Playing career

Early years

Tverdovsky was born and raised in the mining city of Donetsk, Ukraine. In his earlier years, the city had no artificial ice surfaces so his introduction to the game was through street hockey. In 1983 Tverdovsky began his interest in hockey at the city's only fully functioning skating arena. Though this was originally intended for figure skating, low turnout compelled city officials to create a year-round hockey school. Open tryouts were held and 7-year old Tverdovsky finally had a chance to learn the sport, but his inexperience with skating initially held him back. He recalls "I tried everything, even holding my hands on the boards, but the progress was slow." The team coach identified the problem being weakness in his ankles, and put him on a training regimen which included running on beach sand and stones barefoot.

In 1991, the system which froze the ice at his local arena became permanently broken and his amateur career in hockey was potentially over. By this time he was one of the best players, as well as the best skater on his team. "I was a defenseman all my career and I always loved rushes," he says. "It didn't take a lot of stickhandling for me to score lots of goals - I just skated around the opponents." This talent did not go unnoticed, as Yan Kaminsky, the coach of the Dynamo Moscow junior team at the time, noticed Tverdovsky and invited him to come to Moscow. Kamentsky soon left Dynamo and accepted a job with Krylya Sovetov, also in Moscow. His mother, Alexandra, did not want her 15-year-old son to leave home, but his father, Fedor, convinced her that it would be for the best.

"It wasn't an easy time for me. I lived in a dormitory, missing my family, especially my 7-year-old sister (Anna)," Oleg recalls.

Russia

Though missing his home in Ukraine, Oleg made a lot of progress to his game while in Russia. He and his teammate from Donetsk, Yuri Litvinov (later drafted by the New York Rangers), practiced eight hours a day, four times a week. Igor Dmitriyev, the coach of the senior Krylya Sovetov team signed the 16-year-old defenseman to a contract with the professional club, despite the fact that Oleg never played for the junior team.

"When I saw him for the first time I was amazed by his skating ability," says Dmitriyev, then the head coach of the Russian National Team. "He carried the puck so well, he had so much confidence that I decided to give him a chance."

For two years, he lived in the team's training camp facility, which was located on the outskirts of Moscow. Without a car, Oleg was forced to spend most of his time at the facility itself.

NHL

Tverdovsky was drafted second overall by the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim in the 1994 NHL Entry Draft. When Oleg arrived in Anaheim, Mighty Ducks players already had a nickname for him - "Double O," as in Oleg Orr. In 1996, Tverdovsky was traded to the Winnipeg Jets as part of a trade that included Teemu Selänne. He would be traded back to Anaheim in 1999 for Travis Green and a first-round selection.

Tverdovsky has won two Stanley Cups in his career: one with the New Jersey Devils in 2003 and one with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2006. On September 29, 2006, Tverdovsky and Jack Johnson were traded to the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for Éric Bélanger and Tim Gleason.

KHL

Tverdovsky played the 2007-08 season in Russia for Salavat Yulayev Ufa, where he played for the next five seasons. When he left the NHL, Tverdovsky was still under contract with the Los Angeles Kings. This was able to happen because there was no transfer agreement between the NHL and the Russian Hockey Federation.

He was also selected as a reserve by Team Russia for the 2010 Winter Olympics should an injury occur during the tournament.

He was traded to Metallurg Magnitogorsk in the 2011-12 season, and played part of the next season with that club before retiring.

Tverdovsky now lives with his wife and children in the United States.

Awards and achievements

• 1996-97 NHL All-Star
• 2002-03 NHL Stanley Cup winner, (New Jersey Devils)
• 2003-04 Russian Superleague Champion, (Avangard Omsk)
• 2005-06 NHL Stanley Cup winner, (Carolina Hurricanes)
• 2007-08 Russian Superleague Champion, (Salavat Yulaev Ufa)
• 2010-11 KHL Gagarin Cup winner, (Salavat Yulaev Ufa)

Career statistics

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1992-93	Krylya Sovetov Moscow	IHL		21	0	1	1	6		—	—	—	—	—
1993-94	Krylya Sovetov Moscow	IHL		46	4	10	14	22		—	—	—	—	—
1994-95	Brandon Wheat Kings	WHL		7	1	4	5	4		—	—	—	—	—
1994-95	Mighty Ducks of Anaheim	NHL		36	3	9	12	14		—	—	—	—	—
1995-96	Mighty Ducks of Anaheim	NHL		51	7	15	22	35		—	—	—	—	—
1995-96	Winnipeg Jets	NHL		31	0	8	8	6		6	0	1	1	0
1996-97	Phoenix Coyotes	NHL		82	10	45	55	30		7	0	1	1	0
1997-98	Hamilton Bulldogs	AHL		9	8	6	14	2		—	—	—	—	—
1997-98	Phoenix Coyotes	NHL		46	7	12	19	12		6	0	7	7	0
1998-99	Phoenix Coyotes	NHL		82	7	18	25	32		6	0	2	2	6
1999-00	Mighty Ducks of Anaheim	NHL		82	15	36	51	30		—	—	—	—	—
2000-01	Mighty Ducks of Anaheim	NHL		82	14	39	53	32		—	—	—	—	—
2001-02	Mighty Ducks of Anaheim	NHL		73	6	26	32	31		—	—	—	—	—
2002-03	New Jersey Devils	NHL		50	5	8	13	22		15	0	3	3	0
2003-04	Avangard Omsk	RSL		57	16	17	33	58		11	0	2	2	2
2004-05	Avangard Omsk	RSL		48	5	15	20	65		11	0	3	3	35
2005-06	Carolina Hurricanes	NHL		72	3	20	23	37		5	0	0	0	0
2006-07	Los Angeles Kings	NHL		26	0	4	4	10		—	—	—	—	—
2006-07	Manchester Monarchs	AHL		14	5	8	13	2		14	2	9	11	14
2007-08	Salavat Yulaev Ufa	RSL		43	6	11	17	58		16	2	6	8	10
2008-09	Salavat Yulaev Ufa	KHL		48	8	19	27	30		2	0	0	0	0
2009-10	Salavat Yulaev Ufa	KHL		42	8	13	21	38		16	1	4	5	4
2010-11	Salavat Yulaev Ufa	KHL		40	7	9	16	20		7	1	0	1	12
2011-12	Salavat Yulaev Ufa	KHL		12	0	0	0	8		—	—	—	—	—
2011-12	Metallurg Magnitogorsk	KHL		24	6	5	11	18		4	0	1	1	2
2011-12	Toros Neftekamsk	VHL		2	0	0	0	0		—	—	—	—	—
2012-13	Metallurg Magnitogorsk	KHL		25	0	5	5	18		3	0	0	0	0
RSL totals				148	27	43	70	181		38	2	11	13	47
NHL totals				713	77	240	317	291		45	0	14	14	6
KHL totals				191	29	51	80	132		32	2	5	7	18

International play

Oleg Tverdovsky

Medal record
Representing Russia
Winter Olympics
	2002 Salt Lake City	Ice hockey
World Championships
	2009 Switzerland	Ice hockey
World Junior Championships
	1994 Ostrava	Ice hockey

Played for Russia in:

• 1994 -World Junior Championships (Bronze Medal)
• 1996 -World Championships
• 1996 -World Cup of Hockey
• 2001 -World Championships
• 2002 -Winter Olympics (bronze medal)
• 2004 -World Championships
• 2004 -World Cup of Hockey
• 2009 -World Championships (Gold Medal)
• 2010 -Winter Olympics (*reserve)

International statistics

Year	Team	Event	Place		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1994	Russia	WJC	03 !		7	1	5	6	6
1996	Russia	WC	4th		3	0	1	1	0
1996	Russia	WCH	SF		4	1	0	1	0
2001	Russia	WC	5th		7	2	2	4	2
2002	Russia	Oly	03 !		6	1	1	2	0
2004	Russia	WC	10th		6	0	1	1	6
2004	Russia	WCH	QF		3	0	0	0	0
2009	Russia	WC	01 !		9	2	2	4	6
2010	Russia	Oly	QF		0	-	-	-	-
Junior int'l totals					7	1	5	6	6
Senior int'l totals					38	6	7	13	14

[ Source: Wikipedia ]