Maxim Afinogenov: Mad Max

KHL.ru continues its series of articles about players and coaches who became Legends of the league. The new article is about Maxim Afinogenov, an Olympic bronze medalist and winner of a full set of World Championship medals.The Next BureMaxim Afinogenov made his debut in pro hockey at just over 16 years old. Although he played only one game in the 1995-1996 season, he left a lasting impression on fans with his speed, dribbling, and tenacity. Dynamo Moscow’s supporters eagerly awaited his return to the ice and began comparing him to Pavel Bure, one of the best hockey players of that era. It’s no surprise that Afinogenov later earned the nickname “Mad Max,” which perfectly captured his playing style.In the spring of 1996, Afinogenov played for the junior national team at the European Championship in Ufa, where he skated on the fourth line. His center was Andrei Markov, who would later become Afinogenov’s teammate at Dynamo and on the Russian national team. At that time, Markov was a forward for Khimik, not yet converted to a defenseman. In that tournament, Afinogenov contributed a goal and an assist, and the team won gold medals, edging out Finland thanks to a better goal difference.Maxim Afinogenov 457 games, 248 (122+126) points. Russian champion (2005). Gold (2008), silver (2002, 2010), and bronze (2005) medal at the World Championship. Bronze medal (2002) at the Olympic Games. U18 WJC Gold medal (1996). U20 WJC Gold medal (1999). Spengler Cup win (2010). Sergei Gimayev award for the Faith towards Hockey (2017). KHL All-Star Game (2011, 2014, 2017). Apr. 8, 2005 Russian Superleague title with Dynamo Moscow. May 18, 2008 Gold medal with Team Russia at the Quebec City World Championship. Sept. 9, 2010 KHL debut with SKA. Dec. 31, 2010 Spengler Cup win. Feb. 5, 2011 First KHL All-Star Game.A year later, the 17-year-old Afinogenov had a much more productive performance at the European Junior Championships, netting 4 goals and adding 3 assists. However, the team finished only fourth. Despite this, his personal achievements further solidified his already high standing in various rankings.At an even higher level, the World Junior Championships, Afinogenov confirmed his status as a rising star. In 1998, he returned from Finland with a silver medal and 5 (3+2) points in seven games. In 1999, in Canada, he became a champion, was one of the top three scorers on the team (3 goals + 5 assists), and was named the tournament’s best forward. In the finals, Russia faced off against the host team, Canada. The regulation ended with a 2:2 tie. In OT, Afinogenov made a pass to Artyom Chubarov, who netted the game-winner.In that same season, Afinogenov made another assist that was replayed thousands of times on various shows and highlight reels. On February 14, 1999, Dynamo Moscow played the Euroleague final against Metallurg Magnitogorsk at Luzhniki and was down 0:1. In the final minute, Afinogenov entered the opponent’s zone and took a shot, but the puck missed the net and rebounded off the boards back into Dynamo’s zone. Markov picked it up and, within seconds, made a shot across the entire rink, catching goalie Boris Tortunov by surprise.However, Dynamo’s joy was short-lived. At the beginning of extra time, Metallurg clinched the victory. Once again, Dynamo and Afinogenov missed out on the Euroleague’s top prize, the Silver Stone, for the third consecutive time — having lost to Austria’s Feldkirch the year before and to Finland’s TPS in 1997.During his first three full seasons with Dynamo, Afinogenov also failed to win the national championship gold. In 1999, Dynamo played in the final against Metallurg once again, but they lost 2-4.At the Superstar LevelIn the frequently mentioned 1999, Afinogenov made his debut at the senior World Championships. Dynamo Moscow’s head coach, Zinetula Bilyaletdinov, prepared an entire unit for the national team: Markov, Alexander Khavanov, Sergei Petrenko, Alexander Prokopyev, and Afinogenov. This five-men unit was taken to the World Championship in Norway by the national team’s head coach, Alexander Yakushev.Led by its only NHL player, Alexei Yashin, along with the Dynamo line, Team Russia was just one step away from the semifinals but ultimately didn’t compete for the medals. In the final match of the second group stage, the Russians needed to defeat Slovakia, but the game ended in a draw.Afinogenov regularly joined the national team and had a successful career on the international stage. However, he experienced not only the joy of victories but also the bitterness of defeats, participating in World Championships where Russia recorded the worst results in its hockey history — finishing 11th in Saint Petersburg in 2000 and 10th in Prague and Ostrava in 2004.Nevertheless, Afinogenov had far more positive experiences playing for the national team. By 2002, he had won two medals at major international tournaments. First, Maxim participated in the Olympics and became a bronze medalist in the Salt Lake City Games, making a significant contribution to the team’s success. He scored the only goal in the quarterfinals against Team Czechia. Additionally, he tied with Alexei Kovalev, Sergei Fedorov, and Vladimir Malakhov as the team’s top scorers, each with four points.In the spring, Afinogenov was one of three players from North America, along with Dmitry Kalinin and Roman Lyashenko, to join the national team for the World Championship. By that time, Russia had not won a medal at the World Championship since 1993, but in Sweden, they managed to break the dark streak, returning home with a silver. Maxim scored a key goal in the semifinals against Finland, tying the game 2:2. This score held until the shootout, where the Russians came out on top.In 2005, Afinogenov added a bronze medal to his hardware collection. That World Championship is remembered for its incredibly high level of play, as many top-tier stars participated due to the NHL lockout. Maxim performed excellently in that tournament. He not only ranked among the top five scorers on the Russian team (3 goals and 2 assists in 9 games) but also scored all his points in crucial matches — 1 goal and 1 assist in the quarterfinals against Finland, potting a double with a helper in the bronze medal game against Team Sweden.That World Championship in Austria was a turning point for Russian hockey. It was the first time in many years that the Russian team played with strength and showcased an aggressive attacking style. For instance, in 2002, Russia played a more defensive game, and their silver medal was largely thanks to Maxim Sokolov, who was named the tournament’s top goalie. In 2005, everything was different. Even Canada, which led 4:0 in the semifinals, barely managed to hold onto their lead. But the most important takeaway was that from that tournament onward, Russia began regularly winning medals.The long-awaited gold, the first since 1993, was just around the corner. Russia claimed it in 2008 at a historic tournament. That World Championship was held in Canada for the first time in history and coincided with the 100th anniversary of the IIHF. With a near-Olympic roster, Afinogenov once again stood out. He scored five goals, with only Alexander Ovechkin and Alexander Semin netting more.Two years later, Afinogenov had the chance to become a two-time World Champion. Many of the Olympic participants came to the World Championship to redeem themselves after the disappointment in Vancouver (a 3:7 loss to Canada in the quarterfinals), but after winning eight games in a row, they fell to Team Czechia in the final.Return in his prime and a hat-trick at 39 years oldIn 1999, Afinogenov left for Buffalo. His NHL career was anything but ordinary. He quickly secured a spot in the Sabres’ lineup. Over four seasons, he scored more than 20 goals each, earning a personal nickname, a distinction reserved for only the most charismatic players. However, it can’t be said that Maxim fully lived up to the high expectations set for him.One of Afinogenov’s most successful NHL seasons, when he set his career-high for goals (24), came just before his return to Russia, when he was still in his prime at 30 years old. In the KHL, Maxim signed a five-year contract with SKA, but after a strong first season, injuries began to plague him, leading to two disrupted seasons. In 2013, the player moved to Vityaz, where he spent five seasons as a team leader, showcasing his best qualities.June 13, 2013 Moves to Vityaz, where he will spend five seasons. Nov. 17, 2016 Skates in his 500th KHL game. May 1, 2018 Signs with Dynamo Moscow. Sep. 22, 2018 First KHL hat-trick at 39 years old. May 1, 2020 Leaves Dynamo Moscow and calls it a career.Afinogenov ended his career on a high note with his home team, Dynamo. However, at the start of the 2018-2019 campaign, Maxim suffered a severe injury that sidelined him for the remainder of the season. Despite this, he managed to score the first hat-trick of his career on Sept. 22 in a home game against Dinamo Minsk, netting three goals at the age of 39 years and 18 days. In the history of the KHL, only Oleg Petrov has recorded a hat-trick at an older age.In the following and final season of his career, Afinogenov helped his home team finish in the top four of the Western Conference during the regular season. As a result, the club earned bronze medals in the Russian Championship, as the Gagarin Cup was not awarded that year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.KHL.ru dossierMaxim AfinogenovBorn Sept. 4, 1979 in Moscow.Playing career: 1995-1999, 2004-2005, 2018-2020 – Dynamo Moscow, 1999-2004, 2005-2009 – Buffalo Sabres, 2009-2010 – Atlanta Thrashers, 2010-2013 – SKA, 2013-2018 – Vityaz.Honors: Olympic bronze medalist (2002), winner (2008), silver (2002, 2010) and bronze (2005) medalist at the World Championships, gold (2005), silver (1999) and bronze (2013, 2020) medalist at the Russian Championships, gold (1999) and silver (1998) medalist at the U20 WJC, European Junior Champion (1996).