Maxim Afinogenov

Maxim Sergeyevich Afinogenov (, ; born September 4, 1979) is a Russian former professional ice hockey player. Known for his skating speed, he was drafted by the National Hockey League (NHL)'s Buffalo Sabres in the third round, 69th overall, in 1997 and played nine seasons with the club. He then played one season with the Atlanta Thrashers before signing and finishing his career in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL).
==Personal life==
Afinogenov was first introduced to hockey by his dad when he was five years old. As a youth, he played in the 1993 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with a team from Moscow.
He married Russian former professional tennis player, Elena Dementieva on July 16, 2011. His sister Katia Afinogenov married current Carolina Hurricanes left winger Max Pacioretty one week later.
==Playing career==
===Buffalo Sabres===
Afinogenov was a forward for Dynamo Moscow of the Russian Superleague (RSL) for four seasons. He was drafted 69th overall by the Buffalo Sabres in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft and played his rookie NHL season in 1999–2000, scoring 34 points in 65 games, while also playing in 15 games with the Sabres' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Rochester Americans. Following his third season with the Sabres, a 21-goal, 40-point campaign in 2001–02, Afinogenov re-signed with a two-year, $2.4 million contract on September 4, 2002. However, that same day, while playing a pickup game in Moscow, he took a puck to the head, suffering a concussion. He was limited to just 35 games in the subsequent season, managing just 11 points. The next season, in 2003–04, he recorded his first career hat-trick on December 31, 2003, at HSBC Arena in a 7–1 win against the Washington Capitals. He finished the season bouncing back from his previous concussion-riddled season with 17 goals and 31 points.
After spending the 2004–05 season back in Russia with Dynamo Moscow due to the NHL lockout, Afinogenov recorded his best season to date when NHL play resumed in 2005–06 with personal bests of 51 assists and 73 points. As the Sabres embarked on a playoff run to the Conference Finals, where they were defeated in seven games by the eventual Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes. Afinogenov added eight points in 18 post-season games. He continued his scoring pace the following season in 2006–07 and, despite missing 26 games, scored 61 points and a career-high 23 goals. During the season, Sabres backup goalie Martin Biron was traded to the Philadelphia Flyers at the trade deadline in February 2007, making Afinogenov the longest-serving Sabre on the roster. His production tailed off in 2007–08, however, managing just 28 points in the same number of games as the previous season.
===Atlanta Thrashers===
Following the 2008–09 season, in which he was sidelined once more with a groin injury, Afinogenov became an unrestricted free agent and was not re-signed by the Sabres. He left the club as the longest-serving Sabre on the previous season's roster, having played for the club since his rookie season in 1999–2000. On September 17, 2009, the Atlanta Thrashers invited Afinogenov to their 2009–10 training camp on a tryout. and on September 29, 2009, he signed a one-year contract with the team worth $800,000. He scored his first goal as a Thrasher on October 17, 2009, against the Buffalo Sabres. He finished the season finishing second on the team in points, behind only Nik Antropov.
===KHL===
Following the 2009–10 season, Afinogenov signed a five-year deal with SKA Saint Petersburg in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) as a free agent. After a productive first season with St. Petersburg, Afinogenov was plagued by injury in the following two seasons. He was traded to Podolsk-based HC Vityaz prior to the 2013–14 season and was announced as the team's captain.
==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
1995–96 	Dynamo–2 Moscow 	RUS-2 		34 	23 	9 	32 	30 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1995–96 	Dynamo Moscow 	IHL 		1 	0 	0 	0 	0 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1996–97 	Dynamo Moscow 	RSL 		29 	6 	5 	11 	10 		4 	0 	2 	2 	0
1997–98 	Dynamo Moscow 	RSL 		35 	10 	5 	15 	53 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1998–99 	Dynamo Moscow 	RSL 		38 	8 	13 	21 	24 		16 	10 	6 	16 	14
1998–99 	Dynamo–2 Moscow 	RUS-2 		1 	1 	2 	3 	2 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1999–00 	Rochester Americans	AHL 		15 	6 	12 	18 	8 		8 	3 	1 	4 	4
1999–00 	Buffalo Sabres 	NHL 		65 	16 	18 	34 	41 		5 	0 	1 	1 	2
2000–01 	Buffalo Sabres 	NHL 		78 	14 	22 	36 	40 		11 	2 	3 	5 	4
2001–02 	Buffalo Sabres 	NHL 		81 	21 	19 	40 	69 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2002–03 	Buffalo Sabres 	NHL 		35 	5 	6 	11 	21 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2003–04 	Buffalo Sabres 	NHL 		73 	17 	14 	31 	57 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2004–05 	Dynamo Moscow 	RSL 		36 	13 	14 	27 	91 		10 	4 	4 	8 	8
2005–06 	Buffalo Sabres 	NHL 		77 	22 	51 	73 	84 		18 	3 	5 	8 	10
2006–07 	Buffalo Sabres 	NHL 		56 	23 	38 	61 	66 		15 	5 	4 	9 	6
2007–08 	Buffalo Sabres 	NHL 		56 	10 	18 	28 	42 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2008–09 	Buffalo Sabres 	NHL 		48 	6 	14 	20 	20 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2009–10 	Atlanta Thrashers 	NHL 		82 	24 	37 	61 	46 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2010–11 	SKA St. Petersburg 	KHL 		51 	13 	20 	33 	50 		11 	4 	1 	5 	10
2011–12 	SKA St. Petersburg 	KHL 		23 	4 	8 	12 	36 		12 	3 	1 	4 	4
2012–13 	SKA St. Petersburg 	KHL 		26 	4 	4 	8 	4 		13 	1 	3 	4 	6
2013–14 	Vityaz Podolsk 	KHL 		53 	12 	14 	26 	69 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2014–15 	Vityaz Podolsk 	KHL 		54 	17 	10 	27 	124 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2015–16 	Vityaz Podolsk 	KHL 		56 	15 	13 	28 	34 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2016–17 	Vityaz Podolsk 	KHL 		58 	20 	27 	47 	44 		4 	0 	2 	2 	6
2017–18 	Vityaz Podolsk 	KHL 		47 	16 	20 	36 	25 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2018–19 	Dynamo Moscow 	KHL 		10 	4 	1 	5 	10 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2019–20 	Dynamo Moscow 	KHL 		37 	8 	2 	10 	34 		2 	1 	0 	1 	0
KHL totals	KHL totals 	KHL totals		415 	113 	119 	232 	459 		42 	9 	7 	16 	26
NHL totals	NHL totals 	NHL totals		651 	158 	237 	395 	486 		49 	10 	13 	23 	22
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
===International===
Year 	Team 	Event 	 	GP	G 	A 	Pts	PIM
1996 	Russia 	EJC 	 	5 	1 	1 	2 	0
1997 	Russia 	EJC 	 	6 	4 	3 	7 	18
1998 	Russia 	WJC 	 	7 	3 	2 	5 	4
1999 	Russia 	WJC 	 	7 	3 	5 	8 	0
1999 	Russia 	WC 	 	6 	2 	1 	3 	2
2000 	Russia 	WC 	 	6 	1 	0 	1 	4
2002 	Russia 	OLY 	 	6 	2 	2 	4 	4
2002 	Russia 	WC 	 	9 	3 	0 	3 	6
2004 	Russia 	WC 	 	5 	1 	1 	2 	4
2004 	Russia 	WCH 	 	4 	0 	1 	1 	2
2005 	Russia 	WC 	 	9 	3 	2 	5 	6
2006 	Russia 	OLY 	 	8 	1 	0 	1 	10
2008 	Russia 	WC 	 	8 	5 	1 	6 	2
2010 	Russia 	OLY 	 	4 	1 	1 	2 	0
2010 	Russia 	WC 	 	9 	3 	4 	7 	18
2011 	Russia 	WC 	 	9 	1 	2 	3 	6
Junior totals	Junior totals	Junior totals	Junior totals	25	11	11	22 	22
Senior totals	Senior totals	Senior totals	Senior totals	83	23	15	38 	64
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
==References==
==External links==
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Category:1979 births
Category:Atlanta Thrashers players
Category:Buffalo Sabres draft picks
Category:Buffalo Sabres players
Category:HC Dynamo Moscow players
Category:HC Vityaz players
Category:Ice hockey people from Moscow
Category:Ice hockey players at the 2002 Winter Olympics
Category:Ice hockey players at the 2006 Winter Olympics
Category:Ice hockey players at the 2010 Winter Olympics
Category:Medalists at the 2002 Winter Olympics
Category:Olympic bronze medalists for Russia
Category:Olympic ice hockey players of Russia
Category:Olympic medalists in ice hockey
Category:Rochester Americans players
Category:Russian expatriate ice hockey people
Category:Russian expatriate sportspeople in the United States
Category:Russian ice hockey right wingers
Category:SKA Saint Petersburg players