DARIUS KASPARAITIS - AUTOGRAPH - HFSID 319251

DARIUS KASPARAITIS
Signature of the Lithuanian NHL defenseman
Signature: "D. Kasparaitis" in blue felt tip, 6x4. Darius Kasparaitis (b. 1972) born in Elektrenai, Lithuanian SSR, Soviet Union and is a Lithuanian-born former professional hockey defenseman who played 14 seasons in the National Hockey League. Kasparaitis developed in the Soviet hockey system and played for Dynamo Moscow before entering the NHL. He won Soviet league championships with Dynamo in 1990, 1991, and 1992. Internationally, he represented the Soviet Union on the team that won the gold medal at the 1992 World Junior Championship. The New York Islanders selected Kasparaitis in the first round, fifth overall, of the 1992 NHL Entry Draft. He immediately joined the Islanders and appeared in 79 games as a rookie in 1992-93, recording 4 goals, 17 assists, and 166 penalty minutes. In November 1996, the Islanders traded Kasparaitis and Andreas Johansson to the Pittsburgh Penguins for Bryan Smolinski. Kasparaitis spent parts of six seasons with Pittsburgh and became known primarily for physical defensive play. During the 2001 Stanley Cup playoffs, he scored the overtime goal in Game 7 against the Buffalo Sabres that sent Pittsburgh to the Eastern Conference Final. Pittsburgh traded Kasparaitis to the Colorado Avalanche in March 2002 for Ville Nieminen and Rick Berry. He signed with the New York Rangers as a free agent that July and remained in the Rangers organization through the 2006-07 season. In 863 NHL regular-season games, Kasparaitis recorded 27 goals and 136 assists for 163 points, along with 1,379 penalty minutes. He added 2 goals and 10 assists in 83 Stanley Cup playoff games. Ink notes (unknown hand) on verso. Fine condition.