Alexander Riazantsev

Alexander Vladimirovich Riazantsev () (born March 15, 1980) is a Russian former professional ice hockey defenceman. He played several seasons in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) before retiring in 2015. He also played several years in the American Hockey League, after being selected by the Colorado Avalanche in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft, though did not play in the NHL. Internationally Riazantsev played for the Russian national team at the 2005 World Championship, winning a bronze medal.
==Playing career==
Originally drafted by the Colorado Avalanche in 1998, Riazantsev spent parts of five seasons playing for the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League before returning to Russia in 2003, where he played until his retirement.
In January 2012, Riazantsev took a shot in a skills competition that measured a speed of 114.1 miles per hour. It is considered by KHL officials to be the hardest shot ever recorded. The National Hockey League does not recognize this feat, as the puck travels a shorter distance to the goal net in KHL competitions than in those of the NHL.
On May 5, 2012, Riazantsev joined his seventh club in just five seasons, signing a two-year contract as a free agent with the Severstal Cherepovets starting from the 2012–13 season. During the season, Riazantsev scored 9 goals from the Blueline and contributed with 20 points.
On June 11, 2013, Riazantsev was traded by Severstal to return to his original club, Spartak Moscow, in exchange for Nicholas Bushuev.
On October 4, 2014, Riazantsev continued his journeyman career when he was traded after only 8 games in the 2014–15 season with HC Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk to Amur Khabarovsk.
==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
1996–97 	Spartak Moscow 	RSL 		20 	1 	2 	3 	4 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1996–97 	SAK Moscow 	RUS.3 		18 	0 	0 	0 	8 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1997–98 	Spartak–2 Moscow 	RUS.3 		31 	3 	8 	11 	26 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1997–98 	Victoriaville Tigres 	QMJHL 		22 	6 	9 	15 	14 		4 	0 	0 	0 	0
1998–99 	Victoriaville Tigres 	QMJHL 		64 	17 	40 	57 	57 		6 	0 	3 	3 	10
1998–99 	Hershey Bears 	AHL 		2 	0 	0 	0 	0 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1999–2000 	Victoriaville Tigres 	QMJHL 		48 	17 	45 	62 	45 		6 	2 	5 	7 	20
1999–2000 	Hershey Bears 	AHL 		2 	0 	1 	1 	2 		6 	1 	1 	2 	0
2000–01 	Hershey Bears 	AHL 		66 	5 	18 	23 	26 		11 	0 	0 	0 	2
2001–02 	Hershey Bears 	AHL 		76 	5 	18 	23 	28 		5 	0 	1 	1 	4
2002–03 	Hershey Bears 	AHL 		57 	5 	10 	15 	65 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2002–03 	Milwaukee Admirals 	AHL 		14 	3 	4 	7 	9 		5 	0 	4 	4 	2
2003–04 	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl 	RSL 		40 	3 	8 	11 	58 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2003–04 	Lokomotiv–2 Yaroslavl 	RUS.3 		1 	0 	0 	0 	0 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2004–05 	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl 	RSL 		53 	4 	15 	19 	32 		4 	0 	1 	1 	4
2005–06 	Dynamo Moscow 	RSL 		39 	3 	7 	10 	34 		4 	0 	1 	1 	29
2006–07 	SKA St. Petersburg 	RSL 		53 	6 	10 	16 	20 		3 	0 	0 	0 	0
2007–08 	SKA St. Petersburg 	RSL 		23 	0 	4 	4 	16 		9 	0 	2 	2 	2
2007–08 	SKA–2 St. Petersburg 	RUS.3 		9 	5 	7 	12 	8 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2008–09 	SKA St. Petersburg 	KHL 		3 	0 	0 	0 	4 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2008–09 	Avangard Omsk 	KHL 		25 	1 	6 	7 	4 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2008–09 	Avangard–2 Omsk 	RUS.3 		1 	1 	1 	2 	0 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2009–10 	Vityaz Chekhov 	KHL 		43 	9 	12 	21 	20 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2010–11 	Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg	KHL 		31 	15 	5 	20 	51 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2010–11 	Salavat Yulaev Ufa 	KHL 		3 	1 	0 	1 	2 		1 	0 	0 	0 	0
2011–12 	Traktor Chelyabinsk 	KHL 		51 	18 	18 	36 	40 		16 	0 	4 	4 	16
2012–13 	Severstal Cherepovets 	KHL 		48 	9 	13 	22 	32 		9 	2 	0 	2 	20
2013–14 	Spartak Moscow 	KHL 		2 	0 	1 	1 	2 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2013–14 	Dynamo Moscow 	KHL 		18 	4 	0 	4 	41 		3 	1 	0 	1 	0
2013–14 	Dynamo Balashikha 	VHL 		2 	0 	0 	0 	0 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2014–15 	Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk 	KHL 		8 	1 	1 	2 	6 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2014–15 	Amur Khabarovsk 	KHL 		33 	5 	7 	12 	16 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
RSL totals	RSL totals 	RSL totals		229 	17 	46 	63 	164 		20 	0 	4 	4 	35
AHL totals	AHL totals 	AHL totals		217 	18 	52 	70 	130 		27 	1 	6 	7 	8
KHL totals	KHL totals 	KHL totals		265 	63 	61 	124 	218 		29 	3 	4 	7 	36
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
===International===
Year 	Team 	Event 	Result 		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1998 	Russia 	EJC 	 		6 	3	1	4 	8
1999 	Russia 	WJC 	 		7 	0	0	0 	4
2000 	Russia 	WJC 	 		7 	2	6	8 	2
2005 	Russia 	WC 	 		9 	0	3	3 	0
Junior totals	Junior totals	Junior totals	Junior totals		20	5	7	12 	14
Senior totals	Senior totals	Senior totals	Senior totals		9 	0	3	3 	0
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
==References==
==External links==
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Category:Amur Khabarovsk players
Category:Avangard Omsk players
Category:Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg players
Category:Colorado Avalanche draft picks
Category:HC Donbass players
Category:HC Dynamo Moscow players
Category:Hershey Bears players
Category:Lokomotiv Yaroslavl players
Category:Milwaukee Admirals players
Category:HC Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk players
Category:Russian ice hockey defencemen
Category:Salavat Yulaev Ufa players
Category:Severstal Cherepovets players
Category:SKA Saint Petersburg players
Category:HC Spartak Moscow players
Category:Traktor Chelyabinsk players
Category:Victoriaville Tigres players
Category:HC Vityaz players