Artem Zub Bio
Artyom Valerievich Zub, commonly known as Artem Zub, is a Russian professional ice hockey defenceman for the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League (NHL). Born on 3 October 1995 in Khabarovsk, Russia, Zub stands 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighs 198 pounds. He shoots right-handed and has become a reliable presence on the Senators’ blue line since making the jump from the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) to North America.
Zub is recognized for his steady defensive play, his shot-blocking willingness, and his international résumé, which includes a gold medal at the 2018 Winter Olympics with the Olympic Athletes from Russia team. Undrafted by any NHL club, he signed with Ottawa as a free agent in 2020 and has since become a long-term piece of the team’s defense corps.
Early Life and Background
Artyom Valerievich Zub was born on 3 October 1995 in Khabarovsk, a city in the Russian Far East that sits near the border with China. Growing up in a region known for its long winters and active hockey culture, Zub was introduced to the sport at a young age and developed through the local youth system. Khabarovsk is also home to Amur Khabarovsk, a KHL franchise, and the city provided a clear path for young players to pursue professional careers.
Zub played his youth hockey with Amurskie Tigry Khabarovsk, the junior affiliate of Amur Khabarovsk. That development program gave him his first taste of organized, high-level competition and prepared him for the rigors of professional hockey. His progress through the Amur system laid the foundation for a career that would eventually take him from the Russian Far East to Saint Petersburg and, ultimately, to the NHL.
Path to Hockey
Zub’s path to professional hockey ran almost entirely through the Russian system. After progressing through the Amurskie Tigry Khabarovsk program, he made his senior debut with Amur Khabarovsk in the KHL during the 2014–15 season, appearing in seven games and registering one assist. The following season, he split time between the junior team and the senior club, making 55 KHL appearances and recording two goals and five assists for seven points. His strong early play earned him the KHL Rookie of the Month award for October during the 2015–16 season.
During the 2016–17 season, his third with Khabarovsk, Zub contributed nine points in 32 games before he was traded to SKA Saint Petersburg, one of the KHL’s most decorated clubs, on 1 December 2016. He finished the year on SKA’s blue line and helped the club capture the Gagarin Cup that postseason, an early championship that announced him as a player capable of contributing at a high level.
Artem Zub Career
Early Career (2011–2016)
Zub began his professional playing career in 2011, working his way up through Amurskie Tigry Khabarovsk before reaching the KHL. His first full stretch of senior hockey with Amur Khabarovsk gave him experience against top competition in Russia, and his 2015–16 performance showed the league that he was ready for a larger role.
The trade to SKA Saint Petersburg in December 2016 represented a major step up. Joining a contender meant competing for trophies rather than simply developing, and Zub responded by helping SKA win the Gagarin Cup that spring.
KHL Breakthrough with SKA Saint Petersburg (2016–2020)
After arriving at SKA Saint Petersburg midway through 2016–17, Zub settled into a regular role on the team’s defense. In 2017–18, he put up five points in 36 regular-season games and added five assists in 15 playoff contests as SKA advanced to the Western Conference finals, where they were eliminated by CSKA Moscow. The following season, 2018–19, he recorded two goals and seven points in 49 games and tallied one goal and four points in 18 playoff games, with SKA once again falling to CSKA in the Western Conference finals.
In his final KHL season, 2019–20, Zub set career highs with 13 goals and 22 points in 57 games. The postseason was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic, and SKA was awarded second place in the championship standings when the league terminated the season. Across his KHL career, Zub developed from a promising young defenseman into a top-pairing player, which is exactly the profile that attracted NHL scouts.
Ottawa Senators Era (2020–Present)
Zub’s play in the KHL and at the 2018 Winter Olympics drew the attention of the Ottawa Senators, who signed him to a one-year entry-level contract on 1 May 2020 as an undrafted free agent. He made his NHL debut on 31 January 2021 in an 8–5 loss to the Edmonton Oilers, picking up his first NHL point by assisting on a Brady Tkachuk goal. He scored his first NHL goal on 15 February 2021 in a 6–5 overtime win against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. In 47 games that pandemic-shortened season, he recorded three goals and 14 points and was regularly paired with Thomas Chabot.
On 14 May 2021, Zub signed a two-year, $5 million extension with Ottawa. In 2021–22, he steadied the Senators’ defense alongside Chabot and finished with six goals and 22 points in 81 games. The 2022–23 season was difficult, as he dealt with an upper-body injury in October, a broken jaw in December after taking a puck to the face, and a lower-body injury in January 2023. Despite the injuries, he signed a four-year, $18.4 million extension on 21 December 2022 and returned to play 53 games, recording three goals and 10 points.
Zub’s 2023–24 season was again shortened by injury after he was struck by a puck off a shot by Alexander Ovechkin in October, but he returned to record a three-point game against the San Jose Sharks on 11 January 2024 and finished with five goals and 25 points in 69 games. In 2024–25, he missed time with a concussion in October and a broken foot in November but returned in January 2025. He finished with two goals and 13 points in 56 games as Ottawa qualified for the playoffs for the first time since 2017, where the Senators were eliminated in six games by the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Driving Style and Strengths
Zub is regarded as a steady, defense-first blueliner who is willing to block shots and play a physical game. He reads plays well in his own zone, uses his 6-foot-2 frame to win battles along the boards, and has formed effective top-pairing partnerships with Thomas Chabot and, more recently, Jake Sanderson in Ottawa.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Zub’s signature moments are his Gagarin Cup win with SKA Saint Petersburg in 2017, his Olympic gold medal in 2018, his first NHL goal against the Toronto Maple Leafs in February 2021, and his two long-term contract extensions with Ottawa. His popularity among Senators fans, who chant “Zuub” whenever he touches the puck, has also become one of the league’s more endearing traditions.
Artem Zub Career Wins
Across his career in Russia and North America, Zub has accumulated notable team championships and individual milestones. His most prominent team win came with SKA Saint Petersburg’s Gagarin Cup championship in 2017, followed by his Olympic gold medal with the Olympic Athletes from Russia at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang. He has also been part of playoff runs with the Ottawa Senators in 2024–25 and 2025–26.
KHL and International Highlights
Zub’s KHL résumé includes a Gagarin Cup title with SKA Saint Petersburg in 2017 and a strong 2019–20 campaign in which he set personal bests of 13 goals and 22 points. On the international stage, he won bronze medals at both the 2017 and 2019 IIHF World Championships representing Russia, and he captured Olympic gold in 2018 as a member of the Olympic Athletes from Russia team.
Other Wins and Performances
In the NHL, Zub has been a steady contributor rather than a goal-scoring defenseman, but he has produced several timely performances for Ottawa, including his first NHL goal against Toronto and a three-point game against San Jose in January 2024. His presence on the Senators’ top defense pairing has been a constant in the team’s push back into playoff contention.
Artem Zub Family
Family Background and Personal Life
Details about Zub’s parents and family background are not publicly confirmed in available sources. He was born and raised in Khabarovsk, Russia, and his development through the Amurskie Tigry Khabarovsk youth program reflects the strong hockey roots in his hometown. He is known to be a private person away from the rink, with limited public information about his immediate family.
Personal Life
Zub’s personal life, including marital status, is not widely reported in verified sources. He gained popularity in Ottawa for his humility and work ethic, and Senators teammates famously had to reassure him early in his tenure that the “Zuub” chants from fans at the Canadian Tire Centre were a sign of affection rather than disapproval.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025–26 season saw Zub return to form after an injury-plagued 2024–25 campaign. He was once again paired with Jake Sanderson on Ottawa’s top defense unit and tied his career high by appearing in 81 regular-season games. Offensively, he produced five goals and set a new career high with 30 points, reinforcing his value as a two-way contributor.
Ottawa qualified for the playoffs and faced the Carolina Hurricanes in the opening round. However, Zub suffered an injury in Game 1 and missed the remainder of the series. The Senators were swept in four games by the Hurricanes, ending their season in the first round.
Despite the first-round exit, Zub’s individual season stood out as one of the strongest of his NHL career. With multiple years remaining on his contract extension, he remains a foundational piece of the Senators’ defense corps and a player the organization continues to build around heading into 2025 and beyond.
