Yuri Khmylev

Olympic medal record
Men's ice hockey

Yuri Khmylev
Yuri Khmylev
Born	August 9, 1964 (age 60); Moscow, URS
Height	6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight	190 lb (86 kg; 13 st 8 lb)
Position	Left Wing
Shot	Right
Played for	Krylya Sovetov Moscow ; Buffalo Sabres; St. Louis Blues; HC Fribourg-Gottéron
National team	Soviet Union and; Unified Team
NHL draft	108th overall, 1992; Buffalo Sabres
Playing career	1981–1999

Yuri Alexeyevich Khmylev (Template:Lang-ru, Yuriy Alekseevich Khmylyov; born August 9, 1964 in Moscow, Soviet Union) is a retired professional ice hockey player. Khmylev played 11 seasons in his native Russia for Krylya Sovetov (Soviet Wings) before being selected as a 27-year-old in the 5th round, 108th overall, of the 1992 NHL Entry Draft by the Buffalo Sabres.

Russian career

Khmylev represented the former Soviet Union several times on the international stage, beginning with the 1984 gold medal winning World Junior Championships squad. Khmylev went on to play on the Soviet squads in the 1986, 1987 and 1989 World Championships (winning gold, silver, and gold medals, respectively). He played in Rendez-vous '87, a two-game series in Quebec City versus a team of National Hockey League all-stars and participated in the Canada Cup later that year, where the Soviets placed second. In 1989, Khmylev played in two games for CSKA Moscow during the Super Series against NHL clubs.

Khmylev also suited up for his long-time team, Krylya Sovetov, when it played several NHL teams during the 1989–90 season, and during the Friendship Tour games in Moscow in 1989 and 1990. His final appearance for Russian hockey came during the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, France. The Unified Team, consisting of players from former Soviet states, won the gold medal, defeating Canada in the final tournament of the Olympics. Khmylev scored 10 points in eight games during the Olympics.

North American career

Khmylev was selected the following summer by the Sabres and came to North America. He experienced immediate success in the NHL, scoring 20 goals as a rookie in 1992–93 and 27 the following season. His scoring tailed off following the 1994–95 NHL lockout, as he scored just 16 goals in his next 114 games for the Sabres. On March 20, 1996, Khmylev was traded to the St. Louis Blues along with Buffalo's 8th round choice (Andrei Podkonicky) in the 1996 NHL Entry Draft for Jean-Luc Grand-Pierre, Ottawa's 2nd round choice (previously acquired, Buffalo selected Cory Sarich) in 1996 NHL Entry Draft and St. Louis' 3rd round choice (Maxim Afinogenov) in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft. Following the trade, Khmylev went on to play in just nine more NHL games with the Blues, scoring one goal. For his NHL career, Khmylev accumulated 64 goals, 88 assists and 133 penalty minutes in 263 games.

Following a brief stint with HC Fribourg-Gottéron of the Swiss Nationalliga A in 1997–98, Khmylev returned to North America for his final professional season. In 1998–99, he suited up for the St. John's Maple Leafs of the American Hockey League, where he amassed 33 points in 48 games.

Khmylev returned to Buffalo following his retirement, as he is now an amateur scout with the Buffalo Sabres. He has a wife, Vera, and a daughter, Olga, who played tennis at Boston College. Olga now works at the Academy of Hockey at HARBORCENTER in Buffalo, NY.

Awards

Inducted into the Russian and Soviet Hockey Hall of Fame in 1992

International Medals:
1984 World Junior Championships - Gold
1986 World Championships - Gold
1987 World Championships - Silver
1989 World Championships - Gold
1992 Winter Olympics - Gold

International statistics

Year	Team	Event	Place	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1984	Soviet Union	WJC		7	2	7	9	0
1986	Soviet Union	WC		6	2	1	3	4
1987	Soviet Union	WC		10	1	1	2	8
1987	Soviet Union	CC		9	0	1	1	2
1989	Soviet Union	WC		8	1	3	4	8
1992	Unified Team	Oly		8	4	6	10	4
1992	CIS	WC	5th	5	0	1	1	0
Senior Int'l Totals				46	8	13	21	26

External links