Andrei Markov (ice hockey) explained

Andrei Markov
Birth Date:1978 12, df=yes
Birth Place:Voskresensk, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
Height Ft:6
Height In:0
Weight Lb:203
Position:Defence
Shoots:Left
Played For:Khimik Voskresensk
Dynamo Moscow
Montreal Canadiens
Vityaz Chekhov
Ak Bars Kazan
Lokomotiv Yaroslavl
Ntl Team:RUS
Draft:162nd overall
Draft Year:1998
Draft Team:Montreal Canadiens
Career Start:1995
Career End:2020

Andrei Viktorovich Markov (Russian: Андрей Викторович Марков; born 20 December 1978) is a Russian-Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman. Nicknamed "the General", Markov formerly played from 2000 to 2017 with the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League (NHL). He holds both Russian and Canadian citizenship.[1]

Playing career

Markov was drafted by the Montreal Canadiens in the sixth round, 162nd overall, in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft. After being considered one of the best defencemen in Russia in 2000, he came over to North America and split time with the Canadiens and their then-minor league affiliate, the Quebec Citadelles of the American Hockey League (AHL). After rounding out his defensive game, he became a regular in the Canadiens' starting line-up and was widely considered to be their most complete defenceman.

During the 2004–05 NHL lockout, Markov played in his native Russia with Dynamo Moscow of the Russian Superleague (RSL).

Markov signed a four-year contract with the Canadiens on 28 May 2007, keeping him with the team through the 2010–11 season.[2] He had a career year in the 2007–08 season, and was selected to his first NHL All-Star Game as a starter, in Atlanta.On 1 October 2009, Markov suffered a lacerated ankle injury after colliding with teammate Carey Price's skate and was initially expected to be out of the Canadiens' lineup until February 2010. Markov made a full recovery almost two months ahead of schedule and returned to action on 19 December 2009, when the Canadiens faced the New York Islanders.[3] Markov ended up jump-starting the Habs' offence with two goals in his return en route to a 3–0 victory. During the 2010 Stanley Cup playoffs against the Pittsburgh Penguins on 30 April, Markov suffered a leg injury after being hit by Matt Cooke.[4]

On 16 July 2010, Markov became a Canadian citizen.[5] During the 2010–11 season, he played only seven games, earning three points (one goal and two assists). On 13 November 2010, Markov suffered a knee injury in a game against the Carolina Hurricanes and underwent surgery 8 December 2010, missing the remainder of the season.

On 23 June 2011, Markov signed a three-year contract with the Canadiens.[6] On 10 March 2012, he played in his first game in over a year, tallying an assist in a 4–1 victory over the Vancouver Canucks. On 23 June 2014, Markov re-signed with the Canadiens to a three-year contract worth an annual average value of $5.75 million.[7] On 15 September 2014, Markov was named an alternate captain for the Canadiens, along with P. K. Subban, Tomáš Plekanec and Max Pacioretty, sharing the leadership duties of a Canadiens squad currently without a team captain.[8] On 18 September 2015, it was announced that Markov and Brendan Gallagher would serve as alternate captains for Max Pacioretty.[9]

On 26 July 2017 it was announced that Andrei Markov would not be returning to Montreal Canadiens for the 2017–2018 season after spending his entire NHL career with the team and playing 990 games over 16 years.[10] Two days later, on 28 July, it was announced that Markov had agreed to a two-year deal with the KHL's Ak Bars Kazan.[11] Markov's team would go on to win the Gagarin Cup in his first season in the KHL.[12]

On 16 April 2020 Andrei Markov announced his retirement from professional hockey.[13] [14]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Team League GP GP G A Pts PIM
1995–96Khimik VoskresenskIHL38 0 0 0 14 —  —  —  —  —
1996–97Khimik VoskresenskRSL43 8 4 12 322 1 1 2 0
1997–98Khimik VoskresenskRSL43 10 5 15 83 —  —  —  —  —
1998–99Dynamo MoscowRSL38 10 11 21 3216 3 6 9 6
1999–00Dynamo MoscowRSL29 11 12 23 2817 4 3 7 8
2000–01Quebec CitadellesAHL14 0 5 5 47 1 1 2 2
2000–01Montreal CanadiensNHL63 6 17 23 18 —  —  —  —  —
2001–02Quebec CitadellesAHL12 4 6 10 7 —  —  —  —  —
2001–02Montreal CanadiensNHL56 5 19 24 2412 1 3 4 8
2002–03Montreal CanadiensNHL79 13 24 37 34 —  —  —  —  —
2003–04Montreal CanadiensNHL69 6 22 28 2011 1 4 5 8
2004–05Dynamo MoscowRSL42 7 16 23 7610 2 0 2 22
2005–06Montreal CanadiensNHL67 10 36 46 746 0 1 1 4
2006–07Montreal CanadiensNHL77 6 43 49 56 —  —  —  —  —
2007–08Montreal CanadiensNHL82 16 42 58 6312 1 3 4 8
2008–09Montreal CanadiensNHL78 12 52 64 36 —  —  —  —  —
2009–10Montreal CanadiensNHL45 6 28 34 328 0 4 4 0
2010–11Montreal CanadiensNHL7 1 2 3 4 —  —  —  —  —
2011–12Montreal CanadiensNHL13 0 3 3 4 —  —  —  —  —
2012–13Vityaz ChekhovKHL21 1 5 6 16 —  —  —  —  —
2012–13Montreal CanadiensNHL48 10 20 30 145 0 1 1 0
2013–14Montreal CanadiensNHL81 7 36 43 3417 1 9 10 38
2014–15Montreal CanadiensNHL81 10 40 50 3812 1 1 2 8
2015–16Montreal CanadiensNHL82 6 39 44 38 —  —  —  —  —
2016–17Montreal CanadiensNHL62 6 30 36 166 0 1 1 10
2017–18Ak Bars KazanKHL55 5 28 33 4219 1 2 3 12
2018–19Ak Bars KazanKHL49 2 12 14 204 0 0 0 6
2019–20Lokomotiv YaroslavlKHL23 1 6 7 326 0 1 1 2
RSL totals1954648942234510102036
NHL totals990 119 453 572 50589 5 27 32 56
KHL totals148 9 52 61 11029 1 3 4 20

International

YearTeamEventResult GPGAPtsPIM
1996RussiaEJC50000
1997RussiaWJC60112
1998RussiaWJC73256
1999RussiaWC5th61452
2000RussiaWC11th60220
2004RussiaWCH5th20112
2005RussiaWC914520
2006RussiaOly4th81236
2007RussiaWC83582
2008RussiaWC60224
2010RussiaOly6th40220
2014RussiaOly5th50220
2016RussiaWCH4th40006
Junior totals183368
Senior totals586243042

Awards and honours

AwardYear
NHL
All-Star Game2008, 2009
KHL
All-Star Game2013, 2018
Gagarin Cup (Ak Bars Kazan)2018[15]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Markov officially becomes Canadian citizen . sportsnet.ca. 2010-07-16.
  2. Web site: Markov inks four-year deal with Habs. 28 May 2007. TSN. https://web.archive.org/web/20070929155201/http://www.tsn.ca/ctvnews/sportsstory.asp?story_id=209144. 29 September 2007. 2017-07-27.
  3. Web site: Markov to Return To Habs Lineup Saturday Against Islanders . Tsn.ca . 2009-12-18 . 2011-10-23 . 2 October 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131002165223/http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=302814 . dead .
  4. Web site: Canadiens' Markov Injured By Cooke Hit In First Period He was out for the playoffs with a knee injury . Tsn.ca . 2010-04-30 . 2011-10-23.
  5. Web site: Habs' Markov to get Canadian citizenship . . 2010-07-15 . 2010-07-16.
  6. Web site: Canadiens re-sign Markov to three-year, $17.25 million contract . Tsn.ca . 2011-06-24 . 2011-10-23.
  7. Web site: Canadiens. Montreal. Canadiens agree to terms on a three-year contract extension with defenseman Andrei Markov.. canadiens.nhl.com. Montreal Canadiens. 23 June 2014.
  8. Web site: Canadiens opt for four alternate captains this season . NHL . 15 September 2014 . 15 September 2014.
  9. Web site: Max Pacioretty named 29th captain of Canadiens. Lau. Rachel. 18 September 2015. 18 September 2015. Global News.
  10. Web site: Andrei Markov and the Canadiens part ways. NHL.com. 2017-07-26.
  11. A_Kalnins. 890930755643334656. 28 July 2017. Andrei Markov has come to terms on a two-year deal with AkBars Kazan..
  12. News: Andrei Markov's Ak Bars Kazan wins KHL's Gagarin Cup . 10 September 2018 . Montreal Gazette . 22 April 2018.
  13. Web site: Markov, longtime Canadiens defenseman, retires from hockey . NHL.com . 17 April 2020 . 16 April 2020.
  14. Web site: Longtime Canadiens defenceman Andrei Markov retires from hockey . Sportsnet.ca . 17 April 2020 . 17 April 2020.
  15. Web site: Ak Bars wins the Gagarin Cup . . 2018-04-22 . 2018-04-22.