NHL History: Top 5 All-Time Players Named Sergei

When you hear the name Sergei you think of hockey and Russia. And when making an all-time list of great names, Sergei is near the top in NHL history.

With the influx of new Russian talent in the 1980’s, westerners were exposed to funky new names. None, however, embodied raw skill more than “Sergei”, hence this NHL all-time list of the top five Sergei’s in NHL history.

First, the Honorable Mentions.

Sergei Nemchinov

Sergei Nemchinov always seemed to be in the mix. He never knocked your socks off with dangles, but he was a constant threat and steady second-liner. A fixture on the early 90’s Rangers, Nemchinov was one of the first four Russians to have his name engraved on Lord Stanley. He became a pro coach in Moscow and coaches the South Korean National Team with former NHLer Jim Paek.

Sergei Samsonov

The 1997 draft was huge for the Boston Bruins. At 8th overall, Samsonov was their second top-10 pick and was nothing short of brilliant in his first season. After winning the Calder Trophy for the league’s top rookie, Samsonov played parts of the next seven seasons with Boston.

He was a small shifty forward known for his stickhandling and passing ability. He never seemed to hit his full potential, and I never knew what “over-stickhandling” was until I watched Sergei Samsonov. Nonetheless, still worth an honorable mention on our NHL All-Time list!