Andrei Markov (ice hockey)

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]

Andrei Markov
Markov with the Montreal Canadiens in 2015
Born (1978-12-20) 20 December 1978 (age 45)
Voskresensk, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
Height6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight203 lb (92 kg; 14 st 7 lb)
PositionDefence
ShotLeft
Played forKhimik Voskresensk
Dynamo Moscow
Montreal Canadiens
Vityaz Chekhov
Ak Bars Kazan
Lokomotiv Yaroslavl
National team Russia
NHL draft162nd overall, 1998
Montreal Canadiens
Playing career1995–2020

Playing career

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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.

Markov with the Montreal Canadiens in 2010

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

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Regular season and playoffs

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Regular seasonPlayoffs
SeasonTeamLeagueGPGAPtsPIMGPGAPtsPIM
1995–96Khimik VoskresenskIHL3800014 — — — — —
1996–97Khimik VoskresenskRSL4384123221120
1997–98Khimik VoskresenskRSL431051583 — — — — —
1998–99Dynamo MoscowRSL3810112132163696
1999–00Dynamo MoscowRSL2911122328174378
2000–01Quebec CitadellesAHL14055471122
2000–01Montreal CanadiensNHL636172318 — — — — —
2001–02Quebec CitadellesAHL1246107 — — — — —
2001–02Montreal CanadiensNHL565192424121348
2002–03Montreal CanadiensNHL7913243734 — — — — —
2003–04Montreal CanadiensNHL696222820111458
2004–05Dynamo MoscowRSL4271623761020222
2005–06Montreal CanadiensNHL671036467460114
2006–07Montreal CanadiensNHL776434956 — — — — —
2007–08Montreal CanadiensNHL8216425863121348
2008–09Montreal CanadiensNHL7812526436 — — — — —
2009–10Montreal CanadiensNHL45628343280440
2010–11Montreal CanadiensNHL71234 — — — — —
2011–12Montreal CanadiensNHL130334 — — — — —
2012–13Vityaz ChekhovKHL2115616 — — — — —
2012–13Montreal CanadiensNHL481020301450110
2013–14Montreal CanadiensNHL81736433417191038
2014–15Montreal CanadiensNHL8110405038121128
2015–16Montreal CanadiensNHL826394438 — — — — —
2016–17Montreal CanadiensNHL626303616601110
2017–18Ak Bars KazanKHL5552833421912312
2018–19Ak Bars KazanKHL49212142040006
2019–20Lokomotiv YaroslavlKHL231673260112
RSL totals1954648942234510102036
NHL totals990119453572505895273256
KHL totals148952611102913420

International

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Markov at the 2010 Winter Olympics
Medal record
Representing Russia
Ice hockey
World Championships
2008 Canada
2007 Russia
2005 Austria
World Junior Championships
1998 Finland
1997 Switzerland
YearTeamEventResult GPGAPtsPIM
1996RussiaEJC 50000
1997RussiaWJC 60112
1998RussiaWJC 73256
1999RussiaWC5th61452
2000RussiaWC11th60220
2004RussiaWCH5th20112
2005RussiaWC 914520
2006RussiaOly4th81236
2007RussiaWC 83582
2008RussiaWC 60224
2010RussiaOly6th40220
2014RussiaOly5th50220
2016RussiaWCH4th40006
Junior totals183368
Senior totals586243042

Awards and honours

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

References

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  1. ^ "Markov officially becomes Canadian citizen". sportsnet.ca. Retrieved 16 July 2010.
  2. ^ "Markov inks four-year deal with Habs". TSN. 28 May 2007. Archived from the original on 29 September 2007. Retrieved 27 July 2017.
  3. ^ "Markov to Return To Habs Lineup Saturday Against Islanders". Tsn.ca. 18 December 2009. Archived from the original on 2 October 2013. Retrieved 23 October 2011.
  4. ^ "Canadiens' Markov Injured By Cooke Hit In First Period He was out for the playoffs with a knee injury". Tsn.ca. 30 April 2010. Retrieved 23 October 2011.
  5. ^ "Habs' Markov to get Canadian citizenship". CBC.ca. 16 July 2010. Retrieved 15 July 2010.
  6. ^ "Canadiens re-sign Markov to three-year, $17.25 million contract". Tsn.ca. 24 June 2011. Retrieved 23 October 2011.
  7. ^ Canadiens, Montreal. "Canadiens agree to terms on a three-year contract extension with defenseman Andrei Markov". canadiens.nhl.com. Montreal Canadiens. Retrieved 23 June 2014.
  8. ^ "Canadiens opt for four alternate captains this season". NHL. 15 September 2014. Retrieved 15 September 2014.
  9. ^ Lau, Rachel (18 September 2015). "Max Pacioretty named 29th captain of Canadiens". Global News. Retrieved 18 September 2015.
  10. ^ "Andrei Markov and the Canadiens part ways". NHL.com. 26 July 2017.
  11. ^ @A_Kalnins (28 July 2017). "Andrei Markov has come to terms on a two-year deal with AkBars Kazan" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  12. ^ "Andrei Markov's Ak Bars Kazan wins KHL's Gagarin Cup". Montreal Gazette. 22 April 2018. Retrieved 10 September 2018.
  13. ^ "Markov, longtime Canadiens defenseman, retires from hockey". NHL.com. 16 April 2020. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
  14. ^ "Longtime Canadiens defenceman Andrei Markov retires from hockey". Sportsnet.ca. 17 April 2020. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
  15. ^ "Ak Bars wins the Gagarin Cup". Kontinental Hockey League. 22 April 2018. Retrieved 22 April 2018.
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