Alexei Mikhnov

Oleksiy Pavlovych "Alexei" Mikhnov (Ukrainian: Олексій Павлович Міхнов) (born August 31, 1982) is a Ukrainian-Russian^[1] professional ice hockey left wing who is currently playing with Chiavenna of the Italian Hockey League - Division 1 (Italian Tier 3).

Alexei Mikhnov
Born	(1982-08-31) August 31, 1982 (age 42) Kiev, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union
Height	6 ft 6 in (198 cm)
Weight	218 lb (99 kg; 15 st 8 lb)
Position	Left wing
Shoots	Left
IHL-1 team Former teams	Chiavenna Lokomotiv Yaroslavl THK Tver Dynamo Moscow Sibir Novosibirsk Edmonton Oilers Metallurg Magnitogorsk Atlant Moscow Oblast Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg HC Yugra Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk SC Csíkszereda Severstal Cherepovets Metallurg Zhlobin HK Brest Brest Albatros Hockey
National team	Russia
NHL draft	17th overall, 2000 Edmonton Oilers
Playing career	2000–present

Playing career

Mikhnov was selected in the first round of the 2000 NHL Entry Draft, 17th overall, by the Edmonton Oilers, and has only played in two NHL games, his first being a 5–2 win versus Phoenix. He was scoreless and even in 4:21 of ice time. His brother Andrei Mikhnov was also a National Hockey League prospect and played in the Ontario Hockey League.

Mikhnov spent four seasons in the Russian Super League and was considered a power forward prospect. Despite being from Ukraine, Mikhnov (unlike his brother) plays internationally for Russia.

After being drafted in 2000, Mikhnov was a mystery to Oilers fans. Even when he was drafted, he was considered an enigma.^[2] When he first arrived in Edmonton in 2004, the Oilers' front office discovered that Mikhnov had poor eyesight, leading to the team buying him a pair of glasses.^[3]

Mikhnov was one of the more famous players impacted by the inability of the National Hockey League and the Russian Ice Hockey Federation to agree on a transfer arrangement, a situation which more famously affected Pittsburgh Penguins prospect Evgeni Malkin. On June 20, 2006, according to his agent, Mikhnov gave his two weeks' notice which theoretically could get him out of his contract with Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, and by early September, Mikhnov was skating in Edmonton, taking a spin on September 3 at the University of Alberta.^[4] Legal action by Lokomotiv Yaroslavl to retain Mikhnov was swiftly dismissed in court.^[5] On September 5, 2006, Mikhnov signed a one-year deal with the Oilers.

On January 24th, 2007, Mikhnov was assigned back to Lokomotiv Yaroslavl for the remainder of the season.^[6] The Oilers gave him his qualifying offer to retain his rights, but never brought him over again.^[7][8]

In April 2011, Lokomotiv Yaroslavl opted not to renew his contract after 7 seasons with the club.^[9] In May 2011, Mikhnov signed a deal with Metallurg Magnitogorsk of the KHL.^[10] In June 2012, despite extending his deal just a week prior, Metallurg released Mikhnov.^[11]

In August, after a month on a tryout, Mikhnov signed a deal with HC Atlant.^[12] In April 2013, Mikhnov extended his deal for a year.^[13]

In August 2014, Mikhnov signed a tryout with Metallurg Zhlobin of the Belarusian Extraleague (BXL).^[14] In September 2014, he signed a deal with THK Tver of the Supreme Hockey League (VHL).^[15] Within a month, Mikhnov earned a deal with Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg.^[16]

In May 2015, Mikhnov signed a one-year deal with HC Yugra of the KHL.^[17] In November, he was waived and his contract was terminated by mutual agreement shortly thereafter.^[18] The next day, Mikhnov returned to THK Tver of the VHL.^[19] He remained there for two games before returning to Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg of the KHL for the rest of the season.^[20]

Mikhnov remained in Yekaterinburg for the next two years, captaining the team in 2017-18.^[21]

In July 2018, Mikhnov signed a tryout deal with Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk of the KHL.^[22] On August 24th, 2018, Mikhnov was upgraded to a one-year contract.^[23] In October, the deal was terminated by mutual agreement.^[24] Within a week, Mikhnov signed with SC Csíkszereda, who compete in Erste Liga and the Romanian Hockey League.^[25] In December 2018, he signed a deal with Severstal Cherepovets of the KHL.^[26]

In July 2019, Mikhnov and his brother Andrei joined Metallurg Zhlobin of the Belarusian Extraleague.^[27] In 3 years in Zhlobin, Mikhnov led the team in scoring 3 times, led the Belarusian Extraleague in points once, and won two Belarusian Championships.

In 2022, Mikhnov opted to leave Zhlobin for HK Brest, but returned to Zhlobin mid-season.^[28]

In July 2023, Mikhnov signed with Albatros de Brest of FFHG Division 1 (France2).^[29]

In 2024, Mikhnov joined Chiavenna of the Italian Hockey League - Division 1 (Italian Tier 3).

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1998–99	Lokomotiv–2 Yaroslavl	RUS.2		14	2	2	4	4		—	—	—	—	—
1999–00	Lokomotiv–2 Yaroslavl	RUS.3		40	22	13	35	4		—	—	—	—	—
2000–01	Krystall–2 Elektrostal	RUS.3		46	4	7	11	10		—	—	—	—	—
2000–01	THK Tver	RUS.2		22	5	11	16	6		—	—	—	—	—
2000–01	CSKA Moscow	RUS.2		4	0	0	0	2		—	—	—	—	—
2001–02	Salavat Yulaev Ufa	RSL		1	0	0	0	0		—	—	—	—	—
2001–02	Dynamo Moscow	RSL		26	2	1	3	4		3	0	0	0	2
2001–02	Dynamo–2 Moscow	RUS.3		8	8	6	14	0		—	—	—	—	—
2002–03	Sibir Novosibirsk	RSL		51	7	9	16	10		—	—	—	—	—
2003–04	Sibir Novosibirsk	RSL		58	14	8	22	22		—	—	—	—	—
2003–04	Sibir–2 Novosibirsk	RUS.3		1	1	0	1	0		—	—	—	—	—
2004–05	Sibir Novosibirsk	RSL		26	3	2	5	12		—	—	—	—	—
2004–05	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl	RSL		18	0	9	9	4		7	0	0	0	4
2004–05	Lokomotiv–2 Yaroslavl	RUS.3		4	4	1	5	4		—	—	—	—	—
2005–06	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl	RSL		40	14	7	21	18		11	4	4	8	4
2006–07	Edmonton Oilers	NHL		2	0	0	0	0		—	—	—	—	—
2006–07	Wilkes–Barre/Scranton Penguins	AHL		27	6	12	18	22		—	—	—	—	—
2006–07	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl	RSL		11	5	3	8	6		7	2	3	5	4
2007–08	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl	RSL		52	14	20	34	50		16	3	5	8	14
2008–09	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl	KHL		52	16	17	33	57		19	8	4	12	10
2009–10	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl	KHL		40	7	14	21	16		17	7	6	13	10
2010–11	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl	KHL		30	3	12	15	12		17	1	4	5	12
2011–12	Metallurg Magnitogorsk	KHL		39	8	10	18	12		12	0	3	3	0
2012–13	Atlant Mytishchi	KHL		39	11	8	19	22		5	0	1	1	2
2013–14	Atlant Mytishchi	KHL		47	7	6	13	10		—	—	—	—	—
2014–15	Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg	KHL		42	9	7	16	20		5	0	2	2	0
2014–15	THK Tver	VHL		6	3	3	6	14		—	—	—	—	—
2015–16	Yugra Khanty–Mansiysk	KHL		20	2	2	4	6		—	—	—	—	—
2015–16	THK Tver	VHL		2	1	2	3	0		—	—	—	—	—
2015–16	Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg	KHL		22	8	5	13	8		6	0	0	0	2
2016–17	Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg	KHL		38	6	13	19	12		—	—	—	—	—
2016–17	Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg	KHL		45	12	10	22	8		3	0	0	0	4
2018–19	Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk	KHL		6	1	1	2	0		—	—	—	—	—
2018–19	HC Csíkszereda	EL		8	3	2	5			—	—	—	—	—
2018–19	HC Csíkszereda	ROU		10	20	15	35	12		—	—	—	—	—
2018–19	Severstal Cherepovets	KHL		22	5	2	7	4		—	—	—	—	—
2019–20	Metallurg Zhlobin	BLR		50	18	18	36	63		4	1	1	2	0
2020–21	Metallurg Zhlobin	BLR		41	14	18	32	16		13	8	5	13	2
2021–22	Metallurg Zhlobin	BLR		53	27	26	53	37		7	5	3	8	0
RSL totals				283	59	59	118	126		44	9	12	21	26
NHL totals				2	0	0	0	0		—	—	—	—	—
KHL totals				442	95	107	202	187		84	16	20	36	40

International

Year	Team	Event	Result		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2006	Russia	WC	5th		7	4	2	6	2
Senior totals					7	4	2	6	2