Mikhail Stefanovich
Mikhail Stefanovich | |||
---|---|---|---|
Born |
Minsk, Byelorussian SSR, USSR | November 27, 1989||
Height | 6 ft 2 in (188 cm) | ||
Weight | 206 lb (93 kg; 14 st 10 lb) | ||
Position | Right wing | ||
NHL team (P) Cur. team |
Toronto Maple Leafs Toronto Marlies (AHL) | ||
National team | Belarus | ||
NHL draft |
98th overall, 2008 Toronto Maple Leafs | ||
Playing career | TBD–present |
Mikhail Stefanovich (born November 27, 1989) is a Belarusian ice hockey right winger who currently plays for the Toronto Marlies of the AHL. He was drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the fourth round of the 2008 NHL Entry 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 supbar, but his amazing hockey sense and play-reading ability negate his lack of skating ability. His play throughout the 2008–09 QMJHL season has exemplified that he is starting to become a more consistent and driven player. These improvements have been credited, some say, to his pre-season tryout with the Maple Leafs, where he befriended fellow Belorussian 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 2nd 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 MapleLeafs 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 re-assigned to the Reading Royals on October 14, 2010. On October 18, Stefanovich was recalled to the Marlies.
International play
Stefanovich has played in the three World Juniors and has come close to or has lead the team in goals every year.
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)
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 | ||
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 |