# Alexei Mikhnov

Oleksiy Pavlovych "Alexei" Mikhnov (Ukrainian: Олексій Павлович Міхнов) (born August 31, 1982) is a Ukrainian-Russian professional ice hockey left wing who is currently playing with Chiavenna of the Italian Hockey League - Division 1 (Italian Tier 3).

## Playing career

Mikhnov was selected in the first round of the 2000 NHL Entry Draft, 17th overall, by the Edmonton Oilers, and has only played in two NHL games, his first being a 5–2 win versus Phoenix. He was scoreless and even in 4:21 of ice time. His brother Andrei Mikhnov was also a National Hockey League prospect and played in the Ontario Hockey League.
Mikhnov spent four seasons in the Russian Super League and was considered a power forward prospect. Despite being from Ukraine, Mikhnov (unlike his brother) plays internationally for Russia.
After being drafted in 2000, Mikhnov was a mystery to Oilers fans. Even when he was drafted, he was considered an enigma. When he first arrived in Edmonton in 2004, the Oilers' front office discovered that Mikhnov had poor eyesight, leading to the team buying him a pair of glasses.
Mikhnov was one of the more famous players impacted by the inability of the National Hockey League and the Russian Ice Hockey Federation to agree on a transfer arrangement, a situation which more famously affected Pittsburgh Penguins prospect Evgeni Malkin. On June 20, 2006, according to his agent, Mikhnov gave his two weeks' notice which theoretically could get him out of his contract with Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, and by early September, Mikhnov was skating in Edmonton, taking a spin on September 3 at the University of Alberta. Legal action by Lokomotiv Yaroslavl to retain Mikhnov was swiftly dismissed in court. On September 5, 2006, Mikhnov signed a one-year deal with the Oilers.
On January 24th, 2007, Mikhnov was assigned back to Lokomotiv Yaroslavl for the remainder of the season. The Oilers gave him his qualifying offer to retain his rights, but never brought him over again.
In April 2011, Lokomotiv Yaroslavl opted not to renew his contract after 7 seasons with the club. In May 2011, Mikhnov signed a deal with Metallurg Magnitogorsk of the KHL. In June 2012, despite extending his deal just a week prior, Metallurg released Mikhnov.
In August, after a month on a tryout, Mikhnov signed a deal with HC Atlant. In April 2013, Mikhnov extended his deal for a year.
In August 2014, Mikhnov signed a tryout with Metallurg Zhlobin of the Belarusian Extraleague (BXL). In September 2014, he signed a deal with THK Tver of the Supreme Hockey League (VHL). Within a month, Mikhnov earned a deal with Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg.
In May 2015, Mikhnov signed a one-year deal with HC Yugra of the KHL. In November, he was waived and his contract was terminated by mutual agreement shortly thereafter. The next day, Mikhnov returned to THK Tver of the VHL. He remained there for two games before returning to Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg of the KHL for the rest of the season.
Mikhnov remained in Yekaterinburg for the next two years, captaining the team in 2017-18.
In July 2018, Mikhnov signed a tryout deal with Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk of the KHL. On August 24th, 2018, Mikhnov was upgraded to a one-year contract. In October, the deal was terminated by mutual agreement. Within a week, Mikhnov signed with SC Csíkszereda, who compete in Erste Liga and the Romanian Hockey League. In December 2018, he signed a deal with Severstal Cherepovets of the KHL.
In July 2019, Mikhnov and his brother Andrei joined Metallurg Zhlobin of the Belarusian Extraleague. In 3 years in Zhlobin, Mikhnov led the team in scoring 3 times, led the Belarusian Extraleague in points once, and won two Belarusian Championships.
In 2022, Mikhnov opted to leave Zhlobin for HK Brest, but returned to Zhlobin mid-season.
In July 2023, Mikhnov signed with Albatros de Brest of FFHG Division 1 (France2).
In 2024, Mikhnov joined Chiavenna of the Italian Hockey League - Division 1 (Italian Tier 3).

## Career statistics
### Regular season and playoffs

| | | | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs |
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| 1998–99 | Lokomotiv–2 Yaroslavl | RUS.2 | 14 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1999–00 | Lokomotiv–2 Yaroslavl | RUS.3 | 40 | 22 | 13 | 35 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2000–01 | Krystall–2 Elektrostal | RUS.3 | 46 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2000–01 | THK Tver | RUS.2 | 22 | 5 | 11 | 16 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2000–01 | CSKA Moscow | RUS.2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2001–02 | Salavat Yulaev Ufa | RSL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2001–02 | Dynamo Moscow | RSL | 26 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 2001–02 | Dynamo–2 Moscow | RUS.3 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 14 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2002–03 | Sibir Novosibirsk | RSL | 51 | 7 | 9 | 16 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2003–04 | Sibir Novosibirsk | RSL | 58 | 14 | 8 | 22 | 22 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2003–04 | Sibir–2 Novosibirsk | RUS.3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2004–05 | Sibir Novosibirsk | RSL | 26 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2004–05 | Lokomotiv Yaroslavl | RSL | 18 | 0 | 9 | 9 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 2004–05 | Lokomotiv–2 Yaroslavl | RUS.3 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2005–06 | Lokomotiv Yaroslavl | RSL | 40 | 14 | 7 | 21 | 18 | 11 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 4 |
| 2006–07 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2006–07 | Wilkes–Barre/Scranton Penguins | AHL | 27 | 6 | 12 | 18 | 22 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2006–07 | Lokomotiv Yaroslavl | RSL | 11 | 5 | 3 | 8 | 6 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 4 |
| 2007–08 | Lokomotiv Yaroslavl | RSL | 52 | 14 | 20 | 34 | 50 | 16 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 14 |
| 2008–09 | Lokomotiv Yaroslavl | KHL | 52 | 16 | 17 | 33 | 57 | 19 | 8 | 4 | 12 | 10 |
| 2009–10 | Lokomotiv Yaroslavl | KHL | 40 | 7 | 14 | 21 | 16 | 17 | 7 | 6 | 13 | 10 |
| 2010–11 | Lokomotiv Yaroslavl | KHL | 30 | 3 | 12 | 15 | 12 | 17 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 12 |
| 2011–12 | Metallurg Magnitogorsk | KHL | 39 | 8 | 10 | 18 | 12 | 12 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| 2012–13 | Atlant Mytishchi | KHL | 39 | 11 | 8 | 19 | 22 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 2013–14 | Atlant Mytishchi | KHL | 47 | 7 | 6 | 13 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2014–15 | Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg | KHL | 42 | 9 | 7 | 16 | 20 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| 2014–15 | THK Tver | VHL | 6 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 14 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2015–16 | Yugra Khanty–Mansiysk | KHL | 20 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2015–16 | THK Tver | VHL | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2015–16 | Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg | KHL | 22 | 8 | 5 | 13 | 8 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 2016–17 | Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg | KHL | 38 | 6 | 13 | 19 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2016–17 | Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg | KHL | 45 | 12 | 10 | 22 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 2018–19 | Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk | KHL | 6 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2018–19 | HC Csíkszereda | EL | 8 | 3 | 2 | 5 | | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2018–19 | HC Csíkszereda | ROU | 10 | 20 | 15 | 35 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2018–19 | Severstal Cherepovets | KHL | 22 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2019–20 | Metallurg Zhlobin | BLR | 50 | 18 | 18 | 36 | 63 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 2020–21 | Metallurg Zhlobin | BLR | 41 | 14 | 18 | 32 | 16 | 13 | 8 | 5 | 13 | 2 |
| 2021–22 | Metallurg Zhlobin | BLR | 53 | 27 | 26 | 53 | 37 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 8 | 0 |
| RSL totals | RSL totals | RSL totals | 283 | 59 | 59 | 118 | 126 | 44 | 9 | 12 | 21 | 26 |
| NHL totals | NHL totals | NHL totals | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| KHL totals | KHL totals | KHL totals | 442 | 95 | 107 | 202 | 187 | 84 | 16 | 20 | 36 | 40 |

### International

| Year | Team | Event | Result | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| 2006 | Russia | WC | 5th | 7 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 2 |
| Senior totals | Senior totals | Senior totals | Senior totals | 7 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 2 |