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Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

April 18 Hockey Birthdays: Zibanejad, Hartnell & Kamensky

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers | By Ryan Gagne | Last updated 4/18/24

Today, we honor the 18 past and present NHL players who celebrate their birthdays on Apr. 18, including a 40-goal scorer, two Stanley Cup champions, and a player who spent over 1,800 minutes in the penalty box. Here’s a look at some notable players who share birthdays on this day.

Mika Zibanejad (1993)

Mika Zibanejad is a World Junior Championship hero in Sweden for scoring a golden goal at the 2012 tournament, earning Sweden its second title. He became a prospect for the Ottawa Senators in 2011, who drafted with the sixth overall pick at the Entry Draft and made his NHL debut as a 19-year-old in October of that year.

Eventually, Zibanejad found his footing in the league, becoming a two-time 20-goal scorer with Ottawa, who dealt him to the New York Rangers in July 2016 for Derick Brassard. Little did the Senators know they would be trading away a future 30 and 40-goal scorer, but the Swedish forward has blossomed into a star on Broadway.

In 2020-21, he registered 41 goals in 57 games, including a five-goal performance against the Washington Capitals on Mar. 3, 2020. Zibanejad lost his bid for 50 goals when the NHL postponed the regular season due to the global pandemic. After 13 seasons, eight with New York and five with Ottawa, he’s collected 294 goals and 678 points over 848 games.

Scott Hartnell (1982)

Scott Hartnell grew up in Regina, Saskatchewan, and debuted with the Nashville Predators as an 18-year-old after the franchise drafted him sixth overall in the 2000 Entry Draft. Unlike many prospects who try to stick with their NHL clubs out of training camp, Hartnell played 75 games as a rookie and had 16 points in 2000-01.

Throughout his 17-year career, which included stops with the Philadelphia Flyers and Columbus Blue Jackets, he became a two-time 30-goal scorer and a seven-time 20-goal scorer, reaching a best of 37 with the Flyers in 2011-12. Hartnell played for the Stanley Cup in 2010 when the Flyers lost to the Chicago Blackhawks in six games.

In addition to his ability to score goals, Hartnell spent a lot of time in the penalty box, accumulating 1,809 penalty minutes in 1,249 games, including a career-high of 159 minutes in 2007-08. In 11 seasons, Hartnell was called for at least 100 minutes of infractions, developing the reputation as one of his era’s toughest players to skate against.

Valeri Kamenski (1966)

Valeri Kamenski is one of the few players who benefitted from relocating with a franchise. He moved with the Quebec Nordiques to Denver when they became the Colorado Avalanche in 1996. As a seventh-round pick (129th overall) in the 1988 Entry Draft, the Russian left winger did not come to North America until he was 25 in 1991-91. After 23 games, he had 21 points, setting a career high of 65 in 1993-94.

However, Kamenski struggled in 1994-95, registering 30 points in 40 games during the Nordiques’ final season. Once he gained a fresh start in Colorado, he erupted for his best season, collecting 38 goals and 85 points, almost tripling his production from the previous season and winning the Stanley Cup in the spring of 1996. After back-to-back 66-point seasons, his production dipped again, and Colorado let him go as a free agent.

He finished his 11-year career playing with the Rangers (1999-2001), Dallas Stars (2001-02), and New Jersey Devils (2001-02). Kamenski skated in 637 games and scored 200 goals with 501 points.