Personal life

Afinogenov was first introduced to hockey by his dad when he was five years old. He married Elena Dementieva on July 16, 2011. His sister Katia Afinogenova married current Montreal Canadiens 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 with a career-high 24 goals and 61 points, 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 St. 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						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	RSL		1	0	0	0	0		—	—	—	—	—
1996-97	Dynamo Moscow	RSL		29	6	5	11	10		—	—	—	—	—
1997-98	Dynamo Moscow	RSL		35	10	5	15	53		—	—	—	—	—
1998-99	Dynamo-2 Moscow	RUS-2		1	1	2	3	2		—	—	—	—	—
1998-99	Dynamo Moscow	RSL		38	8	13	21	24		16	10	6	16	14
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		—	—	—	—	—
RSL totals				139	37	37	74	178		30	14	12	26	22
NHL totals				651	158	237	395	486		49	10	13	23	22
KHL totals				263	65	69	134	317		36	8	5	13	20

International

Medal record
Representing Russia
Ice hockey
World Championships
	2008	Canada
	2002	Sweden
	2010	Germany
	2005	Austria
Winter Olympics
	2002	Salt Lake City
World Junior Championships
	1999	Canada
	1998	Helsinki

Year	Team	Event	Place		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1998	Russia	WJC	02 !		7	3	2	5	4
1999	Russia	WJC	01 !		7	3	5	8	0
1999	Russia	WC	9th		6	2	1	3	2
2000	Russia	WC	11th		6	1	0	1	4
2002	Russia	Oly	03 !		6	2	2	4	4
2002	Russia	WC	02 !		9	3	0	3	6
2004	Russia	WC	10th		5	1	1	2	4
2004	Russia	WCH	5th		4	0	1	1	2
2005	Russia	WC	03 !		9	3	2	5	6
2006	Russia	Oly	4th		8	1	0	1	10
2008	Russia	WC	01 !		8	5	1	6	2
2010	Russia	Oly	6th		4	1	1	2	0
2010	Russia	WC	02 !		9	3	4	7	18
2011	Russia	WC	4th		9	1	2	3	6
Senior international totals					83	23	15	38	64

Jersey Numbers

Dynamo Moscow - Number 13 (1995-1996)
Dynamo Moscow - Number 10 (1996-1997)
Dynamo Moscow - Number 31 (1997-1999)
Dynamo Moscow - Number 61 (2004-2005)
Russian National Team (junior) - Number 29 (1996-1999)
Russian National Team — Number 61 (1999 - till now)
SKA (SPB) - Number 61 (2010 - till now)
Buffalo Sabres - Number 61 (1999 - 2009)
Atlanta Thrashers - Number 61 (2009 - 2010)
SKA St. Petersburg - Number 61 (2010 - 2013)

[ Source: Wikipedia ]