Konstantin Koltsov

{{Infobox ice hockey player

| image = Konstantin Koltsov.jpg

| caption = Koltsov with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in 2004

| image_size = 230px

| played_for = Severstal Cherepovets
Yunost Minsk
Metallurg Novokuznetsk
Ak Bars Kazan
Spartak Moscow
Pittsburgh Penguins
Dinamo Minsk
Salavat Yulaev Ufa
Atlant Moscow Oblast

| position = Right wing

| shoots = Left

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 0

| weight_lb = 190

| ntl_team = Belarus

| birth_date = {{birth date|1981|4|17}}

| birth_place = Minsk, Byelorussian SSR, Soviet Union

| death_date = {{death date and age|2024|3|18|1981|4|17}}

| death_place = Bal Harbour, Miami, Florida, U.S.

| draft = 18th overall

| draft_year = 1999

| draft_team = Pittsburgh Penguins

| career_start = 1998

| career_end = 2016

}}

Konstantin Yevgeniyevich Koltsov ({{langx|be|Канстанцін Яўгенавіч Кальцоў|translit=Kanstancin Jaŭhienavič Kaĺcoŭ}}; April 17, 1981 – March 18, 2024) was a Belarusian professional ice hockey player. He played parts of three seasons with the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League (NHL) between 2002 and 2006. Internationally, Koltsov played for the Belarusian national team at the 2002 and 2010 Winter Olympics and at nine World Championships. He served as an assistant coach for Salavat Yulaev Ufa in the Kontinental Hockey League as well as head coach for the Belarusian national team.

Early life

Koltsov was born on April 17, 1981, in Minsk, Byelorussian SSR, USSR (present-day Belarus).{{Cite web |last=Burack |first=Emily |date=March 19, 2024 |title=Who Is Aryna Sabalenka's Boyfriend Konstantin Koltsov? |url=https://www.townandcountrymag.com/leisure/sporting/a45013294/who-is-aryna-sabalenka-boyfriend-konstantin-koltsov/ |access-date=March 20, 2024 |website=Town & Country |language=en-US |archive-date=March 19, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240319043307/https://www.townandcountrymag.com/leisure/sporting/a45013294/who-is-aryna-sabalenka-boyfriend-konstantin-koltsov/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last=McBride |first=Jessica |date=March 19, 2024 |title=Cause of Death for Pro Tennis Champ's Boyfriend Revealed After Florida Hotel Balcony Tragedy |url=https://heavy.com/news/konstantin-koltsov-cause-of-death/ |access-date=March 20, 2024 |website=Heavy.com |language=en-US |archive-date=March 20, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240320002012/https://heavy.com/news/konstantin-koltsov-cause-of-death/ |url-status=live }} He was raised there and at an early age pursued a dream to become a professional hockey player.

He was born to Alexander and Natalia Koltsov.

Playing career

Koltsov started playing for Junactva Minsk in the Belarusian 1st division during the 1997–98 season and moved to the Russian team Severstal Cherepovets for the next season.{{Cite web |last=Gaba |first=Ripunjay |date=March 19, 2024 |title=Which Sport Did Aryna Sabalenka's Late Boyfriend Play? Everything to Know About His American Sporting Stint |url=https://www.essentiallysports.com/wta-tennis-news-which-sport-did-aryna-sabalenkas-late-boyfriend-konstantin-koltsov-play-everything-to-know-about-his-american-sporting-stint/ |access-date=March 19, 2024 |website=EssentiallySports |language=en |archive-date=March 19, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240319124111/https://www.essentiallysports.com/wta-tennis-news-which-sport-did-aryna-sabalenkas-late-boyfriend-konstantin-koltsov-play-everything-to-know-about-his-american-sporting-stint/ |url-status=live }} Due to his speed and stick handling, he was often referred to as the "Russian Rocket II" because of his similar playing style to that of Russian great Pavel Bure.

Koltsov was drafted to the NHL in the 1999 NHL Entry Draft as the Pittsburgh Penguins' first round pick, 18th overall.{{Cite web |last=Neal |first=David J. |date=March 19, 2024 |title=Boyfriend of a top-seeded Miami Open player jumped from a Bal Harbour hotel, cops say |url=https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/aventura/article286869365.html |access-date=March 19, 2024 |website=Miami Herald |archive-date=March 19, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240319201528/https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/aventura/article286869365.html |url-status=live }}{{Cite news |last=Molinari |first=Dave |date=June 27, 1999 |title=Penguins draft picks at a glance |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/pittsburgh-post-gazette-penguins-draft-p/143709606/ |access-date=March 19, 2024 |work=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |pages=49 |publication-place=Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |via=Newspapers.com |archive-date=March 19, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240319221814/https://www.newspapers.com/article/pittsburgh-post-gazette-penguins-draft-p/143709606/ |url-status=live }} He played for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in the AHL in the 2002–03 season and started playing full-time for the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2003–04 season, playing 82 games and scoring nine goals and 20 assists.{{cite news |last1=Darnay |first1=Mike |date=March 19, 2024 |title=Former Penguins player Konstantin Kolstov dead at the age of 42 |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/pittsburgh/news/former-penguins-player-konstantin-kolstov-dead-at-the-age-of-42/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240319073231/https://www.cbsnews.com/pittsburgh/news/former-penguins-player-konstantin-kolstov-dead-at-the-age-of-42/ |archive-date=March 19, 2024 |access-date=March 19, 2024 |work=CBS Pittsburgh}}

During the 2004–05 NHL lockout, Koltsov played for the Spartak Moscow hockey team, scoring six goals in 31 games.

The following season, Koltsov moved between Wilkes-Barre and Pittsburgh until January, after which he stayed in the NHL until the end of the season, finishing with three goals and six assists. As a result of the Penguins not extending a qualifying offer, Koltsov became an unrestricted free agent on July 1, 2006. In August 2006, he returned to Russia, signing to play for Salavat Yulaev Ufa of the Russian Super League.

During the 2007–08 RSL season, Koltsov was part of a Salavat Yulaev Ufa squad that defeated Lokomotiv Yaroslavl to capture the RSL league title. With the absorption of the RSL into the newly formed Kontinental Hockey League at the start of the 2008–09 season, Salavat Yulaev Ufa would become the last standing RSL champion.{{cite web |title=Konstantin Koltsov |url=https://www.eurosport.com/ice-hockey/konstantin-koltsov_prs51547/person.shtml |website=www.eurosport.com |access-date=March 19, 2024}} With Salavat Yulaev Ufa, Koltsov won the Gagarin Cup throughout the 2010–11 season.{{Cite web |first= |date=March 19, 2024 |title=Retired Belarusian hockey player Konstantin Koltsov dies in Florida at 42 |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Sports/wireStory/retired-belarusian-hockey-player-konstantin-koltsov-dies-florida-108279782 |access-date=March 21, 2024 |website=ABC News |language=en |via=Associated Press}}

On November 27, 2016, Koltsov retired from professional hockey after competing for 18 seasons.{{cite web | url = http://by.tribuna.com/hockey/1046068170.html | title = Konstantin Koltsov has retired | publisher = by.tribuna.com | date = November 27, 2016 | accessdate = November 27, 2016 | language = ru | archive-date = November 28, 2016 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20161128133650/http://by.tribuna.com/hockey/1046068170.html | url-status = live }} He became an assistant for the Belarusian men's hockey team and also worked as the assistant coach of Salavat Yulaev Ufa, where he served for two seasons prior to his death.

International play

Internationally, Koltsov played on the Belarus national team in the Winter Olympics and IIHF World Championships.

Personal life and death

Koltsov had three children with his former wife, Julia. They divorced in 2020.{{cite news|url=https://www.townandcountrymag.com/leisure/sporting/a45013294/who-is-aryna-sabalenka-boyfriend-konstantin-koltsov/|title=Who Is Aryna Sabalenka's Boyfriend Konstantin Koltsov?|last=Burack|first=Emily|date=September 7, 2023|magazine=Town & Country|access-date=March 19, 2024|archive-date=March 19, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240319043307/https://www.townandcountrymag.com/leisure/sporting/a45013294/who-is-aryna-sabalenka-boyfriend-konstantin-koltsov/|url-status=live}}{{cite news|url=https://minsknews.by/supruga-trenera-po-hokkeyu-kolczova-rasskazala-o-rasstavanii-pri-chem-tut-sobolenko/|title=Супруга тренера по хоккею Кольцова рассказала о расставании. При чем тут Соболенко?|date=April 29, 2020|website=minsknews.by|language=be|access-date=March 19, 2024}} He began publicly dating Belarusian tennis player Aryna Sabalenka in June 2021.{{cite news|url=https://people.com/sports/who-is-konstantin-koltsov-aryna-sabalenka/|title=Who Is Aryna Sabalenka's Boyfriend? All About Konstantin Koltsov|last=Ellis|first=Sydni|date=January 28, 2024|magazine=People|access-date=March 19, 2024|archive-date=March 19, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240319043307/https://people.com/sports/who-is-konstantin-koltsov-aryna-sabalenka/|url-status=live}} Koltsov and Sabalenka were separated at the time of his death.{{cite news |last1=Carayol |first1=Tumaini |title='My heart is broken': Sabalenka asks for privacy after death of former partner |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2024/mar/20/players-offer-support-grieving-aryna-sabalenka-konstantin-koltsov-miami-open-tennis-paula-badosa |access-date=March 21, 2024 |work=The Guardian |date=March 20, 2024}}

Koltsov's former club Salavat Yulaev announced his death on March 18, 2024. He was 42.{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/sports/nhl/konstantin-koltsov-former-nhl-player-boyfriend-sabalenka-dead-42-2024-03-19/|title=Konstantin Koltsov, former NHL player and boyfriend of Sabalenka, dead at 42|date=March 18, 2024|publisher=Reuters|access-date=March 19, 2024}} The Miami-Dade Police Department said it was an apparent suicide and that Koltsov had jumped from a balcony at The St. Regis Bal Harbour.{{cite news|url=https://www.upi.com/Sports_News/NHL/2024/03/19/Konstantin-Koltsov-dies-Aryna-Sabalenka/3501710849204/|title=Ex-NHL winger Konstantin Koltsov, boyfriend of tennis star Sabalenka, dies at 42|last=Butler|first=Alex|date=March 19, 2024|publisher=United Press International|access-date=March 19, 2024|archive-date=March 19, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240319131657/https://www.upi.com/Sports_News/NHL/2024/03/19/Konstantin-Koltsov-dies-Aryna-Sabalenka/3501710849204/|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://news.sky.com/story/konstantin-koltsovs-ex-wife-says-tennis-star-aryna-sabalenkas-boyfriend-was-most-likely-very-drunk-when-he-died-13098769|title=Konstantin Koltsov's ex-wife says tennis star Aryna Sabalenka's boyfriend was 'most likely very drunk' when he died|website=Sky News}}

Career statistics

=Regular season and playoffs=

border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" style="text-align:center; width:55em"

bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! colspan="3" bgcolor="#ffffff" |

! rowspan="99" bgcolor="#ffffff" |

! colspan="5" | Regular season

! rowspan="99" bgcolor="#ffffff" |

! colspan="5" | Playoffs

bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! Season

! Team

! League

! GP

! G

! A

! Pts

! PIM

! GP

! G

! A

! Pts

! PIM

! Ref.

1997–98

| Severstal Cherepovets

| RSL

| 2

| 0

| 2

| 4

| 1

| 0

| 1

| 0

|{{cite web|url=https://www.eurohockey.com/player/9602-.html|title=Konstantin Koltsov|access-date=March 20, 2024|website=Eurohockey|archive-date=March 19, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240319160714/https://www.eurohockey.com/player/9602-.html|url-status=live}}

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 1997–98

| Severstal–2 Cherepovets

| RUS.3

| 44

| 11

| 12

| 23

| 16

| —

1998–99

| Severstal Cherepovets

| RSL

| 33

| 3

| 0

| 3

| 8

| 1

| 0

| 2

|{{cite web|url=https://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=45141|title=Konstantin Koltsov|access-date=March 20, 2024|website=International Hockey Database|archive-date=January 18, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240118072217/https://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=45141|url-status=live}}

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 1998–99

| Severstal–2 Cherepovets

| RUS.3

| 2

| 0

| 1

| 2

| —

1998–99

| Yunost Minsk

| BLR

| 4

| 1

| 4

| 5

| 2

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 1998–99

| Yunost Minsk

| EEHL

| 5

| 3

| 4

| 7

| 2

| —

1999–2000

| Metallurg Novokuznetsk

| RSL

| 31

| 3

| 4

| 7

| 12

| 11

| 1

| 2

| 6

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2000–01

| Ak Bars Kazan

| RSL

| 24

| 7

| 8

| 15

| 10

| 2

| 0

| 4

2001–02

| Ak Bars Kazan

| RSL

| 10

| 1

| 2

| 3

| 2

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2001–02

| Spartak Moscow

| RSL

| 22

| 1

| 0

| 1

| 12

| —

2001–02

| Spartak–2 Moscow

| RUS.3

| 2

| 0

| 1

| 0

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2002–03

| Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins

| AHL

| 65

| 9

| 21

| 30

| 41

| 6

| 2

| 4

| 6

| 4

2002–03

| Pittsburgh Penguins

| NHL

| 2

| 0

| —

|{{cite web|url=https://www.nhl.com/player/konstantin-koltsov-8467891|title=Konstantin Koltsov Stats|access-date=March 20, 2024|website=NHL|archive-date=March 18, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240318215219/https://www.nhl.com/player/konstantin-koltsov-8467891|url-status=live}}

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2003–04

| Pittsburgh Penguins

| NHL

| 82

| 9

| 20

| 29

| 30

| —

2003–04

| Wilkes–Barre/Scranton Penguins

| AHL

| 3

| 0

| 4

| 24

| 6

| 11

| 17

| 1

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2004–05

| Dinamo Minsk

| BLR

| 11

| 6

| 2

| 8

| 38

| —

2004–05

| Spartak Moscow

| RSL

| 31

| 6

| 10

| 16

| 48

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2005–06

| Pittsburgh Penguins

| NHL

| 60

| 3

| 6

| 9

| 20

| —

2005–06

| Wilkes–Barre/Scranton Penguins

| AHL

| 18

| 7

| 5

| 12

| 13

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2006–07

| Salavat Yulaev Ufa

| RSL

| 54

| 14

| 11

| 25

| 43

| 8

| 1

| 2

2007–08

| Salavat Yulaev Ufa

| RSL

| 37

| 12

| 10

| 22

| 27

| 14

| 3

| 1

| 4

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2008–09

| Salavat Yulaev Ufa

| KHL

| 42

| 8

| 7

| 15

| 14

| 4

| 0

| 2

| 0

2009–10

| Salavat Yulaev Ufa

| KHL

| 48

| 8

| 17

| 25

| 28

| 16

| 3

| 1

| 4

| 2

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2010–11

| Salavat Yulaev Ufa

| KHL

| 32

| 4

| 11

| 15

| 16

| —

2011–12

| Salavat Yulaev Ufa

| KHL

| 51

| 1

| 11

| 12

| 20

| 6

| 0

| 2

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2012–13

| Atlant Mytishchi

| KHL

| 52

| 6

| 12

| 26

| 5

| 0

2013–14

| Atlant Mytishchi

| KHL

| 54

| 11

| 10

| 21

| 22

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2014–15

| Atlant Mytishchi

| KHL

| 34

| 2

| 1

| 3

| 20

| —

2014–15

| Ak Bars Kazan

| KHL

| 19

| 0

| 2

| 7

| 20

| 3

| 6

| 4

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2015–16

| Dinamo Minsk

| KHL

| 43

| 3

| 7

| 10

| 14

| —

bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! colspan="3" | NHL totals

! 144

! 12

! 26

! 38

! 50

! —

bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! colspan="3" | RSL totals

! 244

! 47

! 44

! 91

! 164

! 40

! 6

! 3

! 9

! 18

bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! colspan="3" | KHL totals

! 375

! 43

! 73

! 116

! 167

! 51

! 6

! 12

! 8

=International=

border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" style="text-align:center; width:40em"

ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! Year

! Team

! Event

! rowspan="99" bgcolor="#ffffff" |

! GP

! G

! A

! Pts

! PIM8

! Ref.

1999

| Belarus

| WJC

| 6

| 4

| 3

| 7

| 30

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 1999

| Belarus

| WJC18 B

| 5

| 2

| 7

| 0

1999

| Belarus

| WC

| 6

| 0

| 4

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2000

| Belarus

| WJC B

| 5

| 3

| 1

| 4

| 2

2001

| Belarus

| WJC

| 6

| 4

| 1

| 5

| 2

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2001

| Belarus

| OGQ

| 3

| 2

| 0

| 2

| 0

2001

| Belarus

| WC

| 6

| 0

| 4

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2002

| Belarus

| OG

| 2

| 0

2002

| Belarus

| WC D1

| 5

| 7

| 1

| 8

| 2

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2005

| Belarus

| OGQ

| 2

| 0

2005

| Belarus

| WC

| 6

| 3

| 6

| 2

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2007

| Belarus

| WC

| 3

| 2

| 4

| 2

2008

| Belarus

| WC

| 3

| 1

| 2

| 3

| 0

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2009

| Belarus

| WC

| 5

| 1

| 0

| 1

| 2

2010

| Belarus

| OG

| 4

| 0

| 2

| 0

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2012

| Belarus

| WC

| 7

| 2

| 0

| 2

| 8

2013

| Belarus

| OGQ

| 3

| 1

| 0

| 1

| 0

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2013

| Belarus

| WC

| 7

| 2

| 0

| 2

| 0

2014

| Belarus

| WC

| 5

| 0

bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! colspan=3 | Junior totals

! 22

! 16

! 7

! 23

! 34

bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! colspan=3 | Senior totals

! 67

! 21

! 10

! 31

! 24

Awards and honours

Spartak Cup ({{langx|ru|Кубок Спартака}}) : 2001
President of Bashkortostan Republic Cup ({{langx|ru|Кубок Президента Республики Башкортостан}}) : 2006
Romazan Cup ({{langx|ru|Кубок Ромазана}}) : 2006
Polesye Cup ({{langx|ru|Кубок Полесья}}, {{langx|be|Кубак Палесся}}) : 2007
Russian Super League: 2008

Source:{{Cite web |last=Sharma |first=Vanshika |date=January 27, 2023 |title=Who is Konstantin Koltsov boyfriend of Aryna Sabalenka, his age, girlfriend, son, net worth |url=https://thesportsgrail.com/who-is-konstantin-koltsov-boyfriend-of-aryna-sabalenka-his-age-girlfriend-son-net-worth/ |access-date=March 21, 2024 |website=The SportsGrail |language=en |archive-date=July 8, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230708133451/https://thesportsgrail.com/who-is-konstantin-koltsov-boyfriend-of-aryna-sabalenka-his-age-girlfriend-son-net-worth/ |url-status=live }}