Denis Tsygurov

Denis Gennadievich Tsygurov (; February 26, 1971 – January 10, 2015) was a Russian professional ice hockey player. Tsygurov was drafted in the second round, 38th overall, by the Buffalo Sabres in the 1993 NHL entry draft following two seasons with HC Lada Togliatti of the Russian Hockey Super League. Tsygurov came to North America the following year and played in 24 games with the Rochester Americans of the American Hockey League and four games for the Sabres during the 1993–94 season. He was the son of Gennady Tsygurov, who was an ice hockey defenceman and coach in Russia; his elder brother, also played at a high level.

Tsygurov returned to the Sabres during the 1994–95 season for four games before being involved in a blockbuster six-player deal with the Los Angeles Kings. Tsygurov was sent to the Kings along with future Hockey Hall of Famer Grant Fuhr and defenceman Philippe Boucher for defencemen Alexei Zhitnik and Charlie Huddy and goaltender Robb Stauber. Tsygurov went on to play in 39 games for the Kings over the next two seasons, amassing six points.

Following the 1995–96 season, Tsygurov returned to Europe, where, except for a brief stint with the Long Beach Ice Dogs in 1997–98, he spent the last five years of his pro career. Tsygurov's European stops included HC Opava in the Czech Extraliga, Kärpät in Finland's SM-liiga, CSK VVS Samara of the lower Russian league Vysshaya Liga, and HC Lada Togliatti and HC Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk of the Russian Hockey Super League.

On January 10, 2015, Tsygurov died at the age of 43.

Career statistics Regular season and playoffs Regular seasonPlayoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 1988–89 Traktor Chelyabinsk Soviet 8 0 0 0 2 — — — — — 1988–89 Metallurg Chelyabinsk USSR-2 24 2 3 5 16 — — — — — 1989–90 Traktor Chelyabinsk USSR 27 0 1 1 18 — — — — — 1990–91 Traktor Chelyabinsk USSR 28 0 0 0 12 — — — — — 1991–92 Lada Togliatti USSR 29 3 2 5 6 — — — — — 1992–93 Lada Togliatti RUS 37 7 13 20 29 10 1 1 2 6 1993–94 Buffalo Sabres NHL 8 0 0 0 8 — — — — — 1993–94 Rochester Americans AHL 24 1 10 11 10 1 0 1 1 0 1994–95 Lada Togliatti RUS 10 3 7 10 6 — — — — — 1994–95 Buffalo Sabres NHL 4 0 0 0 4 — — — — — 1994–95 Los Angeles Kings NHL 21 0 0 0 11 — — — — — 1995–96 Los Angeles Kings NHL 18 1 5 6 22 — — — — — 1995–96 Phoenix Roadrunners IHL 17 1 3 4 10 — — — — — 1995–96 Lada Togliatti RUS 3 0 0 0 4 2 1 0 1 2 1996–97 Lada Togliatti RUS 8 2 1 3 0 — — — — — 1996–97 HC Slezan Opava CZE 17 1 4 5 50 — — — — — 1996–97 HC Karlovy Vary CZE-2 19 6 12 18 — — — — — — 1997–98 Long Beach Ice Dogs IHL 15 1 4 5 8 — — — — — 1997–98 Kärpät FIN-2 15 2 7 9 106 7 0 4 4 6 1998–99 Lada Togliatti RUS 20 0 2 2 22 7 3 0 3 6 1998–99 Lada Togliatti-2 RUS-4 2 1 1 2 0 — — — — — 1999–00 Lada Togliatti RUS 13 3 4 7 24 — — — — — 1999–00 CSK VVC Samara RUS 2 1 0 1 4 — — — — — 1999–00 Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk RUS 17 0 2 2 10 — — — — — 2000–01 Avangard Omsk RUS 9 0 0 0 4 — — — — — NHL totals 51 1 5 6 45 — — — — — USSR/RUS totals 212 19 32 51 141 19 5 1 6 14