Ignat Zemchenko (, born April 24, 1992) is a Ukrainian-Russian 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 ...

player currently playing with

HC Yugra Hockey Club Yugra (), is a professional ice hockey team based in Khanty-Mansiysk, Yugra, Russia. They currently play in the Supreme Hockey League, the second-highest league in Russia, and played in the Kontinental Hockey League from 2010 until 201 ...

in the

Supreme Hockey League The All-Russian Hockey League (VHL) (, ''Vserossiyskaya hokkeinaya liga (VHL)''), also known as the Major Hockey League or Higher Hockey League (HHL), is a professional ice hockey league in Eurasia, and the second highest level of Russian hocke ...

(VHL). He was selected by

Severstal Cherepovets Hockey Club Severstal is a professional ice hockey club based in Cherepovets, Russia. It is a member of the Tarasov Division in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). History Founded in 1956, the club was originally known as Stroitel (Builder) Cher ...

10th overall in the

2009 KHL Junior Draft The 2009 KHL Junior Draft was the first draft (sports), entry draft held by the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL), taking place on June 1, 2009. Twenty-three teams would take part in the draft, selecting ice hockey players from around the world aged ...

, and made his KHL debut in the

2009–10 KHL season The 2009–10 KHL season was the second season of the Kontinental Hockey League. It was held from 10 September 2009 to 27 April 2010, with a break for the Olympic winter games from 8 February to 3 March. Ak Bars Kazan defended their title by defea ...

. He played for

Russia 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 ...

in the 2012 IIHF World U20 Championship. Ignat Zemchenko is the son of Serhiy Zemchenko, a former Ukrainian professional ice hockey player known for his time with

Sokil Kyiv Hockey Club Sokil Kyiv (; ), commonly known as Sokil Kyiv, HC Sokil, or HC Sokol Kiev, is a Ukrainian professional ice hockey team based in Kyiv. While their home arena is located in the city, the team also plays out of Brovary, still within th ...

Playing career

Zemchenko began playing hockey in his birthplace

Kyiv Kyiv, also Kiev, is the capital and most populous List of cities in Ukraine, city of Ukraine. Located in the north-central part of the country, it straddles both sides of the Dnieper, Dnieper River. As of 1 January 2022, its population was 2, ...

Ukraine Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the List of European countries by area, second-largest country in Europe after Russia, which Russia–Ukraine border, borders it to the east and northeast. Ukraine also borders Belarus to the nor ...

. Later on his father, Serhiy, left the country to coach hockey in

Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...

for seven years, causing the family to relocate; and where Ignat would continue to learn the game. In 2004 his father again relocated, this time to coach

PHC Krylya Sovetov HC Krylya Sovetov (; ''Soviet Wings'') is a professional ice hockey team based in Moscow, Russia. The team played in the top divisions of Soviet and Russian hockey. In 2008, the team was expelled from the Soviet Wings Sport Palace and a new t ...

based in

Moscow Moscow is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Russia by population, largest city of Russia, standing on the Moskva (river), Moskva River in Central Russia. It has a population estimated at over 13 million residents with ...

. Ignat too would join the Krylya Sovetov hockey system. In the 2011-12 KHL season, Zemchenko's father, Serhiy, would act as coach of Almaz Cherepovets.

International play

While both his father Serhiy and older brother Ihor have played internationally for Ukraine, Ignat chose to represent Russia instead, stating that while the option existed, he had "no desire to play on the Ukrainian team" because the career opportunity was greater in Russia. Zemchenko began playing for Russia internationally in the Under-16 4 Nations Tournament.

References

External links

* 1992 births Living people HC Izhstal players Metallurg Novokuznetsk players HC Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk players Russian ice hockey forwards Severstal Cherepovets players HC Sibir Novosibirsk players Ukrainian emigrants to Russia Ice hockey people from Kyiv {{Russia-icehockey-player-stub