Mikhail Stefanovich

Mikhail Stefanovich
Born	(1989-11-27) 27 November 1989 Minsk, Byelorussian SSR, USSR
Height	6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Weight	214 lb (97 kg; 15 st 4 lb)
Position	Right Wing
Shoots	Right
BXL team Former teams	Yunost Minsk HK Gomel Toronto Marlies Dinamo Minsk HK Neman Grodno
National team	Belarus
NHL draft	98th overall, 2008 Toronto Maple Leafs
Playing career	2006–present

Mikhail Stefanovich (Belarusian: Міхаіл Ігаравіч Стэфановіч; born 27 November 1989) is a Belarusian professional ice hockey player currently under contract with Yunost Minsk of the Belarusian Extraliga (BXL). 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.

Following the season, Stefanovich was selected 54th overall in the 2007 CHL Import Draft by the Quebec Remparts. Upon arriving in Canada, Stefanovich made the Remparts roster. 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.

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

On 15 September 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. Stefanovich was named to the Marlies' opening day roster on 8 October, but was reassigned to the Reading Royals on 14 October 2010. On 18 October, Stefanovich was recalled to the Marlies. After playing only 2 games with the Marlies, he was again reassigned to the Royals on 22 November 2010. Stefanovich was loaned out to HC Dinamo Minsk of the KHL on 27 November 2010. On 13 January 2011, Stefanovich's NHL rights were traded by the Maple Leafs to the Dallas Stars for Fabian Brunnstrom.

During his second season in the Russian second tier league, the VHL, with Dizel Penza, Stefanovich was provisionally suspended on 20 November for failing an anti-doping test. He played no further part in the season with Dizel and on 27 April 2015, was given a two-year ban backdated to 10 November, for the doping violation.

On 26 August 2015, he returned to North American and signed a one-year ECHL contract with the Rapid City Rush.

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.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2006–07	HK Gomel	BEL		41	16	9	25	43		5	1	0	1	2
2007–08	HK Gomel	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	Dinamo Minsk	KHL		21	1	0	1	4		4	1	1	2	0
2011–12	Dinamo Minsk	KHL		5	0	0	0	2		—	—	—	—	—
2011–12	HK Gomel	BEL		39	25	20	45	40		8	6	1	7	31
2012–13	HK Gomel	BEL		49	17	29	46	14		5	0	1	1	4
2013–14	Toros Neftekamsk	VHL		14	3	2	5	4		—	—	—	—	—
2013–14	HC Lada Togliatti	VHL		24	7	4	11	4		5	2	1	3	4
2014–15	Dizel Penza	VHL		12	3	3	6	6		—	—	—	—	—
2015–16	Rapid City Rush	ECHL		52	19	11	30	8		—	—	—	—	—
2016–17	Neman Grodno	BEL		26	8	10	18	12		12	8	3	11	6
2017–18	Neman Grodno	BEL		40	24	17	41	20		16	4	3	7	8
2018–19	Yunost Minsk	BEL		56	32	25	57	22		13	7	3	10	10
2019–20	Dinamo Minsk	KHL		34	5	3	8	13		—	—	—	—	—
KHL totals				60	6	3	9	19		4	1	1	2	0

International

Year	Team	Event	Result		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2006	Belarus	WJC18	9th		6	2	4	6	24
2007	Belarus	WJC18-D1	11th		5	9	3	12	16
2007	Belarus	WJC	10th		6	4	1	5	8
2008	Belarus	WJC	14th		5	3	1	4	2
2009	Belarus	WJC	13th		5	4	2	6	4
2009	Belarus	WC	8th		4	0	0	0	0
2010	Belarus	WC	10th		6	2	0	2	2
2013	Belarus	OGQ	NQ		3	1	0	1	0
2013	Belarus	WC	14th		6	0	0	0	2
2017	Belarus	WC	13th		7	0	4	4	0
Junior totals					27	22	11	33	54
Senior totals					26	3	4	7	4

Awards

• QMJHL Rookie Player of the Month (September 2007)
• RDS Rookie Excellence Award (QMJHL) (Mid-season) (2007–08)
• Mike Bossy Trophy – 2007–08 (Top QMJHL Professional Prospect)

External links

• Biographical information and career statistics from NHL.com, or Eliteprospects.com, or Eurohockey.com, or The Internet Hockey Database