Ilya Mikheyev

Ilya Andreyevich Mikheyev (; born 10 October 1994) is a Russian professional ice hockey right winger for the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League (NHL). He has previously played with the Toronto Maple Leafs and Vancouver Canucks of the NHL and Avangard Omsk of the Kontinental Hockey League.

Early life

Mikheyev was born in Omsk, Russia, in southwestern Siberia, to parents Andrey and Natalya. Andrey is a lawyer and law-school lecturer while Natalya is a director in a private company. Mikheyev has an undergraduate degree in sports tourism and a master's degree in sports science.

Playing career

Russia

Mikheyev started his career in the school of Avangard Omsk. In 2012 he started playing in the youth team Omskie Yastreby in the MHL. In 2013, returned to Omskie Yastreby and finished fifth in league scoring. He he won the Kharlamov Cup with his team. In the 2013–14 season he started playing for Yermak Angarsk, the farm team of Avangard in the VHL. With Yermak Angarsk, he won the Nadezhda Cup. Over the next seasons, he also played for Sokol Krasnoyarsk and Saryarka Karagandy, that time farm teams of Avangard, in the VHL. In the 2015–16 season he started playing for Avangard in the Kontinental Hockey League. He established himself quickly in the team. The 2017–18 season he finished as the top scorer of Avangard with 38 points.

In 62 games during the 2018–19 season, Mikheyev recorded 23 goals and 22 assists for 45 points to again finish as the club's top point scorer. In the post-season, he helped Avangard reach the Gagarin Cup finals recording 11 points in 13 games. He was named a 2018–19 KHL First Team All-Star.

North America

On 6 May 2019, Mikheyev signed a one-year, entry-level contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League (NHL). On 2 October 2019, during the Maple Leafs' home opener, Mikheyev scored his first NHL goal and added an assist in a 5–3 victory over the Ottawa Senators. After his debut, he made a passing comment about how he loved soup, which eventually led to a partnership with the Campbell Soup Company. In an away game against the New Jersey Devils on 27 December, Devils forward Jesper Bratt fell, causing his skate blade to cut Mikheyev's wrist. Mikheyev suffered a laceration on his wrist and was removed from the game. He immediately underwent surgery at University Hospital in Newark to repair an artery and tendons in his wrist. Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas and assistant athletic trainer Jon Geller cleared their schedules so Mikheyev would have familiar people around in the three days between his surgery and flying back to Toronto. Mikheyev did not return for the remainder of the regular season, which was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but was able to return for the playoffs. He went pointless in five games as the Leafs fell to the Columbus Blue Jackets in the first round.

On 20 October 2020, Mikheyev signed a 2-year, $3.29 million contract with the Maple Leafs, avoiding his salary arbitration hearing which had been set for the following day. It was also reported that Mikheyev willingly reduced his salary after a request from Leafs general manager Dubas, to ensure the team would remain under the salary cap. During the 2020–21 season, Mikheyev played primarily on the team's third line in a checking forward situation. In the following playoffs against the Montreal Canadiens he was again held scoreless, increasing his total to 12 playoff games without a single point. It was reported he requested a trade following the season due to a lack of playing time and usage but was denied by Leafs management. In his final season with the Maple Leafs, he established career highs in goals (21) and points (32) in 53 games. He also appeared in all seven of the Maple Leafs' playoff games scoring two goals and four points.

On 13 July 2022, Mikheyev left the Maple Leafs in free agency and signed a four-year, $19 million contract with the Vancouver Canucks. In his first pre-season game with the Canucks on 25 September during the 2022 training camp, Mikheyev tore his anterior cruciate ligament. He missed the rest of pre-season and made his debut during the Canucks fourth game of the year against the Columbus Blue Jackets on 18 October. After 43 games, the Canucks shut Mikheyev down in January 2023 and he underwent surgery to repair the injury. Mikheyev scored 13 goals and 28 points. Mikheyev missed the remainder of the 2022–23 season.

During the 2023–24 season, Mikheyev scored 11 goals and 31 points in 78 regular season games. Shortly after the season's conclusion, on June 26, 2024, the Canucks traded Mikheyev, Sam Lafferty, and a 2027 second round pick to the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for a fourth round pick in 2027.

International play

In 2017, Mikheyev played for Team Russia at the 2017 Deutschland Cup. He was later added to make his full international debut for Russia at the 2018 World Championships in Denmark.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

International

References

External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Mikheyev, Ilya
1994 births
Living people
Avangard Omsk players
Chicago Blackhawks players
Ice hockey people from Omsk
Omskie Yastreby players
Russian expatriate ice hockey players in Canada
Russian ice hockey forwards
Saryarka Karagandy players
Sokol Krasnoyarsk players
Toronto Maple Leafs players
Undrafted National Hockey League players
Vancouver Canucks players
Yermak Angarsk players