PITTSBURGH - Sergei Gonchar got tired of trying to beat the Pittsburgh Penguins, so now he's joined them.

Four times while Gonchar was still a defenseman with Washington, in 1995, 1996, 2000 and 2001, Pittsburgh knocked the Capitals out in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

But now he's a keystone of the Penguins' efforts to win, having signed a five-year, $25 million deal in the offseason.

"I was skating with some players in Washington - I still have a house in Washington - and they couldn't believe I was signing with Pittsburgh," Gonchar said in training camp Friday. "It's different and it's hard to believe, but at the same time it's a great feeling."

Gonchar has been one of the premier scorers in the NHL since he made his debut with Washington during the strike-shortened 1994-1995 season.

He was dealt to Boston just before the 2004 trade deadline in a cost-cutting move by the Capitals, and nearly ended up back in Boston before opting to call Pittsburgh home.

"Boston was in the mix," Gonchar said. "We talked, but unfortunately we didn't get a deal done."

Instead the Penguins gobbled up Gonchar, who will enter the 2005-06 season with more points (241) than any NHL defenseman this decade. With the new rule eliminating the red line in an effort to generate offense, Gonchar's skills should help a team that hasn't made the playoffs since 2001.

"He'd pretty much fit in on any team because he's a very talented hockey player," Penguins forward Rico Fata said. "He moves the puck so well and sees the ice so well, is so patient with the puck, it's a huge advantage for the forwards."

Fata has gotten a good look at Gonchar's abilities while the two have played together on the same team in the Penguins' intrasquad tournament. He also has played against Gonchar in the past.

"You have to keep him in front of you, that's the main adjustment I had to make when I played against him in Washington or Boston," Fata said. "He's so talented, he always tries to sneak in from the point all the time and, as a winger, you try to keep your eyes on him all the time and he still does it."

Pittsburgh would like for Gonchar to be that sneaky. He will probably be matched up with the Penguins first line, which has yet to be determined from a stable of forwards including veteran all-stars Mario Lemieux, Mark Recchi, John LeClair and Ziggy Palffy as well as 2005 No. 1 overall draft pick Sidney Crosby.

Gonchar will also play the point on the top power-play unit.

"I'm just enjoying my time out there," Gonchar said. "In the scrimmages you can get a good feel for it and I like it."