Ross Lupaschuk

Did You Know?

• Lupaschuk played four seasons in the Penguins organization, primarily for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the American Hockey League.
• He attended Phoenix Coyotes training camp at the start of the 2009–10 season but was released on September 20, 2009.

Juniors

Lupaschuk played five seasons of junior hockey in the Western Hockey League for the Lethbridge Hurricanes, Prince Albert Raiders and Red Deer Rebels. He was traded from the Raiders to the Rebels in 2001 and was part of the Rebels' Memorial Cup win that year. The Washington Capitals selected him in the second round, 34th overall, of the 1999 NHL entry draft. His playing rights were later traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins before he turned professional.

Europe and Russia

After a 2005 contract dispute with the Penguins, Lupaschuk skipped the NHL for Sweden’s Mora IK. He switched to the Malmö Redhawks the next season but bolted mid-year for Finland’s Kärpät. In 2007 he moved to Russia’s Avangard Omsk Oblast. Following a 2008 tryout with the Anaheim Ducks, he joined KHL side HC Sibir Novosibirsk, staying until January 19, 2009, then returned to Mora IK three days later. On November 3, 2009, he signed with HIFK to finish the season.

Transactions

On November 19, 1999, Lupaschuk was traded from Prince Albert to Red Deer of the WHL with Craig Brunel for Brent Hobday, Steven MacIntyre, Regan Darby and Scott McQueen. On July 11, 2001, the Washington Capitals traded him with Kris Beech and Michal Sivek to the Pittsburgh Penguins for Jaromír Jágr and Frantisek Kucera. He was re-signed by the Penguins to a one-year contract on August 3, 2004. On May 31, 2005, he signed with Mora IK of the Elitserein in Sweden. He signed as a free agent with the Malmö Red Hawks on July 30, 2006, and with Kärpät on November 8, 2006. On July 20, 2007, he signed with Avangard Omsk. He was invited to Anaheim Ducks training camp on September 17, 2008, assigned to Iowa Chops on September 29, 2008, and signed as a free agent by Avangard Omsk on October 13, 2008, before being transferred to Sibir Novosibirsk the same day. He signed with HIFK on November 3, 2009, and with the Cologne Sharks on July 23, 2010.