenyuk returned to make 45 appearances with the Penguins, struggling to match his previous career offensive output in recording 5 goals and 17 points.
Minnesota Wild
On February 10, 2020, Galchenyuk, prospect
Calen Addison, and Pittsburgh's first round pick in the
2020 NHL entry draft were traded to the
Minnesota Wild
The Minnesota Wild are a professional ice hockey team based in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The Wild compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Confer ...
in exchange for
Jason Zucker.
Ottawa Senators
On October 28, 2020, Galchenyuk signed as a free agent to join his fifth NHL club in the Ottawa Senators on a one-year, $1.05 million contract. Galchenyuk began the pandemic delayed
2020–21 season, on the Senators roster as a healthy scratch. Drawing into the lineup, Galchenyuk scored on his debut with the Senators in a 4–3 overtime defeat to the
Winnipeg Jets
The Winnipeg Jets are a professional ice hockey team based in Winnipeg. The Jets compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. The te ...
on January 19, 2021. He was scoreless in his following 7 games, featuring in just 8 of the Senators opening 15 games.
Toronto Maple Leafs
On February 13, 2021, Galchenyuk, along with
Cédric Paquette, were traded by the Senators to the
Carolina Hurricanes
The Carolina Hurricanes (colloquially known as the Canes) are a professional ice hockey team based in Raleigh, North Carolina. The Hurricanes compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Con ...
in exchange for
Ryan Dzingel. On the following day, Galchenyuk was placed on waivers by the Hurricanes and upon clearing was assigned for the first time in his career to the AHL joining affiliate, the
Chicago Wolves
The Chicago Wolves are a professional ice hockey team based in Rosemont, Illinois. They are the American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate of the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League (NHL). The Wolves play home games at the Allstate Arena ...
, on February 15, 2021. That same day, before he could join the Wolves, Galchenyuk was traded by the Hurricanes to the
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs (officially the Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club and often referred to as the Leafs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto. The Maple Leafs compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the A ...
in exchange for
Yegor Korshkov and
David Warsofsky.
The Galchenyuk acquisition was initially seen as an insignificant depth move, and after the trade he originally played for the team's AHL affiliate, the
Toronto Marlies
The Toronto Marlies are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto. They compete in the American Hockey League (AHL) as a member of the North Division of the Eastern Conference. The Marlies are owned by Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, a c ...
. After putting up 8 points in 6 games, Galchenyuk was called up to the Maple Leafs, eventually making his debut on March 19 on a line alongside
William Nylander and
John Tavares
John Tavares (born September 20, 1990) is a Canadian professional ice hockey forward (ice hockey), forward and Alternate Captain (ice hockey), alternate captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League (NHL). In the 2009 NHL ent ...
. He spent the rest of the season in the NHL, impressing fans and team staff to the extent that Maple Leafs general manager
Kyle Dubas
Kyle Benjamin Dubas ( ; born November 29, 1985) is a Canadian ice hockey executive who is the current president of hockey operations and general manager for the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League (NHL). He previously served as th ...
admitted to reporters that Galchenyuk's surprising success led the Maple Leafs to adjust their plans for the season's trade deadline. He finished the season with 12 points in 26 games played with the Maple Leafs, helping the team win
their division. In the playoffs, Galchenyuk recorded four points in six games, but the Leafs were ultimately defeated in the first round by Galchenyuk's former team, the Montreal Canadiens.
Return to Arizona
On September 21, 2021, Galchenyuk was signed to a
professional tryout (PTO) contract with the Coyotes, making his return to Arizona after being traded by the franchise in the 2019 off-season. On October 5, Galchenyuk was signed to a one-year, $750,000 contract with the Coyotes. In the
2020–21 season, Galchenyuk played in a top-nine forward role for the rebuilding Coyotes, registering 6 goals and 15 assists to finish seventh amongst forward scoring with 21 points through 60 regular season games.
Colorado Avalanche
As a free agent at the conclusion of his contract with the Coyotes, Galchenyuk remained unsigned over the summer and for the second consecutive year accepted a PTO invitation to join the
Colorado Avalanche
The Colorado Avalanche (colloquially known as the Avs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver. The Avalanche compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division in the Western Con ...
's training camp on September 20, 2022. Galchenyuk remained with the Avalanche through training camp before he was injured in his debut preseason game, resulting in his release from his tryout on September 29.
In recovering from his injury and remaining within the Avalanche organization, Galchenyuk was signed to a AHL contract to begin his
2022–23 season with affiliate, the
Colorado Eagles
The Colorado Eagles are a professional ice hockey team based in Loveland, Colorado. The Eagles play in the Pacific Division of the American Hockey League.
The Eagles were founded as an expansion franchise in 2003 in the Central Hockey League and ...
, on November 10, 2022. In recording 7 points through 7 games with the Eagles, Galchenyuk was then signed to a one-year, two-way $750,000 contract with the Avalanche for the remainder of the season on November 28, 2022. In joining the Avalanche, Galchenyuk made his debut on the road the following day in a 5–0 shutout defeat to the
Winnipeg Jets
The Winnipeg Jets are a professional ice hockey team based in Winnipeg. The Jets compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. The te ...
. After going scoreless through four games with the Avalanche, Galchenyuk was placed on waivers and returned to the Eagles upon clearing on December 6, 2022.
Third tenure with Arizona, arrest
On June 24, 2023, the Avalanche traded Galchenyuk - a pending unrestricted free agent - to the
Nashville Predators
The Nashville Predators (colloquially referred to as the Preds) are a professional ice hockey team based in Nashville, Tennessee. The Predators compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Divisio ...
in exchange for
Ryan Johansen. The Predators did not sign Galchenyuk, making him an unrestricted free agent. On July 1, 2023, he signed a one-year, two-way contract to return to the Coyotes organization.
On July 13, Galchenyuk was placed on unconditional waivers by the Coyotes for the purpose of terminating his contract. The team refused to further comment on the matter, and an investigation was conducted by the
National Hockey League Players' Association
The National Hockey League Players' Association (NHLPA, ) is the trade union, labour union for the group of professional List of NHL players, hockey players who are under Standard Player Contracts to the 32 member clubs in the National Hockey ...
(NHLPA). It was later revealed that Galchenyuk had been arrested on July 9 on multiple charges, including hit and run, disorderly conduct, failure to obey, and resisting arrest. On July 18, Galchenyuk announced he would enter the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program.
Kontinental Hockey League
With NHL interest ceased as a free agent, Galchenyuk opted to pursue his professional career abroad by agreeing to a two-year contract with
SKA Saint Petersburg
Hockey Club SKA (), often referred to as SKA Saint Petersburg and literally as the Sports Club of the Army, is a professional ice hockey club based in Saint Petersburg, Russia. It is a member of the Bobrov Division in the Kontinental Hockey Le ...
of the
Kontinental Hockey League
The Kontinental Hockey League (KHL; ) is an international professional ice hockey league founded in 2008. It comprises member clubs based in Russia (20), Belarus (1), Kazakhstan (1), and China (1) for a total of 23 clubs.
It was considered in ...
(KHL) on August 25, 2023. In the
2023–24 season, Galchenyuk matched his previous season totals in registering 16 goals and 42 points through 61 regular season games. He helped SKA advance to the second round, collecting 5 points through 9 appearances.
Opting not to proceed with the second year of his contract with SKA, Galchenyuk was signed by fellow Russian club,
Amur Khabarovsk
Hockey Club Amur (), commonly referred to as the Amur Khabarovsk, is a professional ice hockey club based in Khabarovsk, Russia. It is a member of the Chernyshev Division in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). Located in the Russian Far East, th ...
on a one-year deal, on May 17, 2024.
Personal life
Galchenyuk was born in
Milwaukee
Milwaukee is the List of cities in Wisconsin, most populous city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Located on the western shore of Lake Michigan, it is the List of United States cities by population, 31st-most populous city in the United States ...
,
Wisconsin
Wisconsin ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest of the United States. It borders Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michig ...
, 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
The Milwaukee Admirals are a professional ice hockey team based in Milwaukee. They are the American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate of the National Hockey League (NHL)'s Nashville Predators. They play their homes games at the UW–Milwaukee Panther ...
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
Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
,
Illinois
Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. It borders on Lake Michigan to its northeast, the Mississippi River to its west, and the Wabash River, Wabash and Ohio River, Ohio rivers to its ...
, and then to
Sarnia
Sarnia is a city in Lambton County, Ontario, Canada. It had a Canada 2021 Census, 2021 population of 72,047, and is the largest city on Lake Huron. Sarnia is located on the eastern bank of the junction between the Upper and Lower Great Lakes, ...
,
Ontario
Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...
, where Alex Galchenyuk, Sr. coaches.
On March 5, 2025, Amur Khabarovsk, the team he played for, announced that Galchenyuk had become a Russian citizen and now had a Russian passport.
Galchenyuk is fluent in
Russian
Russian(s) may refer to:
*Russians (), an ethnic group of the East Slavic peoples, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries
*A citizen of Russia
*Russian language, the most widely spoken of the Slavic languages
*''The Russians'', a b ...
,
Italian
Italian(s) may refer to:
* Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries
** Italians, a Romance ethnic group related to or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom
** Italian language, a Romance languag ...
and
English.
Legal issues
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
Devante Malik Smith-Pelly (born June 14, 1992) is a Canadians, Canadian former professional ice hockey winger (ice hockey), winger. He was selected by the Anaheim Ducks in the second round, 42nd overall, of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. Smith-Pelly p ...
were questioned by Montreal police. Galchenyuk declined to file a domestic violence complaint and the Crown ultimately did not prosecute the case.
In 2017, former Canadiens coach
Mario Tremblay claimed he heard that Galchenyuk had been to rehab twice, an allegation neither confirmed nor denied by Galchenyuk or the team.
On July 9, 2023, Galchenyuk was arrested on multiple charges that included "private property hit and run, disorderly conduct, failure to obey, resisting arrest and threatening or intimidating." As a result of the arrest, his contract with the
Arizona Coyotes
The Arizona Coyotes are an inactive professional ice hockey team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. They competed in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division (1996–1998, 2021–2024) and ...
was terminated. Galchenyuk made violent threats and racial slurs at police officers during his arrest. On July 18, 2023, Galchenyuk released a statement apologizing for the incident, admitting that he was intoxicated with alcohol. Body cam footage of the July incident was released on November 9, 2023.
Career statistics
Regular season and playoffs
International
Awards and honors
Notes
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Galchenyuk, Alex
1994 births
American expatriate ice hockey players in Canada
American expatriate ice hockey people in Russia
American men's ice hockey centers
American people of Belarusian descent
American people of Russian descent
Amur Khabarovsk players
Arizona Coyotes players
Colorado Avalanche players
Colorado Eagles players
Ice hockey players from Wisconsin
Living people
Minnesota Wild players
Montreal Canadiens draft picks
Montreal Canadiens players
NHL first-round draft picks
Ottawa Senators players
Pittsburgh Penguins players
Sarnia Sting players
SKA Saint Petersburg players
Sportspeople from Milwaukee
Toronto Maple Leafs players
Toronto Marlies players
21st-century American sportsmen