Mikhail Stefanovich

Mikhail Stefanovich
Born November 27, 1989
Minsk, Byelorussian SSR, USSR
Height 6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Weight 206 lb (93 kg; 14 st 10 lb)
Position Right Wing
Shoots Right
BXL team
Former teams 		HK Gomel
HC Dynamo Minsk (KHL)
Toronto Marlies (AHL)
Reading Royals (ECHL)
National team  Belarus
NHL Draft 98th overall, 2008
Toronto Maple Leafs
Playing career 2010–present

Mikhail Stefanovich (born November 27, 1989) is a Belarusian professional ice hockey player currently with HK Gomel of the Belarusian Extraliga. He previously played for the HC Dinamo Minsk of the KHL. He was drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the fourth round of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft, and was the 2nd overall pick in the 2009 KHL Junior Draft.

Playing career

Stefanovich's career started out in his home country of Belarus, spending just over two seasons in Belarus' tier two hockey league — half a season with HC Dinamo-2 Minsk, and just over one and a half seasons with HC Homiel-2. After playing just three games with HC Homiel-2 in the 2006–07 tier two season, HC Homiel of the Belarusian Extraliga called him up. He finished the rest of the season with Homiel and drew a great deal of attention from North American teams.

Following the season with Homiel, Stefanovich was selected 54th overall in the 2007 CHL Import Draft by the Quebec Remparts. Upon arriving in Canada, Stefanovich made the Remparts roster and quickly adjusted to the North American-style of hockey. Halfway through his inaugural QMJHL season, Stefanovich was selected to play in the CHL Top Prospects Game and, following the conclusion of the season, received the Mike Bossy Trophy, which is awarded to the QMJHL player judged to be the best professional prospect.

Scouts have identified that Stefanovich possesses a quick and accurate wrist shot and superb offensive instincts, but is not an overtly physical player, even for someone of his large stature. It is also said that his play is inconsistent and his skating is sub-par, but that he has above-average hockey sense and play-reading ability. Stefanovich's play in the 2008–09 QMJHL season improved and he became a more consistent player. These improvements have been credited, some say, to his pre-season tryout with the Maple Leafs, where he befriended fellow Belarusian Mikhail Grabovski and Russian Nikolai Kulemin. In order to make the team, he realized he needed to improve these negative aspects of his game.

On June 1, 2009, Stefanovich was selected second overall in the 2009 KHL Junior Draft by HC Dinamo Minsk. Two days later, on June 3, he was signed to an entry-level contract by the Maple Leafs. On September 19, 2009, Stefanovich was assigned to the Toronto Marlies, the AHL affiliate of the Maple Leafs,[1] and shortly after demoted back to junior.[2]

On September 15, 2010, the Maple Leafs announced that Stefanovich would be part of the team's 63-player training camp roster, however, eight days later, the team assigned him to the Toronto Marlies.[3] Stefanovich was named to the Marlies' opening day roster on October 8, but was reassigned to the Reading Royals on October 14, 2010. On October 18, Stefanovich was recalled to the Marlies. After playing only 2 games with the Marlies, he was again reassigned to the Royals on November 22, 2010. Stefanovich was loaned out to HC Dinamo Minsk of the KHL on November 27, 2010.

On January 13, 2011, Stefanovich's NHL rights were traded by the Maple Leafs to the Dallas Stars for Fabian Brunnstrom.[4]

International play

Stefanovich has played in the three World Juniors. He also participated at the 2010 IIHF World Championship as a member of the Belarus men's national ice hockey team.[5]

Awards

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

    Regular season   Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2006–07 HC Homiel BEL 41 16 9 25 43 5 1 0 1 2
2007–08 HC Homiel BEL 1 0 0 0 0 — — — — —
2007–08 Quebec Remparts QMJHL 62 32 34 66 32 11 4 4 8 10
2008–09 Quebec Remparts QMJHL 56 49 27 76 17 17 11 5 16 6
2009–10 Quebec Remparts QMJHL 53 25 43 68 24 8 3 9 12 0
2010–11 Reading Royals ECHL 4 3 2 5 2 — — — — —
2010–11 Toronto Marlies AHL 2 0 0 0 0 — — — — —
2010–11 HC Dynamo Minsk KHL 21 1 0 1 4 4 1 1 2 0
BEL totals 42 16 9 25 43 5 1 0 1 2
QMJHL totals 207 124 122 246 89 36 18 18 36 16

International

Year Team Event   GP G A Pts PIM
2006 Belarus U18 6 2 4 6 24
2007 Belarus U18 5 9 3 12 16
2007 Belarus WJC 6 4 1 5 8
2008 Belarus WJC 5 3 1 4 2
2009 Belarus WJC 5 4 2 6 4
2009 Belarus WC 4 0 0 0 0
2010 Belarus WC 6 2 0 2 2
U-18 totals 11 11 7 18 40
WJC totals 16 11 4 15 14
WC totals 10 2 0 2 2

References

  1. ↑ Maple Leafs Trim Training Camp Roster - Toronto Maple Leafs - Press Releases
  2. ↑ Kevin Johnston : La «parole» à Stefanovich | Kevin Johnston
  3. ↑ Leafs Make Roster Moves - Toronto Maple Leafs - Press Releases
  4. ↑ "Dallas Stars Trade Fabian Brunnstrom To Toronto For Mikhail Stefanovich" SB Nation. Retrieved 2014-7-28.
  5. ↑ IIHF (2010). IIHF Media Guide & Record Book 2011. Moydart Press. p. 181. ISBN 978-0-9867964-0-1.

External links