Andrei Markov

Full name: Andrei Viktorovich Markov
Team: Montreal Canadiens
Number: 79
Position: Defenseman
Height: 6’0″/183 cm
Weight: 204 lbs/93 kg
Shoots: Left
Born: December 20, 1978 in Voskresensk, RUS
Drafted: Selected by Montreal Canadiens in 6th round (162nd overall) of the 1998 Entry Draft

Strengths: Like Sergei Zubov and Sergei Gonchar, Andrei Markov is one of the NHL’s premier powerplay quarterbacks. His hard shot and fast skating make him the top two-way defenseman on whatever team he plays.

Weaknesses: Markov occasionally makes mistakes in his own end, especially against bigger players. The large amount of ice time he gets, up to half a game, can wear him out throughout the season.

Biography: Andrei Markov was raised and learned hockey in Voskresensk – home of the legendary Khimik sports organization that also developed Igor Larionov and Vyacheslav Kozlov, among other NHL players. With Khimik, Andrei turned into one of Russia’s best young defensemen and also left a strong impression at the 1998 World Junior Championship, winning the silver medal. At the age of twenty, Markov was heavily relied upon by Moscow Dynamo and was recognized as the Russian League’s Defenseman of the Year in 1999. The next season was even better for Markov: he was named the MVP of the Superleague and his team Dynamo won the Russian championship. At this point, a jump to the NHL was the logical next step. The Montreal Canadiens were fortunate to have “stolen” a future star like Markov in the sixth round of the 1998 NHL draft. Although he spent parts of his first two years in North America playing for the Habs’ farm club, Markov developed into a top-tier blueliner capable of playing up to thirty minutes per game. Andrei’s return to Dynamo during the NHL lockout in 2004-05 helped the team’s fortunes in winning the Russian championship again. Once back in the NHL, Markov’s productivity increased each season, earning him two all-star game appearances (2008, 2009) and cementing his status as a fan favourite in Montreal. Markov has been a mainstay of the Russian national team at the World Championships, having won one gold and two bronze medals so far. At the 2007 World Championships held in Moscow, Markov was named the Best Defenseman of the tournament. The last few NHL seasons have been unfortunate for Andrei, as he sat out a total of over 180 games due to various injuries. During the 2012-13 NHL lockout, Markov played for Vityaz Chekhov in Russia. Back in the NHL, he returned to his usual high-scoring pace for a defenseman and did not miss a single game.

Club Stats:

Season	Team	GP	G	A	PTS	+/-	PIM
1995-96	Khimik Voskresensk	38	0	0	0		14
1996-97	Khimik Voskresensk	43	8	4	12		32
1997-98	Khimik Voskresensk	43	10	5	15		83
1998-99	Dynamo Moscow	38	10	11	21		32
1999-00	Dynamo Moscow	29	11	12	23		28
2000-01	Quebec (AHL)	14	0	5	5	+7	4
2000-01	Montreal	63	6	17	23	-6	18
2001-02	Quebec (AHL)	12	4	6	10	+14	7
2001-02	Montreal	56	5	19	24	-1	24
2002-03	Montreal	79	13	24	37	+13	34
2003-04	Montreal	69	6	22	28	-2	20
2004-05	Dynamo Moscow	42	7	16	23		76
2005-06	Montreal	67	10	36	46	+13	74
2006-07	Montreal	77	6	43	49	+2	56
2007-08	Montreal	82	16	42	58	+1	63
2008-09	Montreal	78	12	52	64	-2	36
2009-10	Montreal	45	6	28	34	+11	32
2010-11	Montreal	7	1	2	3	+2	4
2011-12	Montreal	13	0	3	3	-4	4
2012-13	Vityaz Chekhov	21	1	7	8	+3	16
2012-13	Montreal	48	10	20	30	-9	14

Totals	RHL/KHL Reg. Season	254	47	55	102		281
Totals	RHL Playoffs	45	10	10	20		36
Totals	NHL Reg. Season	684	91	308	399	+18	379
Totals	NHL Playoffs	54	3	16	19	-1	28

National Team Stats:

Year	Tournament	GP	G	A	PTS	PIM
1997	World U20	6	0	1	1	2
1998	World U20	7	3	2	5	6
1999	World Championship	6	1	4	5	2
2000	World Championship	6	0	2	2	0
2004	World Cup	2	0	1	1	2
2005	World Championship	9	1	4	5	20
2006	Olympic Games	8	1	2	3	6
2007	World Championship	8	3	5	8	2
2008	World Championship	6	0	2	2	4
2010	Olympic Games	4	0	2	2	0

Totals	U20 Level	13	3	3	6	8
Totals	Senior Level	49	6	22	28	36