Kris Russell

Lore & Background

Kris Russell played junior hockey with the Medicine Hat Tigers of the Western Hockey League (WHL), where he was a member of two WHL championship teams and twice named the WHL's top defenceman, winning the Bill Hunter Memorial Trophy in 2005–06 and 2006–07. In his final WHL season, he also won the Four Broncos Memorial Trophy as the WHL's most outstanding player and was named the Canadian Hockey League's Defenceman of the Year. Internationally, he represented Canada at the World Junior Championship, winning gold medals in 2006 and 2007.

Russell made his NHL debut with the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2007 and scored his first two goals in a single game against the Dallas Stars. He played four seasons with Columbus, setting a career high in points with 23 in 2010–11. He was traded to the St. Louis Blues in November 2011 and later played for the Calgary Flames, where he led the NHL in blocked shots in 2014–15 with 283, setting a single-season record. He also played for the Dallas Stars and Edmonton Oilers, signing a four-year contract with the Oilers in 2017.

Reader's Guide

Kris Russell's significance lies in his exceptional shot-blocking ability, which made him a valuable defensive defenceman in the NHL. He formerly held the NHL record for most blocked shots in a single season (283 in 2014–15) and was known for his willingness to sacrifice his body. Despite being undersized—listed at five feet, ten inches—he carved out a long NHL career after being drafted by the Columbus Blue Jackets. His junior career was highly decorated, including two WHL championships and multiple individual awards. Russell also represented Canada internationally, winning two World Junior gold medals. His twin brother Ryan briefly played with him in Columbus. Russell's career spanned over a decade, with stops in Columbus, St. Louis, Calgary, Dallas, and Edmonton, and he played in the Finnish Liiga during the 2012–13 lockout.

Did You Know?

• Kris Russell and his identical twin brother Ryan briefly played together on the Columbus Blue Jackets.
• He was named the WHL's most outstanding player in 2006–07, winning the Four Broncos Memorial Trophy.
• Russell scored his first two NHL goals in the same game on January 22, 2008, against goaltender Mike Smith.