Ruslan Fedotenko

Lore & Background

Fedotenko began his NHL career undrafted, signing with the Philadelphia Flyers in 1999. He scored the overtime winning goal in game one of the 2002 Eastern Conference Quarter-Finals against the Ottawa Senators. In 2002, he was traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning along with two second-round draft picks for a first-round pick. With the Lightning, he scored both goals in game seven of the 2004 Stanley Cup Finals against the Calgary Flames, securing the franchise's first championship. After a career-high 26-goal, 41-point season in 2005–06, he signed a one-year contract with the New York Islanders in 2007, then moved to the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2008. With the Penguins, he neared career-high totals with 39 points in 65 games and won his second Stanley Cup in 2009. He later played for the New York Rangers and returned to the Flyers in 2012. During the 2012–13 NHL lockout, he played for HC Donbass of the Kontinental Hockey League, later signing a three-year contract with Donbass. Due to the Russo-Ukrainian war, he returned to the United States after the 2013–14 KHL season. He retired from professional hockey on October 11, 2016.

Reader's Guide

Ruslan Fedotenko's legacy is defined by his role as a clutch performer in the Stanley Cup Finals, scoring both goals in game seven for the Tampa Bay Lightning's first championship. His career spanned 863 NHL games across five teams, with 173 goals and 193 assists. He was a two-time Stanley Cup champion, also winning with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2009. Internationally, he represented Ukraine at the 2002 Winter Olympics. After retiring, he settled in Tampa, Florida, and worked in construction. He became a naturalized U.S. citizen. Fedotenko publicly condemned the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, describing the sight of tanks approaching Kyiv as 'mind-boggling' and 'absolutely sad.' His career is also notable for his undrafted entry into the NHL and his multiple one-year contracts, reflecting a journeyman path that nonetheless yielded two championships.

Did You Know?

• He was not drafted and signed with the Philadelphia Flyers in 1999.
• He has a tattoo of two Stanley Cups on his shoulder.
• He met his wife Debbie when she was his billet mom during his junior hockey career.