Bissonnette recalls his favorite jab at Gonchar's expense
Paul Bissonnette said his favorite chirp came after Sergei Gonchar missed on a breakaway. Bissonnette offered Gonchar his stick and joked that maybe Gonchar was a lefty. Gonchar, an elite former defenseman and Stanley Cup champion, retired in 2015 after 1,301 NHL games.
Bissonnette told a Bleacher Report AMA that his finest jab came when Sergei Gonchar failed to connect on a breakaway. As Gonchar skated past, Bissonnette offered his own stick and suggested Gonchar might be a left-handed shooter.
Gonchar was far from a role player: he won two Olympic medals, lifted the Stanley Cup with Pittsburgh in 2009, and retired in 2015 after 1,301 NHL appearances. He also ranked fourth in Norris Trophy voting three times and was the top-scoring Russian-born defenseman in league history.
This anecdote may resonate with hockey fans and podcast audiences because it blends elite achievement with everyday trash talk. It could reinforce Bissonnette’s post-playing brand as an entertainer and analyst, while reminding viewers of Gonchar’s on-ice legacy. For current players, such stories may illustrate how chirping can become part of hockey culture and memory, though it could also prompt discussion about respect and where jokes cross lines.