# Mikhail Balandin

Mikhail Yuriyevich Balandin (Russian: Михаил Юрьевич Баландин) (July 27, 1980 – September 7, 2011) was a Russian professional ice hockey player. Balandin played for Lokomotiv Yaroslavl of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) at the time of his death. Balandin had also played for Salavat Yulaev Ufa, HC Lada Togliatti, HC CSKA Moscow, Khimik Mytishchi, Atlant Mytishchi and UHC Dynamo in Russia. Balandin won a silver medal with the Russian team at the 2000 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships.

## Death

On September 7, 2011, Balandin was killed, when a Yakovlev Yak-42 passenger aircraft, carrying nearly his entire Lokomotiv team, crashed just outside Yaroslavl, Russia. The team was traveling to Minsk to play their opening game of the season, with its coaching staff and prospects. Lokomotiv officials said "'everyone from the main roster was on the plane plus four players from the youth team.'"

## Career statistics

| | | | 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 |
| 1996–97 | Torpedo Yaroslavl-2 | Russia3 | 12 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1997–98 | Torpedo Yaroslavl-2 | Russia2 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1998–99 | Torpedo Yaroslavl-2 | Russia2 | 26 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 20 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1999–00 | Dizel Penza | Russia2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1999–00 | Krylya Sovetov Moscow | Russia2 | 27 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 22 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1999–00 | Torpedo Yaroslavl | Russia | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1999–00 | Torpedo Yaroslavl-2 | Russia3 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2000–01 | Lokomotiv Yaroslavl | Russia | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| 2000–01 | Lokomotiv Yaroslavl-2 | Russia3 | 26 | 4 | 8 | 12 | 36 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2001–02 | Salavat Yulaev Ufa | Russia | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2001–02 | Salavat Yulaev Ufa-2 | Russia3 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2001–02 | HC Lada Togliatti | Russia | 31 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 2001–02 | HC Lada Togliatti-2 | Russia3 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2002–03 | Lokomotiv Yaroslavl | Russia | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2002–03 | Lokomotiv Yaroslavl-2 | Russia3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2002–03 | HC Lada Togliatti | Russia | 17 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 2002–03 | HC Lada Togliatti-2 | Russia3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2003–04 | HC Lada Togliatti | Russia | 58 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 36 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 2003–04 | HC Lada Togliatti-2 | Russia3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2004–05 | HC CSKA Moscow | Russia | 32 | 0 | 8 | 8 | 22 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2004–05 | HC CSKA Moscow-2 | Russia3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2005–06 | HC CSKA Moscow | Russia | 49 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 40 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 2006–07 | Khimik Mytishchi | Russia | 54 | 1 | 9 | 10 | 70 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 12 |
| 2007–08 | Khimik Mytishchi | Russia | 50 | 1 | 8 | 9 | 36 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| 2007–08 | Khimik Mytishchi-2 | Russia3 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2008–09 | Atlant Mytishchi | KHL | 54 | 4 | 15 | 19 | 38 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 2009–10 | Atlant Mytishchi | KHL | 55 | 5 | 13 | 18 | 28 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2010–11 | HC Dynamo Moscow | KHL | 49 | 3 | 11 | 14 | 26 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| KHL totals | KHL totals | KHL totals | 158 | 12 | 39 | 51 | 92 | 13 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| Russia totals | Russia totals | Russia totals | 314 | 9 | 41 | 50 | 226 | 46 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 24 |