Alexander Riazantsev

Alexander Vladimirovich Riazantsev (born March 15, 1980) is a Russian former professional ice hockey defenseman. He played several seasons in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) before retiring in 2015. He also played several years in the American Hockey League, after being selected by the Colorado Avalanche in the 1998 NHL entry draft, though did not play in the NHL. Internationally Riazantsev played for the Russian national team at the 2005 World Championship, winning a bronze medal.

Playing career Originally drafted by the Colorado Avalanche in 1998, Riazantsev spent parts of five seasons playing for the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League before returning to Russia in 2003, where he played until his retirement.

In January 2012, Riazantsev took a shot in a skills competition that measured a speed of 114.1 miles per hour. It is considered by KHL officials to be the hardest shot ever recorded. The National Hockey League does not recognize this feat, as the puck travels a shorter distance to the goal net in KHL competitions than in those of the NHL.

On May 5, 2012, Riazantsev joined his seventh club in just five seasons, signing a two-year contract as a free agent with the Severstal Cherepovets starting from the 2012–13 season. During the season, Riazantsev scored 9 goals from the Blueline and contributed with 20 points.

On June 11, 2013, Riazantsev was traded by Severstal to return to his original club, Spartak Moscow, in exchange for Nicholas Bushuev.

On October 4, 2014, Riazantsev continued his journeyman career when he was traded after only 8 games in the 2014–15 season with HC Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk to Amur Khabarovsk.

Career statistics Regular season and playoffs Regular season Playoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 1996–97 Spartak Moscow RSL 20 1 2 3 4 — — — — — 1996–97 SAK Moscow RUS.3 18 0 0 0 8 — — — — — 1997–98 Spartak–2 Moscow RUS.3 31 3 8 11 26 — — — — — 1997–98 Victoriaville Tigres QMJHL 22 6 9 15 14 4 0 0 0 0 1998–99 Victoriaville Tigres QMJHL 64 17 40 57 57 6 0 3 3 10 1998–99 Hershey Bears AHL 2 0 0 0 0 — — — — — 1999–2000 Victoriaville Tigres QMJHL 48 17 45 62 45 6 2 5 7 20 1999–2000 Hershey Bears AHL 2 0 1 1 2 6 1 1 2 0 2000–01 Hershey Bears AHL 66 5 18 23 26 11 0 0 0 2 2001–02 Hershey Bears AHL 76 5 18 23 28 5 0 1 1 4 2002–03 Hershey Bears AHL 57 5 10 15 65 — — — — — 2002–03 Milwaukee Admirals AHL 14 3 4 7 9 5 0 4 4 2 2003–04 Lokomotiv Yaroslavl RSL 40 3 8 11 58 — — — — — 2003–04 Lokomotiv–2 Yaroslavl RUS.3 1 0 0 0 0 — — — — — 2004–05 Lokomotiv Yaroslavl RSL 53 4 15 19 32 4 0 1 1 4 2005–06 Dynamo Moscow RSL 39 3 7 10 34 4 0 1 1 29 2006–07 SKA St. Petersburg RSL 53 6 10 16 20 3 0 0 0 0 2007–08 SKA St. Petersburg RSL 23 0 4 4 16 9 0 2 2 2 2007–08 SKA–2 St. Petersburg RUS.3 9 5 7 12 8 — — — — — 2008–09 SKA St. Petersburg KHL 3 0 0 0 4 — — — — — 2008–09 Avangard Omsk KHL 25 1 6 7 4 — — — — — 2008–09 Avangard–2 Omsk RUS.3 1 1 1 2 0 — — — — — 2009–10 Vityaz Chekhov KHL 43 9 12 21 20 — — — — — 2010–11 Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg KHL 31 15 5 20 51 — — — — — 2010–11 Salavat Yulaev Ufa KHL 3 1 0 1 2 1 0 0 0 0 2011–12 Traktor Chelyabinsk KHL 51 18 18 36 40 16 0 4 4 16 2012–13 Severstal Cherepovets KHL 48 9 13 22 32 9 2 0 2 20 2013–14 Spartak Moscow KHL 2 0 1 1 2 — — — — — 2013–14 Dynamo Moscow KHL 18 4 0 4 41 3 1 0 1 0 2013–14 Dynamo Balashikha VHL 2 0 0 0 0 — — — — — 2014–15 Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk KHL 8 1 1 2 6 — — — — — 2014–15 Amur Khabarovsk KHL 33 5 7 12 16 — — — — — RSL totals 229 17 46 63 164 20 0 4 4 35 AHL totals 217 18 52 70 130 27 1 6 7 8 KHL totals 265 63 61 124 218 29 3 4 7 36

International

Year Team Event Result GP G A Pts PIM 1998 Russia EJC 6 3 1 4 8 1999 Russia WJC 7 0 0 0 4 2000 Russia WJC 7 2 6 8 2 2005 Russia WC 9 0 3 3 0 Junior totals 20 5 7 12 14 Senior totals 9 0 3 3 0