Vadim Sharifijanov

Vadim Rimovich Sharifijanov (; born December 23, 1975) is a Russian former professional ice hockey right winger who spent parts of three seasons in the National Hockey League with the New Jersey Devils and the Vancouver Canucks.

Playing career Sharifijanov burst onto the international hockey scene in 1992, when he was named a tournament all-star after scoring 8 goals in 6 games at the European U18 Championships at the age of only 16. After two solid seasons with Salavat Yulaev Ufa of the Russian Super League, he was selected in the first round (25th overall) of the 1994 NHL entry draft by the New Jersey Devils. He spent one more year in Russia with HC CSKA Moscow before coming to North America, and also turned in a stellar performance at the 1995 World Junior Championships, recording 10 points in 7 games.

Sharifijanov joined the Albany River Rats, New Jersey's AHL affiliate, after the Russian season ended in 1995, and scored 2 points in his first North American professional game. However, his progress to the NHL would be slow in a deep New Jersey system, and his first three full seasons were spent almost entirely in Albany, appearing in only 2 NHL games during the 1996–97 campaign.

In 1998–99, Sharifijanov was promoted to the Devils and turned in a successful rookie season, recording 11 goals and 27 points in just 53 games.

However, in 1999–2000 his play fell off considerably. After scoring just 3 goals in 20 games for the Devils, and showing a marked drop-off in his defensive play, Sharifijanov was shipped to the Vancouver Canucks for a draft pick. In Vancouver, he made an instant impact, scoring a goal on his first shift as a Canuck, but it was all downhill from there as he quickly became a healthy scratch and earned a reputation for lazy play. He finished the season with just 5 goals and 10 points in 37 games, as well as a +/- rating of a dismal -13.

The 2000–01 season would prove no better, as Sharifijanov failed to crack the Canucks' roster out of training camp and was assigned to the Kansas City Blades of the International Hockey League, where he spent the entire season. Released by the Canucks, Sharifijanov returned to Russia. He would continue to struggle in Russia, however, and would suit up for 6 different Super League teams in the next three seasons without making any significant impact for any of them. After brief stints in France and Sweden, Sharifijanov signed on with Sputnik Nizhny Tagil of the Supreme Hockey League in 2005.

In 92 NHL games, Sharifijanov recorded 16 goals and 21 assists for 37 points, along with 50 penalty minutes. His sudden decline in ability while still a young player remains unexplained - at age 23, he was a key young player on an elite NHL team, and by the time he turned 26 he was already unable to hold down a regular job in the Russian Superleague.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs Regular seasonPlayoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 1990–91 Avangard Ufa URS.3 2 0 0 0 2 — — — — — 1991–92 Avangard Ufa CIS.3 17 1 1 2 8 — — — — — 1992–93 Salavat Yulaev Ufa IHL 37 6 4 10 16 2 1 0 1 0 1992–93 Novoil Ufa RUS.2 1 0 0 0 0 — — — — — 1993–94 Salavat Yulaev Ufa IHL 46 10 6 16 36 5 3 0 3 4 1994–95 CSKA Moscow IHL 34 7 3 10 26 2 0 0 0 0 1994–95 CSKA–2 Moscow RUS.2 1 1 1 2 0 — — — — — 1994–95 Albany River Rats AHL 1 1 1 2 0 9 3 3 6 10 1995–96 Albany River Rats AHL 69 14 28 42 28 — — — — — 1996–97 Albany River Rats AHL 70 14 27 41 89 10 3 3 6 6 1996–97 New Jersey Devils NHL 2 0 0 0 0 — — — — — 1997–98 Albany River Rats AHL 72 23 27 50 69 12 4 9 13 6 1998–99 New Jersey Devils NHL 53 11 16 27 28 4 0 0 0 0 1998–99 Albany River Rats AHL 2 1 1 2 0 — — — — — 1999–2000 New Jersey Devils NHL 20 3 4 7 8 — — — — — 1999–2000 Vancouver Canucks NHL 17 2 1 3 14 — — — — — 2000–01 Kansas City Blades IHL 70 20 43 63 48 — — — — — 2001–02 Lada Togliatti RSL 4 0 0 0 12 — — — — — 2001–02 Severstal–2 Cherepovets RUS.3 3 2 1 3 0 — — — — — 2001–02 Severstal Cherepovets RSL 25 9 3 12 2 2 0 0 0 6 2002–03 Spartak Moscow RSL 23 2 2 4 12 — — — — — 2002–03 Krylya Sovetov Moscow RSL 16 5 3 8 34 — — — — — 2003–04 Metallurg Novokuznetsk RSL 7 0 1 1 6 — — — — — 2003–04 SKA Saint Petersburg RSL 20 2 2 4 20 — — — — — 2003–04 SKA–2 Saint Petersburg RUS.3 7 3 10 13 8 — — — — — 2004–05 Arboga IK SWE.2 7 0 3 3 12 — — — — — 2004–05 Rapaces de Gap FRA 15 2 7 9 12 4 2 3 5 12 2005–06 Sputnik Nizhny Tagil RUS.2 47 8 15 23 78 5 0 1 1 2 2006–07 Sputnik Nizhny Tagil RUS.2 54 11 24 35 48 4 0 2 2 2 2007–08 Toros Neftekamsk RUS.2 45 12 23 35 30 4 2 0 2 2 2008–09 Toros Neftekamsk RUS.2 36 11 12 23 46 — — — — — 2009–10 Rys Mozhaisk RUS.2 23 4 10 14 22 — — — — — 2009–10 Yertis Pavlodar KAZ 9 0 2 2 4 — — — — — 2009–10 Kazzinc–Torpedo RUS.2 4 0 1 1 2 7 0 2 2 0 RUS totals 213 41 24 65 164 11 4 0 4 10 AHL totals 214 53 84 137 186 31 10 15 25 22 NHL totals 92 16 21 37 50 4 0 0 0 0

International Year Team Event GP G A Pts PIM 1992 Russia EJC 6 8 1 9 8 1993 Russia WJC 7 2 2 4 4 1993 Russia EJC 6 3 5 8 6 1994 Russia WJC 7 2 2 4 10 1995 Russia WJC 7 4 6 10 6 Junior totals 33 19 16 35 34