Andrei Kostitsyn Andrei Kostitsyn ( born February 3 , 1985 in Navapolatsk , Byelorussian SSR , Soviet Union ) is a Belarus ian professional forward currently playing for the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League ( NHL ) , the same organization that his brother Sergei plays for . Playing career . Europe . Beginning in 2000 – 01 , Andrei spent the first two seasons of his early career with Polimir Novopolotsk , competing in several leagues including the Eastern European Hockey League ( EEHL ) . In the summer of 2002 , he signed with HC CSKA Moscow and moved to Russia . He split his time with the organization between CSKA 2 of Russia ' s developmental league and also continued to play in the Belarusian league with Yunost . After his first season with HC CSKA Moscow , he was selected by the Montreal Canadiens in the first round , 10th overall , of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft . Kostitsyn ' s drew favourable scouting reports from his strong showing at the 2003 World U18 Championships and was expected to be taken even higher in the draft ; it is speculated that health concerns with his back caused teams to pass him over . Montreal Canadiens . In the summer of 2004 , he was invited to the Montreal Canadiens ' training camp and signed a three - year deal with the club . He was subsequently assigned to the Canadiens ' American Hockey League ( AHL ) affiliate , the Hamilton Bulldogs , for the 2004 – 05 season . He scored his first goal with Hamilton in his first game , on October 15 , 2004 , and finished the season with 23 points in 66 games . Midway through the 2005 – 06 season , he was called up by the Canadiens and played his first NHL game on December 1 , 2005 , but was limited to just one shift in an overtime loss to the Buffalo Sabres . He was called up again later in December and scored his first career NHL goal on December 13 against Curtis Joseph in a 5 – 2 win over the Phoenix Coyotes . Kostitsyn had a breakout season in 2007 – 08 , playing on Montreal ' s most productive line alongside Alexei Kovalev and Tomáš Plekanec . He amassed 53 points in 78 games and was joined by younger brother Sergei , who had been called up from Hamilton , midway through the season . Entering the playoffs with the Canadiens as the first seed , Andrei and Sergei both scored in their NHL post - season debuts against the Boston Bruins less than two minutes apart . They also both finished with 8 points each in 12 playoff games , however , the Canadiens were defeated by the Philadelphia Flyers in the second round . On July 1 , 2008 , Andrei signed a 3 - year extension worth an annual salary of $ 3 . 25 million with the Canadiens . Several games into the 2008 – 09 season , he suffered a concussion when he was checked into the boards by defenceman Kurt Sauer of the Phoenix Coyotes . Kostitsyn lay on the ice for several minutes before needing to be helped off the ice . He returned to the team after missing two games . In December , he missed another two games due to a minor leg injury , then returned to notch his first career NHL hat trick on December 27 , 2008 , in a 3 – 2 win against the Pittsburgh Penguins . International play . Kostitsyn represented Belarus extensively at the under - 18 and - 20 levels . He first played internationally at the 2000 World U18 Championships as a fifteen - year - old , but Belarus would struggle in the top division , finishing last . The next year , Kostitsyn competed with Belarus ' under - 20 team in the 2001 World Junior Championships ' top division . Later that year , having been relegated for the 2001 World U18 Championships , Kostitsyn returned to record a tournament leading 14 points in 5 games within the second - tier to win the Division I championship . Kostitsyn made his second under - 20 appearance at the 2002 World Junior Championships and scored 3 goals to help Belarus stay in the top division . Later that year , Kostitsyn returned to the top division at the 2002 World U18 Championships , recording 10 points in 8 games and helping lead Belarus to a fifth place finish . Competing in his third under - 20 tournament at the 2003 World Junior Championships , Kostitsyn recorded 2 goals and 1 assist , but was relegated with Belarus to Division - I for 2004 . Playing in the second - tier , he notched 5 goals and 10 points in 5 games to help Belarus return to the top division in 2005 , where he scored 5 points in his fifth and final World Juniors . In 2004 , Kostitsyn had also made his senior international debut as a nineteen - year - old at the World Championships in Division - I . He scored 6 points in 5 games . The following year in 2005 , however , he did not record a point in 6 games playing in the top division . Following his rookie season in the American Hockey League ( AHL ) in 2006 , he played in his third consecutive World Championships and recorded 5 points in 6 games . At the 2008 World Championships , Kostitsyn managed 3 points in 5 games . Off the ice . In February 2009 , La Presse reported that Andrei , along with his brother Sergei and defenceman Roman Hamrlík , had links with Pasquale Mangiola , a member of an organized crime organization , who was arrested as part of " Operation Axe " during the month and charged with firearms and drugs offense . According to ESPN , the NHL will send security officials to investigate the links between the players and Mangiola , though La Presse also reported that the three players were not involved in any criminal activities and no investigation against them is planned .