André Burakovsky

Lore & Background

Burakovsky began his professional career at age 16 with the Malmö Redhawks of HockeyAllsvenskan in 2011–12, recording one assist in ten games. He split the 2012–13 season between Malmö's senior and junior teams before being selected 23rd overall by the Washington Capitals in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft. He joined the Erie Otters of the Ontario Hockey League for the 2013–14 season, scoring 41 goals and 87 points in 57 games, and added ten goals in 14 playoff appearances. Burakovsky signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Capitals on 4 September 2013. He made his NHL debut on 9 October 2014, scoring his first NHL goal against Dustin Tokarski of the Montreal Canadiens, becoming the 13th Capitals player to score in his NHL debut. Over five seasons with Washington, he played on various lines, including stints with Alexander Ovechkin and Nicklas Bäckström, and won the Stanley Cup in 2018. On 28 June 2019, Burakovsky was traded to the Colorado Avalanche, where he reached the 20-goal mark for the first time and won a second Stanley Cup in 2022. He later played for the Seattle Kraken and Chicago Blackhawks before joining the Ottawa Senators.

Reader's Guide

André Burakovsky's career is notable for his development from a teenage professional in Sweden to a two-time Stanley Cup champion in the NHL. Drafted 23rd overall by the Washington Capitals in 2013, he scored in his NHL debut and later contributed to the Capitals' 2018 championship, notably scoring two goals in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Final against the Tampa Bay Lightning. After being traded to the Colorado Avalanche in 2019, he achieved a career-high 45 points in the 2019–20 season and won his second Stanley Cup in 2022. Burakovsky's ability to adapt to different roles—from top-line minutes to fourth-line duty—and his resilience through injuries and slumps, including working with a sports psychologist, highlight his perseverance. His tenure with the Chicago Blackhawks, though brief, adds to his legacy as a versatile forward who has played for multiple NHL teams and won at the highest level.

Did You Know?

• Burakovsky scored his first NHL goal in his debut on 9 October 2014 against Dustin Tokarski.
• He tied an NHL record in January 2017 by scoring the game's first goal for four consecutive team games.
• Burakovsky hired a sports psychologist to help manage his tendency to dwell on mistakes.
• He was selected in the 2012 KHL Junior Draft by SKA Saint Petersburg in the third round, 102nd overall.

Early Career & International Recognition

André Burakovsky, born on 9 February 1995, first stepped onto a professional ice at just sixteen during the 2011–12 campaign with the Malmö Redhawks of HockeyAllsvenskan. In those ten senior games he managed a single assist, but his real showcase came in the J20 Nationell with Malmö Jr., where he erupted for 17 goals and 25 assists across 47 outings. That production drew international attention: SKA Saint Petersburg of the KHL picked him 102nd overall in the 2012 Junior Draft, and the following year the Washington Capitals selected him 23rd overall in the NHL entry draft. Before crossing the Atlantic, Burakovsky spent the 2013–14 season with the Erie Otters of the OHL, where he posted 41 goals and 87 points in 57 regular-season games and added ten goals and 13 assists in 14 playoff appearances as the Otters reached the Western Conference finals before falling to the Guelph Storm.

The Washington Capitals Rollercoaster

Burakovsky signed a three-year entry-level deal with Washington on 4 September 2013 and opened the 2014–15 season in the NHL, having been shifted from the wing to centre. He scored against Dustin Tokarski of Montreal in his very first game, becoming the second-fastest Capitals player ever to find the net in a debut. Yet the season was turbulent: by December he was scratched from five of six games and shuttled to the Hershey Bears, only to be recalled days later. He bounced between lines throughout the year, at one point sharing ice with Alexander Ovechkin and Nicklas Bäckström before finishing on the fourth line. In 53 games he collected nine goals and 22 points. The following seasons brought more volatility, including a January 2017 stretch where he scored the opening goal in four straight games, tying an NHL record, and a thumb injury in October 2017 that cost him 20 games. He signed a two-year, $6-million extension in July 2017 before eventually departing the franchise.

Two Cups, Many Teams

Burakovsky's career is defined by two Stanley Cup banners. He lifted the trophy with the Washington Capitals in 2018 and again with the Colorado Avalanche in 2022, making him a two-time champion. After his time in Washington, the Avalanche acquired his rights during the 2019 offseason and signed him to a contract. His journey through the league continued with stints at the Seattle Kraken and the Chicago Blackhawks before he landed with the Ottawa Senators, where he plays as a forward. The path between those two cups was anything but linear: he endured injuries, lineup demotions, and a period where he openly acknowledged hiring a sports psychologist to work through mental challenges. Yet the 2018 playoffs remain a career highlight—he was sidelined for the remainder of the first round against Columbus, returned to go pointless for ten games, and then scored two goals in Game 7 against Andrei Vasilevskiy of Tampa Bay to propel Washington to the Cup Final.

Moments of Pressure & Resilience

Several episodes crystallized Burakovsky's identity as a competitor who thrived under pressure. In his NHL debut on 9 October 2014, he scored against Dustin Tokarski of the Montreal Canadiens, becoming the 13th Capitals player to score in his first game and the second-fastest to reach that milestone. In January 2017, he scored the opening goal in four consecutive games, tying an NHL record for most consecutive team games with the first goal. Perhaps most remarkable was the 2018 postseason: after missing the remainder of the first round to injury and then going scoreless for ten playoff games upon his return, he buried two goals in Game 7 against Tampa Bay's Andrei Vasilevskiy to send Washington to the Stanley Cup Final. He later admitted to working with a sports psychologist during that stretch, a candid acknowledgment of the mental toll of prolonged scoring droughts. These episodes reveal a player whose best hockey often emerged from the most difficult circumstances.

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