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Accusations of Nepotism as Former Penguin Alex Galchenyuk Named KHL Captain by Father
Former Pittsburgh Penguins forward Alex Galchenyuk has been named captain of Amur Khabarovsk in the KHL by his father, drawing claims of nepotism.
Former NHL forward Alex Galchenyuk, who spent part of his career as a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins, now plays overseas in the KHL for Amur Khabarovsk.
Galchenyuk Earns Captaincy at Amur Khabarovsk Amid Controversy
Their coach, Alexander Galchenyuk, named Alex the new captain. But this has drawn claims of nepotism because of their father-son relationship.
Per Russian website Championat:
Amur forward Alex Galchenyuk has been appointed captain of Amur for the 2025/2026 season. This was reported by the press service of the Khabarovsk club. Forward Evgeny Grachev and defender Ivan Mishchenko became the captain's assistants.
Galchenyuk played 45 games for the Penguins in 2019-20 before being traded to the Minnesota Wild for Jason Zucker.
He was taken with the 3rd overall pick in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft by the Montreal Canadiens, and also played for the Arizona Coyotes, Ottawa Senators, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Colorado Avalanche in addition to his time with the Penguins and Wild.
Father-Son Coaching Duo Raises Eyebrows in Russian Hockey Circles
The younger Galchenyuk had 38 points (20G, 18A) in 59 games for Amur Khabarovsk last year, but his appointment to the captaincy by his father has naturally raised questions of nepotism.
The elder Galchenyuk recently took over the coaching duties for the team in May.
The decision may be raising eyebrows, but considering that father Alexander knows son Alex better than anyone else does on the team, it could prove to be the right decision down the road.
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AOUT 31 | 8 ANSWERS Accusations of Nepotism as Former Penguin Alex Galchenyuk Named KHL Captain by Father Is this a prime example of nepotism in sports? | ||
| Yes | 8 | 100 % |
| No | 0 | 0 % |
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