André Burakovsky Bio
André Burakovsky is a Swedish professional ice hockey player who plays as a forward for the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League (NHL). Born on 9 February 1995 in Klagenfurt, Austria, he was selected 23rd overall by the Washington Capitals in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft. A two-time Stanley Cup champion, Burakovsky has won the NHL’s most prestigious trophy with the Capitals in 2018 and the Colorado Avalanche in 2022. He is also a two-time IIHF medalist at the youth and senior levels representing Sweden.
Early Life and Background
André Burakovsky was born in Klagenfurt, a city in southern Austria, where his father Robert Burakovsky was playing professional ice hockey at the time. The family later relocated to Malmö, Sweden, which is his father’s hometown, and André grew up there. He is of Russian-Jewish descent and has spoken about that heritage in interviews. He has two sisters, Alexandra and Anna.
His father, Robert Burakovsky, was a professional hockey player who was drafted 217th overall in the 1985 NHL Entry Draft. Robert played 23 games with the Ottawa Senators during the 1993–94 season. His mother is Pernilla Burakovsky. André also has a cousin, Samuel Burakovsky, who plays professional football for Landskrona BoIS in the Swedish second division.
Path to Hockey
Burakovsky made his professional debut during the 2011–12 season with the Malmö Redhawks of HockeyAllsvenskan, Sweden’s second-tier professional league, when he was just 16 years old. The following year, he was selected in the third round, 102nd overall, by SKA Saint Petersburg in the 2012 KHL Junior Draft. In 2012, he represented Team Sweden at the IIHF World U18 Championships and won a silver medal.
On 4 September 2013, Burakovsky signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Washington Capitals, and shortly afterward joined the Erie Otters of the Ontario Hockey League for the 2013–14 season to continue his development. That same year, the Capitals had used a first-round pick on him, selecting him 23rd overall in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft.
André Burakovsky Career
Early Career with the Washington Capitals (2014–2019)
Burakovsky scored his first NHL goal on the night of his NHL debut on 9 October 2014, beating Dustin Tokarski of the Montreal Canadiens. The goal made him the second-fastest Capitals player to score his first career NHL goal and the 13th Capitals player to score in his NHL debut. In his second full NHL season of 2015–16, he appeared in 79 games, scoring 17 goals and adding 21 assists.
On 22 January 2017, against the Dallas Stars, Burakovsky scored the game’s first goal for the fourth consecutive game, tying the NHL record for the most consecutive team games scoring the first goal. On 4 July 2017, he agreed to a two-year, $6 million contract with the Washington Capitals. During the 2017–18 season, he required surgery on his thumb after an injury against the Florida Panthers and missed 20 games before returning on 8 December 2017.
Stanley Cup Triumph with Washington (2018)
Burakovsky was sidelined with an injury during the 2018 playoffs and missed the remainder of the Capitals’ first-round series against the Columbus Blue Jackets. After missing 10 playoff games and going pointless upon returning, he scored two goals in Game 7 against goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy of the Tampa Bay Lightning to help send the Capitals to the 2018 Stanley Cup Finals. He admitted to hiring a sports psychologist to work through periods of inconsistent play.
On 7 June 2018, Burakovsky won the Stanley Cup with the Capitals after they defeated the Vegas Golden Knights in five games in the Stanley Cup Finals. The championship marked the first title of his NHL career.
Colorado Avalanche Era (2019–2022)
On 28 June 2019, Burakovsky was traded to the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for Scott Kosmachuk along with second and third-round picks in 2020. On 15 July 2019, he agreed to his qualifying offer, accepting a one-year, $3.25 million contract. He debuted with Colorado on 3 October 2019 against the Calgary Flames and quickly secured a top-six forward role. That season he reached the 20-goal mark for the first time in his career and finished third on the team in scoring with a career-high 45 points in 58 regular-season games, including a career-high four-point game against the Buffalo Sabres on 4 February 2020.
On 10 October 2020, as a restricted free agent, he signed a two-year, $9.8 million contract extension with the Avalanche. During the pandemic-delayed 2020–21 season, he made his 400th NHL appearance on 26 February 2021 in a victory over the Arizona Coyotes and collected his 100th career goal on 10 May 2021 against the Vegas Golden Knights. On 12 December 2021, he scored his first career hat trick against the Florida Panthers at Ball Arena.
Second Stanley Cup with Colorado (2022)
In the 2022 playoffs, the Avalanche swept the Nashville Predators in the first round and beat the St. Louis Blues in the second round to advance to the Western Conference Final for the first time in twenty years. They defeated the Edmonton Oilers in four games to reach the 2022 Stanley Cup Finals, the second Cup Finals appearance of Burakovsky’s career. In Game 1 of the Finals against the Tampa Bay Lightning, he scored the overtime game-winning goal against goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy.
After scoring again in a 7–0 victory in Game 2, Burakovsky sustained a broken thumb that kept him out of the lineup as the Avalanche defeated the Lightning in six games to win the Stanley Cup on 26 June 2022.
Seattle Kraken Era (2022–2025)
On 13 July 2022, Burakovsky signed a five-year, $27.5 million contract with the Seattle Kraken. He played the first half of the 2022–23 season before suffering a season-ending groin injury on 7 February 2023 against the New York Islanders. He returned for the 2023–24 season but played only six games before another injury ended his campaign.
Chicago Blackhawks Era (2025–Present)
At the conclusion of the 2024–25 season, his third with the Kraken, Burakovsky was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for Joe Veleno on 21 June 2025. He joined Chicago looking to reset his career after a series of injury-shortened seasons in Seattle.
Notable Events and Milestones
Burakovsky’s most memorable NHL moments include his first NHL goal on debut in 2014, his Game 7 double against the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2018, his overtime winner in Game 1 of the 2022 Stanley Cup Finals, and his first career hat trick against the Florida Panthers in December 2021. He has recorded 100 career NHL goals and 400 NHL appearances and is a two-time Stanley Cup champion.
André Burakovsky Family
Family Background and Hockey Lineage
André Burakovsky comes from a hockey family. His father Robert Burakovsky was drafted 217th overall in the 1985 NHL Entry Draft and played 23 games for the Ottawa Senators in the 1993–94 season. His mother is Pernilla Burakovsky, and he has two sisters, Alexandra and Anna. His cousin Samuel Burakovsky plays professional football for Landskrona BoIS in Sweden.
Personal Life
Burakovsky is of Russian-Jewish descent and has discussed the importance of his family and cultural roots in interviews. He grew up in Malmö, Sweden, and continues to maintain ties to the country while playing in the NHL.
2025 Season Outlook
The 2025 season marks a fresh chapter for André Burakovsky as he begins his tenure with the Chicago Blackhawks following the 21 June 2025 trade from the Seattle Kraken. After three injury-marred seasons in Seattle that limited him to a fraction of available games, Burakovsky will look to re-establish himself as a top-six forward in Chicago and provide scoring punch and playoff experience to a young Blackhawks roster.
Burakovsky brings a rare championship pedigree to Chicago as a two-time Stanley Cup winner, and his contract runs through the 2026–27 season. If he can stay healthy, his blend of size, skill, and post-season poise should make him a central figure in the Blackhawks’ long-term rebuild.