Mikhail Stefanovich

Mikhail Igoravich Stefanovich (; born 27 November 1989) is a Belarusian professional ice hockey player currently playing for Shakhter Soligorsk of the Belarusian Extraliga (BXL). He was drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the fourth round of the 2008 NHL entry draft, and was the 2nd overall pick in the 2009 KHL Junior Draft. He played 60 games in the Kontinental Hockey League with Dinamo Minsk between 2010 and 2020. Internationally Stefanovich has played for the Belarusian national team at five World Championships.

Playing career Stefanovich's career started out in his home country of Belarus, spending just over two seasons in Belarus' tier two hockey league – half a season with HC Dinamo-2 Minsk, and just over one and a half seasons with HC Homiel-2. After playing just three games with HC Homiel-2 in the 2006–07 tier two season, HC Homiel of the Belarusian Extraliga called him up. He finished the rest of the season with Homiel.

Following the season, Stefanovich was selected 54th overall in the 2007 CHL Import Draft by the Quebec Remparts. Upon arriving in Canada, Stefanovich made the Remparts roster. Halfway through his inaugural QMJHL season, Stefanovich was selected to play in the CHL Top Prospects Game and, following the conclusion of the season, received the Mike Bossy Trophy, which is awarded to the QMJHL player judged to be the best professional prospect.

On 1 June 2009, Stefanovich was selected second overall in the 2009 KHL Junior Draft by HC Dinamo Minsk. Two days later, on 3 June, he was signed to an entry-level contract by the Maple Leafs. On 19 September 2009, Stefanovich was assigned to the Toronto Marlies, the AHL affiliate of the Maple Leafs, and shortly after demoted back to junior.

On 15 September 2010, the Maple Leafs announced that Stefanovich would be part of the team's 63-player training camp roster, however, eight days later, the team assigned him to the Toronto Marlies. Stefanovich was named to the Marlies' opening day roster on 8 October, but was reassigned to the Reading Royals on 14 October 2010. On 18 October, Stefanovich was recalled to the Marlies. After playing only 2 games with the Marlies, he was again reassigned to the Royals on 22 November 2010. Stefanovich was loaned out to HC Dinamo Minsk of the KHL on 27 November 2010. On 13 January 2011, Stefanovich's NHL rights were traded by the Maple Leafs to the Dallas Stars for Fabian Brunnstrom.

During his second season in the Russian second-tier league, the VHL, with Dizel Penza, Stefanovich was provisionally suspended on 20 November for failing an anti-doping test. He played no further part in the season with Dizel and on 27 April 2015, was given a two-year ban backdated to 10 November, for the doping violation.

On 26 August 2015, he returned to North American and signed a one-year ECHL contract with the Rapid City Rush.

International play Stefanovich has played in the three World Juniors. He also participated at the 2010 IIHF World Championship as a member of the Belarus men's national ice hockey team.

Career statistics Regular season and playoffs Regular seasonPlayoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 2004–05 Dinamo Minsk-2 BEL-2 19 3 7 10 8 — — — — — 2004–05 HK Gomel-2 BEL-2 14 3 0 3 6 — — — — — 2005–06 HK Gomel-2 BEL-2 37 18 12 30 64 — — — — — 2006–07 HK Gomel BEL 41 16 9 25 43 5 1 0 1 2 2006–07 HK Gomel-2 BEL-2 3 3 1 4 4 — — — — — 2007–08 HK Gomel BEL 1 0 0 0 0 — — — — — 2007–08 Quebec Remparts QMJHL 62 32 34 66 32 11 4 4 8 10 2008–09 Quebec Remparts QMJHL 56 49 27 76 17 17 11 5 16 6 2009–10 Quebec Remparts QMJHL 53 25 43 68 24 8 3 9 12 0 2010–11 Reading Royals ECHL 4 3 2 5 2 — — — — — 2010–11 Toronto Marlies AHL 2 0 0 0 0 — — — — — 2010–11 Dinamo Minsk KHL 21 1 0 1 4 4 1 1 2 0 2011–12 Dinamo Minsk KHL 5 0 0 0 2 — — — — — 2011–12 HK Gomel BEL 39 25 20 45 40 8 6 1 7 31 2012–13 HK Gomel BEL 49 17 29 46 14 5 0 1 1 4 2013–14 Toros Neftekamsk VHL 14 3 2 5 4 — — — — — 2013–14 HC Lada Togliatti VHL 24 7 4 11 4 5 2 1 3 4 2014–15 Dizel Penza VHL 12 3 6 6 — — — — — 2015–16 Rapid City Rush ECHL 52 19 11 30 8 — — — — — 2016–17 Neman Grodno BEL 26 8 10 18 12 12 8 3 11 6 2017–18 Neman Grodno BEL 40 24 17 41 20 16 4 3 7 8 2018–19 Yunost Minsk BEL 56 32 25 57 22 13 7 3 10 10 2019–20 Dinamo Minsk KHL 34 5 3 8 13 — — — — — 2019–20 Yunost Minsk BEL 11 6 5 11 4 14 5 9 14 4 2020–21 Yunost Minsk BEL 46 22 13 35 8 12 4 8 12 12 2021–22 HC Donbass UKR 1 0 1 1 0 — — — — — 2021–22 Shakhter Soligorsk BEL 36 17 12 29 13 11 5 5 10 6 2022–23 Shakhter Soligorsk BEL 51 25 32 57 35 10 0 3 3 2 KHL totals 60 6 3 9 19 4 1 1 2 0 BEL totals 395 192 172 364 211 106 40 37 77 83

International Year Team Event GP G A Pts PIM 2006 Belarus WJC18 6 2 4 6 24 2007 Belarus WJC18-D1 5 9 3 12 16 2007 Belarus WJC 6 4 1 5 8 2008 Belarus WJC 5 3 1 4 2 2009 Belarus WJC 5 4 2 6 4 2009 Belarus WC 4 0 0 0 0 2010 Belarus WC 6 2 0 2 2 2013 Belarus WC 6 0 0 0 2 2017 Belarus WC 7 0 4 4 0 2021 Belarus WC 7 2 1 3 4 Junior totals 27 22 11 33 54 Senior totals 30 4 5 9 8

Awards QMJHL Rookie Player of the Month (September 2007) RDS Rookie Excellence Award (QMJHL) (Mid-season) (2007–08) Mike Bossy Trophy – 2007–08 (Top QMJHL Professional Prospect)