| Artem Anisimov | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 Anisimov with theColumbus Blue Jackets in November 2013 | |||
| Born | (1988-05-24)24 May 1988 (age 37) | ||
| Height | 6 ft 4 in (193 cm) | ||
| Weight | 198 lb (90 kg; 14 st 2 lb) | ||
| Position | Forward | ||
| Shot | Left | ||
| Played for | Lokomotiv Yaroslavl New York Rangers Columbus Blue Jackets Chicago Blackhawks Ottawa Senators | ||
| National team |  Russia | ||
| NHL draft | 54th overall,2006 New York Rangers | ||
| Playing career | 2005–2024 | ||
Artem Alekseevich Anisimov (Russian:Артём Алексеевич Анисимов; born 24 May 1988) is a Russian former professionalice hockey player. He was acentre who previously played in theNational Hockey League (NHL) for theNew York Rangers,Columbus Blue Jackets,Chicago Blackhawks, andOttawa Senators andLokomotiv Yaroslavl of theKontinental Hockey League. The Rangers originally selected him in the second round, 54th overall, of the2006 NHL entry draft. In international play, Anisimov representedRussia at the2014 Olympic Games and the2016 World Cup of Hockey and several world championships and world junior championships. He won one gold, three silver, and two bronze medals in his international career.
Anisimov is a product of theLokomotiv Yaroslavl hockey school in Russia. He made his semi-professional debut for the organization's junior farm club, Lokomotiv-2, during the 2004–05 season before joining the senior team in the2005–06 season. In ten games with Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, he went scoreless.[1] He returned to Lokomotiv for the2006–07 season, appearing in 39 games, scoring twogoals and eightassists for tenpoints. The team made the playoffs and in seven playoff games, he added two goals and five points.[1]
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Anisimov was drafted in the second round, 54th overall, in the2006 NHL entry draft by theNew York Rangers. On 2 August 2007, Anisimov signed his first contract with the Rangers,[2] He was to New York'sAmerican Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, theHartford Wolf Pack to begin the2007–08 season. In 74 games with Hartford, he recorded 16 goals and 43 points, helping the Wolf Pack finish second in their division and qualify for theplayoffs.[1][3] Hartford was eliminated in five games by thePortland Pirates in their first round best-of-seven series.[3] Anisimov added one goal in the five games.[1]
He was returned to Hartford for the2008–09 season. On 23 January 2009, Anisimov was selected to participate in the 2009 AHL All-Star Classic inWorcester, Massachusetts, representing the PlanetUSA team.[4] He scored one goal and assisted on two others, including the game-winner, in a 14–11 PlanetUSA victory over the Canadian All-Stars.[5][6] On 1 February, Anisimov was called up to the Rangers for the first time in his career after scoring 21 goals and 29 assists for 50 points with the Wolf Pack. He made his NHL debut on 3 February against theAtlanta Thrashers atMadison Square Garden.[5] He was returned to the AHL the following day.[7] In 80 games with Hartford, he tallied 37 goals and 81 points, good for fifth in the AHL.[1][8] The Wolf Pack made theplayoffs again after finishing atop the AHL's Atlantic Division and faced the fourth-placeWorcester Sharks in the opening round best-of-seven series. Worcester upset Hartford, winning in six games.[8] Anisimov scored two goals in the six games.[1] After Hartford was eliminated, Anisimov was recalled by the Rangers again on 27 April, and made his NHL playoff debut on 28 April in the Game 7 2–1 loss to theWashington Capitals.[5][9]
Anisimov made the Rangers out of training camp for the2009–10 season and recorded his first NHL point assisting on a goal byAleš Kotalík in a 4–3 victory over the Washington Capitals on 8 October.[10] He scored his first career NHL goal on 11 October, againstgoaltenderJean-Sébastien Giguère of theAnaheim Ducks, in a 3–0 Rangers victory.[11] On 28 November, Anisimov was deliberately hit in the head byMatt Cooke of thePittsburgh Penguins. Anisimov missed the rest of the game while Cooke received a two-game suspension.[12] Anisimov appeared in all 82 games with New York, recording 12 goals and 28 points in his rookie season.[1] He marked his first three-point game on 23 November, when he scored a goal and assisted on two others bySean Avery andMatt Gilroy in a 7–4 victory over theColumbus Blue Jackets.[13] Mid-season he went pointless in 17 games, leading to calls for his demotion to the AHL.[14]
In the offseason Anisimov underwent surgery on his right wrist after injuring it on international duty.[15] He returned to the Rangers for the2010–11 season and was one of four players to appear in all 82 games. Centreing a line ofRyan Callahan andBrandon Dubinsky, the three were the best trio on the team, with Anisimov setting new career highs in goals (18), assists (26) and points (44).[16] The Rangers qualified for the2011 Stanley Cup playoffs and faced the Washington Capitals in the opening round best-of-seven series. The Capitals moved past the Rangers in five games, with Anisimov marking one goal.[16]
On 8 July 2011, Anisimov, arestricted free agent, re-signed with the Rangers on a two-year, $3.75 million contract.[16] Anisimov played in 79 games for the Rangers, tallying 16 goals and 36 points.[1] He went on a 17-game pointless streak midseason, breaking the streak by scoring against thePhiladelphia Flyers on 5 February 2012.[17] He added two assists, setting up goals byMarián Gáborík andMichael Del Zotto to record his second career three-point game.[18] The Rangers finished first in the Eastern Conference and made the2012 playoffs.[19] The Rangers advanced to the Eastern Conference final, but were beat by theNew Jersey Devils to finish their season.[20] In 20 playoff games, Anisimov scored three goals and ten points.[1]
Just one season into his contract, Anisimov, along with forward Brandon Dubinsky,defencemanTim Erixon, and a first-round draft pick in2013, were traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for star forwardRick Nash, defencemanSteven Delisle and a 2013 conditional third-round pick.[21] With the season delayed by the2012–13 NHL lockout, Anisimov returned to his former Russian team, Lokomotiv (now of theKontinental Hockey League (KHL)) during the labour action, alongside fellow NHLersSemyon Varlamov andDmitry Kulikov.[22] In 36 games with Yaroslavl, Anisimov recorded 12 goals and 29 points before returning to North America for the resumption of the2012–13 season.[1] He made his debut for Columbus on 19 January 2013, and scored his first goal for the team in a 3–2 shootout victory over theNashville Predators.[23] On 21 February, in a game against theDetroit Red Wings, Anisimov was struck high in a collision with Detroit defencemanKyle Quincey. Anisimov was taken off the ice on astretcher and taken to hospital as a precaution.[24] On 28 March, he marked a three-point game, scoring one goal and assisting on two others byMatt Calvert andCam Atkinson in a 6–4 loss to theEdmonton Oilers.[25][26] In April, he missed five games with aconcussion.[27] He spent most of the year on a line with Calvert and Atkinson. However, after Columbus acquired Marián Gáborík from the Rangers in April, Anisimov centred his line alongsideVáclav Prospal.[28] He finished the season with 11 goals and 18 points in 35 games with Columbus.[1]
On 26 June 2013, Anisimov signed a three-year contract extension with the Blue Jackets at an annual average value of $3.28 million.[29] Anisimov played on the top line with Gáborík andNick Foligno on his wings during the2013–14 season, but were not a successful trio, with head coachTodd Richards struggling to find a spot for Gáborík.[30] He finished the season with a new career-high in goals with 22, and 39 points in 81 games.[1] Nevertheless, the Blue Jackets made theplayoffs and faced the Pittsburgh Penguins in the opening round. The Blue Jackets were eliminated by the Penguins in six games, with Anisimov adding one goal and three points in the series.[1][31]
Anisimov's2014–15 season was spent mainly injured. On 28 October 2014, Anisimov suffered a concussion that caused him to miss seven games. On 1 December, it was announced that he had suffered a torntriceps muscle in a game against the Nashville Predators.[32][33] He returned to the lineup on 29 January 2015 after missing 23 games.[34] He finished the season with seven goals and 27 points in 52 games.[1]
On 30 June 2015, Anisimov, along withJeremy Morin,Marko Daňo andCorey Tropp, were traded to theChicago Blackhawks in exchange forBrandon Saad,Alex Broadhurst andMichael Paliotta.[35] The next day, on 1 July, Anisimov agreed to a five-year, $22.75 million contract extension with Chicago. His existing contract was set to expire after the2015–16 season.[36] He made his debut with the Blackhawks in the season opening 3–2 loss against the New York Rangers on 7 October.[37] On 9 October, Anisimov scored his first goal as a Blackhawk and the first goal in the first regular season game atBarclays Center againstThomas Greiss of theNew York Islanders. The Blackhawks won 3–2 in overtime.[38] He marked a four-point game on 6 February 2016, scoring one goal and assisting on three others byBrent Seabrook,Trevor van Riemsdyk, andPatrick Kane in a 5–1 victory over theDallas Stars.[39] Playing on a line with Kane andArtemi Panarin, he recorded a three-point game on 3 April, scoring one goal and assisting on two others by his linemates in a 6–4 win over theBoston Bruins.[40] In his first year with the Blackhawks, he produced 20 goals and 22 assists for 42 points in 77 games as the defendingStanley Cup champion Blackhawks lost in seven games in the first round of the2016 playoffs to theSt. Louis Blues.[1][41] After the end of the season, Anisimov underwent wrist surgery.[42]
Heading into the2016–17 season, the Blackhawks' top line (and one of the best in the league) consisted of Kane, Anisimov, and Panarin. However, head coachJoel Quenneville contemplated breaking up the line in order to spread their scoring throughout the lineup,[43] eventually putting Anisimov on a line with Kane andTyler Motte.[44] On 18 October, Anisimov, reunited with Panarin and Kane, tallied four points in a 7–4 win over the Philadelphia Flyers. He scored twice and assisted on goals by Kane andMarián Hossa, which was the 500th goal of his career.[45] However, with the Blackhawks struggling to score, Kane was moved off Anisimov's line and instead, Anisimov centred Panarin and Hossa.[46] In 64 games, Anisimov tied his career-high in goals with 22 and set a new career-high in points with 45.[1] On 14 March 2017, Anisimov got tangled up with Montreal Canadiens forwardAlexander Radulov and suffered a leg injury that caused him to miss the remainder of the regular season.[47] He returned for thepostseason and his spot between Kane and Panarin. The Blackhawks faced the Nashville Predators in the first round.[48] The Blackhawks who finished atop the Western Conference, were upset by the Predators, being swept in four games in their best-of-seven series.[49] Anisimov went scoreless for the Blackhawks.[1]
In the 2017 offseason, the Blackhawks traded Panarin to the Columbus Blue Jackets for Brandon Saad, breaking up their most successful line.[50][51] Anisimov centred the third line to begin the2017–18 season, but after the team's poor start, he returned to Kane's line alongsideNick Schmaltz.[52] On 15 November, Anisimov scored his first NHLhat-trick in a 6–3 win over his former team, the New York Rangers.[53] By December he was leading the team in goals, with the entire line atop the team's scoring.[52] On 28 December, Anisimov suffered an upper body injury in a game against the Vancouver Canucks.[54] He missed ten games with the injury, returning on 22 January.[55] He saw his production decline as he spent less time on the second line, playing withAlex DeBrincat,Patrick Sharp, andTomáš Jurčo.[51] He finished the season with 20 goals and 31 points in 72 games.[1]
Anisimov began the2018–19 season centreing the third line again, but after coach Quenneville became unhappy with Saad on Kane and Schmaltz's line, Anisimov was quickly returned to his spot on the second line.[56] On 27 October, Anisimov tallied three points, scoring one goal and assisting on two others by Kane in a 7–3 loss to the St. Louis Blues.[57] With the Blackhawks struggling, the team fired Quenneville, replacing him withJeremy Colliton on 6 November.[58] In 78 games, he scored 15 goals and 37 points as the Blackhawks failed to make the postseason for the second straight year.[1][59]
After four seasons with the Blackhawks, Anisimov was traded to theOttawa Senators in exchange for forwardZack Smith on 16 July 2019.[60] He was placed on the third line withTyler Ennis andDrake Batherson to start the season and had a terrible first game with the Senators, on the ice for three goals against in a 5–3 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on 2 October.[61] He recorded his first goal with the Senators on 10 October in a 6–4 loss to the St. Louis Blues.[62] On 23 October, Anisimov was placed on the injured reserve list, having a lower body injury.[63] He returned to the lineup on 5 November, centreing a line of Ennis andBobby Ryan, in a 4–1 loss to theNew York Islanders.[64] but on 8 November, Anisimov was placed on the injured reserve list, having re-aggravated hisgroin injury.[65] He returned to the lineup on 29 November, on a line with Ennis andConnor Brown.[66] Anisimov posted 15 goals and 20 points in2019–20, his first season with Ottawa, before the NHL suspended play due to theCOVID-19 pandemic on 12 March 2020.[1][67]
Anisimov struggled to stay healthy during the pandemic-shortened2020–21 season and was placed onwaivers after registering only four points in 14 games for the Senators on 29 March 2021.[68] He went unclaimed and remained with the team. On 3 April, he recorded a three-point game, assisting on goals byEvgenii Dadonov andAlex Formenton.[69] On 24 April, Anisimov suited up as an emergencygoaltender during a game against theVancouver Canucks but did not play.[70] He finished the season posting two goals and nine points through 19 games.[1]
As a free agent after two seasons with the Senators, Anisimov remained un-signed over the summer leading into the2021–22 season. On 9 September 2021, he accepted an invitation to attend theColorado Avalanche 2021 training camp on aprofessional tryout (PTO) contract.[71] Following training camp and featuring in pre-season games with the contending Avalanche, Anisimov was released without a contract from Colorado on 8 October.[72] Returning to his native Russia, Anisimov linked up with his original hometown club, Lokomotiv Yaroslavl of the KHL, for the remainder of the season on 20 October.[73] As analternate captain, Anisimov was leaned upon offensively and responded with eight goals and 19 points through 27 regular season games.[1] He added three points in four post-season games before Lokomotiv were eliminated in the conference quarterfinals at the hands ofCSKA Moscow.[1][74]
As a free agent and with ambitions to return to the NHL, Anisimov for a second consecutive season accepted a PTO by joining the Philadelphia Flyers2022 training camp and pre-season.[75] Upon suffering an injury through training camp, Anisimov remained within the organization to start the2022–23 season and after returning to health was later signed to a PTO with their AHL affiliate, theLehigh Valley Phantoms, on 15 November 2022.[76] Anisimov tallied four points through his first six appearances with the Phantoms and on 10 December 2022 was signed to a AHL contract for the remainder of the season.[77] In 55 games with Lehigh Valley, he recorded 19 goals and 36 points.[1] Lehigh Valley qualified for theplayoffs and but were eliminated by theCharlotte Checkers in their first round best-of-three series.[78] In three games, Anisimov added one goal and two points.[1]
Ahead of the2023–24 season, Anisimov signed another PTO, this time with theDetroit Red Wings, on 19 September 2023.[79] However, he was rekeased from his PTO by Detroit on 4 October.[80] Anisimov opted to extend his professional career by returning to the Hartford Wolf Pack of the AHL during the2023–24 AHL season on 2 January 2024. He made 18 appearances with the Wolf Pack, registering one goal and four points, before he was released from his professional tryout on 20 February 2024.[81] Anisimov announced his retirement from hockey on 8 October 2024.[82]
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Ice hockey | ||
| Representing Russia | ||
| World Championships | ||
 | 2014 Belarus | |
 | 2010 Germany | |
| 2015 Czech Republic | |
 | 2019 Slovakia | |
| World Junior Championships | ||
| 2007 Sweden | |
| 2008 Czech Republic | |
Anisimov was selected to play forRussia's junior team at the2007 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, appearing in six games, scoring two goals and three points. Russia won the silver medal at the tournament.[83] He rejoined the team for the2008 World Juniors, which won the bronze medal in a 4–2 victory over theUnited States.[83][84]
He representedRussia six times at world championships, winning a gold medal in2014, silver medals in2010 and2015 and bronze in2019.[85] He also played for Russia at the2013 and2018 world championships.[86][87] In 2014, Anisimov was selected to play for Russia at the2014 Olympic Games.[88] In 2016, he was named to Russia's roster for the2016 World Cup of Hockey.[89]
Anisimov and his wife Ksenia have three children: a daughter and two sons.[90]
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 2004–05 | Lokomotiv–2 Yaroslavl | RUS.3 | 24 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2005–06 | Lokomotiv Yaroslavl | RSL | 10 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2005–06 | Lokomotiv–2 Yaroslavl | RUS.3 | 32 | 15 | 12 | 27 | 28 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2006–07 | Lokomotiv Yaroslavl | RSL | 39 | 2 | 8 | 10 | 26 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 4 | ||
| 2006–07 | Lokomotiv–2 Yaroslavl | RUS.3 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2007–08 | Hartford Wolf Pack | AHL | 74 | 16 | 27 | 43 | 30 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | ||
| 2008–09 | Hartford Wolf Pack | AHL | 80 | 37 | 44 | 81 | 50 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | ||
| 2008–09 | New York Rangers | NHL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2009–10 | New York Rangers | NHL | 82 | 12 | 16 | 28 | 32 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2010–11 | New York Rangers | NHL | 82 | 18 | 26 | 44 | 20 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 2011–12 | New York Rangers | NHL | 79 | 16 | 20 | 36 | 34 | 20 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 4 | ||
| 2012–13 | Lokomotiv Yaroslavl | KHL | 36 | 12 | 17 | 29 | 34 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2012–13 | Columbus Blue Jackets | NHL | 35 | 11 | 7 | 18 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2013–14 | Columbus Blue Jackets | NHL | 81 | 22 | 17 | 39 | 20 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | ||
| 2014–15 | Columbus Blue Jackets | NHL | 52 | 7 | 20 | 27 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2015–16 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 77 | 20 | 22 | 42 | 12 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 2 | ||
| 2016–17 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 64 | 22 | 23 | 45 | 30 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2017–18 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 72 | 20 | 11 | 31 | 22 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2018–19 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 78 | 15 | 22 | 37 | 14 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2019–20 | Ottawa Senators | NHL | 49 | 15 | 5 | 20 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2020–21 | Ottawa Senators | NHL | 19 | 2 | 7 | 9 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2021–22 | Lokomotiv Yaroslavl | KHL | 27 | 8 | 11 | 19 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | ||
| 2022–23 | Lehigh Valley Phantoms | AHL | 55 | 19 | 17 | 36 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | ||
| 2023–24 | Hartford Wolf Pack | AHL | 18 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| NHL totals | 771 | 180 | 196 | 376 | 214 | 43 | 8 | 9 | 17 | 10 | ||||
| KHL totals | 63 | 20 | 28 | 48 | 30 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | ||||
| Year | Team | Event | Result | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Russia | WJC18 | 5th | 6 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 2 | |
| 2007 | Russia | WJC |  | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 4 | |
| 2008 | Russia | WJC |  | 7 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 6 | |
| 2010 | Russia | WC | | 9 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 | |
| 2013 | Russia | WC | 6th | 8 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 6 | |
| 2014 | Russia | OG | 5th | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | |
| 2014 | Russia | WC |  | 10 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 2 | |
| 2015 | Russia | WC | | 10 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 4 | |
| 2016 | Russia | WCH | 4th | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| 2018 | Russia | WC | 6th | 8 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 0 | |
| 2019 | Russia | WC | | 10 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 4 | |
| Junior totals | 19 | 6 | 6 | 12 | 12 | ||||
| Senior totals | 64 | 10 | 17 | 27 | 26 | ||||