Alexei Yashin

Template:Use dmy dates Template:Short description Template:Family name hatnote Template:Infobox ice hockey player Alexei Valeryevich Yashin (Template:Langx; born 5 November 1973) is a Russian former professional ice hockey centre who played 12 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Ottawa Senators and New York Islanders, serving as captain of both teams. He also played nine seasons in the Russian Superleague (RSL) and Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) for Dynamo Moscow, CSKA Moscow, Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, and SKA Saint Petersburg. He was inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame in 2020. He was named the most valuable player of the RSL in 2008 and has won two gold medals, one silver, and two bronze medals in international play.

Playing career

Russia

Yashin began his professional career playing for Avtomobilist Sverdlovsk in the Soviet Union in the 1990–91 season before joining Dynamo Moscow of the Soviet Championship League for the 1991–92 season on a three-year contract.<ref name="hockeydb">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In 28 games with Dynamo, he scored seven goals and three assists for ten points.<ref name="hockeydb"/> He was heralded as one of the top European prospects ahead of the National Hockey League (NHL)'s entry draft, ranked second among skaters by the NHL's Central Scouting Bureau.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He returned to Dynamo for the 1992–93 season, recording ten goals and 22 points in 27 games.<ref name="hockeydb"/>

Ottawa Senators (1993–2001)

Going into the 1992 NHL entry draft, the consensus was that the Tampa Bay Lightning, with the first overall selection, would select another player and that Roman Hamrlík would be available when the Ottawa Senators selected second. However, the Lightning selected Hamrlík, and the Senators turned to Yashin as their backup plan.Template:Sfn Still under contract in Russia, it was only at the beginning of April 1993 did the Senators seek to get Yashin signed and travelled to Europe to negotiate with him. They reached a tentative agreement that month.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> However, in order to facilitate the signing, Ottawa was rumoured to have paid a $500,000 release fee to Dynamo Moscow in order to acquire the player.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The deal was reportedly for five years and $2.2 million.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Yashin arrived in Ottawa for the 1993–94 season, along with Ottawa's other highly touted first overall draft selection, Alexandre Daigle. He made his debut in the Senators season opener on 16 October, a 5–5 tie with the Quebec Nordiques and recorded his first NHL point, assisting on Bob Kudelski's second period goal.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He marked his first NHL goal in his third game, a 5–4 loss to the Florida Panthers on 14 October.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On 3 November, he recorded five points in a game, including his first hat trick, in a 7–5 victory over the Edmonton Oilers.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The next night, he recorded four assists in a 7–6 overtime win over the Winnipeg Jets.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Yashin soon eclipsed Daigle as the team's brightest young star and after Ottawa's representative to the NHL All-Star Game was traded to Florida, Yashin was selected as his replacement.<ref name="1994asg">Template:Cite web</ref> He was the only rookie at the All-Star Game, but stood out, scoring two goals including the game winner for the Eastern Conference.<ref name="1994asg"/>Template:Sfn On 24 February he recorded three assists in a 6–4 victory over the San Jose Sharks.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He had another three-point night on 23 March, marking one goal (the game winner) and two assists in a 5–4 comeback win over the Detroit Red Wings.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In April, he had a four-point night on 6 April with one goal and three assists in a 6–5 win over the Washington Capitals and the next night, a three-point game with one goal and three assists in a 5–4 loss to the Boston Bruins.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 83 games with Ottawa, he scored 30 goals and 79 points, finishing second in rookie scoring.<ref name="hockeydb"/>Template:Sfn During the season, he scored or assisted on almost a third of all of Ottawa's goals, earning him a nomination for the Calder Memorial Trophy.Template:Sfn<ref name="voters">Template:Cite news</ref> However, Yashin was not among the three finalists for the award, and his omission caused some shock among the Senators organization, as he had widely been tapped to be one of them.<ref name="voters"/> He finished fourth in voting.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Contract disputes

Off the ice, Yashin's time in Ottawa was tumultuous. Senators' management initially viewed Daigle, who had been selected first overall in the 1993 NHL entry draft, as the franchise's cornerstone player. While they hesitated in offering Yashin a five-year, $4 million contract, they signed Daigle to one of the largest rookie contracts in history and touted him over Yashin for the Calder Memorial Trophy at the conclusion of the 1993–94 season.<ref name="sicnn">Template:Cite magazine</ref> Yashin began making demands to re-negotiate his contract in June 1994, threatening to hold out, later demanding a trade.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> However, before he could complete his threat, the NHL locked out the players in a labour action, causing a delay to the start of the 1994–95 season. The lockout lasted until January 1995.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Yashin became the first NHL player to swap leagues during the lockout, signing with the Las Vegas Thunder of the International Hockey League (IHL) in October.Template:Sfn<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Yashin was criticized by the National Hockey League Players' Association (NHLPA) representative Steve Chiasson, claiming that signing in the IHL took away jobs from other hockey players.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> This was exemplified by Ottawa's newest first overall draft pick from the 1994 NHL entry draft, Radek Bonk, who was also in a contract stalemate with the team, and was contracted to Las Vegas. Bonk, who had starred with Las Vegas the prior season, saw his ice time decline as he was replaced by Yashin on the power play and his production plummeted, with many Ottawa fans now seeing Bonk as a bust.Template:Sfn After Yashin and Kevin Dineen signed with IHL teams during the lockout, the IHL commissioner, Bob Ufer, prevented any further signings of NHL players within the league.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> While with Las Vegas, Yashin underwent surgery for a hernia, missing three weeks.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In 24 games with the Thunder, Yashin scored 15 goals and 35 points.<ref name="hockeydb"/> Once the lockout ended in January 1995, Yashin was informed he was no longer eligible to play in the IHL.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He continued to hold out and was suspended by Ottawa without pay until he returned to the team.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He finally agreed to return to the Senators on 21 January after arriving at an agreement concerning bonuses with management.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He recorded his first three-point game of the season on 2 February, tallying one goal and two assists in a 6–4 loss to the Boston Bruins.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The game after he had been benched for indifferent play by his coach, Rick Bowness, Yashin recorded a hat trick in a 5–5 tie with the Washington Capitals on 23 February.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> After Daigle was moved to join Yashin's line alongside Rob Gaudreau, the three began scoring at a heightened pace, with Yashin adding three assists in a 11–4 thumping by the Quebec Nordiques on 26 March. The line registered eight points in the game and scored 75 percent of the team's goals, but their defensive capabilities were limited, as they were on the ice for three of the New Jersey Devils' goals in a 4–2 loss on 29 March.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He finished the season with 21 goals and 44 points in 47 games.<ref name="hockeydb"/>

The contract dispute between Ottawa and Yashin began again in June 1995, when Yashin demanded a trade after the team refused to renegotiate his deal and what he considered the team's poor response after his father was injured in a car accident.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Senators' owner Rod Bryden refused to give in to his demands and threatened to send Yashin to the Thunder Bay Senators of the Colonial Hockey League. Rumours of a possible move to the New York Islanders also began that offseason.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> A trade was nearly completed with the Detroit Red Wings where Yashin would have been exchanged for star centre Steve Yzerman.Template:Sfn The Senators' director of player personnel John Ferguson made public remarks in support of keeping Yashin in August which were criticized by the team's general manager Randy Sexton, leading to Ferguson's departure a week later.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He refused to honour his contract at the onset of the 1995–96 season, unless the terms were renegotiated to make him the team's highest-paid player. Some commentators sympathized with Yashin's position in the initial disputes, as Daigle had struggled to live up to his billing while Yashin's offensive numbers exceeded Daigle's in every season they played together.<ref name="sicnn"/> Yashin returned to Russia in October, where he joined CSKA Moscow ("Central Red Army") and played two games in contravention of international agreements. CSKA Moscow, the Ice Hockey Federation of Russia, and the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) then had a nine-hour meeting that resulted in a public declaration that Yashin and CSKA Moscow had broken the agreements and that Yashin was ineligible to play with them, on threat of international sanctions.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> After appearing in a further two games CSKA Moscow bowed to international pressure after threats of expulsion from the Russian leagues and international bans for all of their players and Yashin was removed from the roster.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In the four games in Russia, he scored two goals and four points.<ref name="hockeydb"/>

On 11 December Sexton was fired as general manager, and his replacement, Pierre Gauthier, stated his first job was to get Yashin back with the team.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> On 30 December, the Senators signed Yashin to a five-year deal, $13 million deal.Template:Sfn<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Yashin made his 1995–96 season debut on 31 December in a 3–0 shutout loss to the Tampa Bay Lighting.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He recorded a three-point night on 29 January 1996, marking a goal and two assists in a 4–2 victory over the St. Louis Blues.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In the next match against St. Louis on 20 February, he netted a hat trick and five points in a 7–1 win, which also marked the first match of the Senators' new head coach, Jacques Martin.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In 46 games, Yashin scored 15 goals and 39 points.<ref name="hockeydb"/>

Playoffs bound

During the 1996 offseason, the Senators underwent a major overhaul and by the start of training camp, only 18 of the 50 players who had been on the roster to start the 1995–96 season remained.Template:Sfn Yashin entered the 1996–97 season without a contract squabble for the first time in three years. In their first full season in the new arena, the Palladium, Yashin centered the first line with the 1996 Calder Trophy winner Daniel Alfredsson and Shawn McEachern.Template:Sfn<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The Senators played well to start the season and on 19 and 24 October Yashin recorded two goals and an assist in wins over the Montreal Canadiens and Tampa Bay Lightning.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> However, a quarter of the way through the season, Yashin went through a scoring slump and the Senators fell out of a playoff position in the standings.Template:Sfn It was not until 26 December that Yashin recorded another three-point outing, scoring two goals and an assist in a 5–2 victory over the New York Rangers, after Sergei Zholtok replaced McEachern on the top line.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He tallied a three-point night on 11 January 1997, participating in all three of Ottawa's goals in a 3–3 tie with the Pittsburgh Penguins, scoring once and assisting on the two others.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> On 3 and 18 February and 22 and 29 March, Yashin marked three-point nights in wins over the Vancouver Canucks, Washington Capitals, Boston Bruins, and Montreal Canadiens.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Senators made the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time in 1997 in the final game of the season. Facing the Buffalo Sabres and Dominik Hašek, considered one of the best goaltenders in the league, the game remained tied at zero late in the third period when Yashin found Steve Duchesne who sent a shot past Hašek to score the game winning goal.Template:Sfn Yashin recorded 35 goals and 76 points in 82 games during the regular season.<ref name="hockeydb"/> The Senators faced the Sabres in the first round in a best-of-seven series, and Yashin recorded his first NHL playoff goal on 21 April in a 3–2 loss.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Senators pushed the Sabres to overtime in game seven, but ultimately lost.Template:Sfn Yashin tallied the one goal and six points in the seven games.<ref name="hockeydb"/>

Yashin began the 1997–98 season with a new linemate, as Alfredsson was a contract holdout. Alfredsson was replaced by rookie Marián Hossa<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and Yashin marked two three-point games to start the season, one on 12 October in a 7–4 loss to the Los Angeles Kings and the other in a 6–2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs on 22 October.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On 10 January 1998, he recorded his fourth career hat trick, scoring all of the team's goals in a 3–3 tie with the Colorado Avalanche.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He recorded three more three-point games the rest of the season, on 5 March against Colorado, 11 March against the Florida Panthers, and the Buffalo Sabres on 11 April.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Yashin finished the regular season with 33 goals and 72 points in 82 games.<ref name="hockeydb"/>

In March 1998, Yashin initially pledged to give $1 million to the National Arts Centre (NAC) in Ottawa, then the NAC's largest ever donation.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>Template:Sfn The Senators had earlier collaborated with the NAC to produce the 1998–99 season program titled "Symphony on Ice", which featured Senators head coach Jacques Martin on the front cover wearing a tuxedo and waving a conductor's baton, while NAC music director Pinchas Zukerman was shown in the Senators' locker room with a #00 Senators jersey.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> When the NAC learned that one of the conditions of this donation was for them to pay Yashin's parents $425,000 in consulting fees for "loosely defined" services, they balked and Yashin cancelled the donation in January 1999. The failed arrangement was a public relations disaster for Yashin and his family, and served to further damage Yashin's already strained relationship with the Ottawa public.Template:Sfn

The Senators qualified for the 1998 playoffs, and faced the New Jersey Devils in the first round. Yashin scored a key overtime goal that helped the Senators win their first ever playoff series, and along with Alfredsson and goaltender Damian Rhodes, was instrumental in knocking off the first place Devils.Template:Sfn<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> However, in the second round against the Washington Capitals, Yashin was shut down by Esa Tikkanen, who held him to one goal and two points in the series, as the Senators were eliminated.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In 11 playoff games, he scored five goals and eight points.<ref name="hockeydb"/>

In the offseason, general manager Pierre Gauthier resigned his position and was replaced by Rick Dudley.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Yashin was named team captain ahead of the 1998–99 season.Template:Sfn He recorded three-point nights in wins on 26 November and 8 December.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On 18 December, Yashin marked five points, taking part in all of the Senators' goals in a 5–1 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Yashin and teammate Ron Tugnutt were selected to represent Ottawa at the All-Star Game in January 1999, with Yashin playing for the World Team, marking the first time the Senators had more than one player attend the game.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He followed his All-Star appearance up with three-point games on 30 January and 15 February.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On 4 March, he recorded a hat trick and four points in a 5–0 shutout win over the Philadelphia Flyers.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He marked another three-point game on 8 March, and then two more four-point games on 27 March and 3 April.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He finished the season recording 44 goals and 94 points, tied for second in the league in goal scoring with Jaromír Jágr.<ref name="hockeydb"/>Template:Sfn At the conclusion of the season, Yashin was at the pinnacle of his career as the runner-up for the Hart Memorial Trophy for the NHL's most valuable player, and named an NHL Second Team All-Star.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn Yashin's regular season success did not carry over into the 1999 playoffs, and the Senators were swept in the first round by the Buffalo Sabres. Yashin, as the team's captain was expected to be among the team's best players, but went scoreless in the series.Template:Sfn Dudley tried to protect his player by claiming that Yashin was only stopped by the league's best goaltender (Dominik Hašek), but fans and journalists had begun to label him as the "invisible man" for his lack of effort in the playoffs.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn

Contract disputes again

In the 1999 offseason, the Senators general manager, Rick Dudley, left the team to join the Tampa Bay Lightning organization and Marshall Johnston was hired as his replacement.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> That summer Yashin's relationship with the Senators reached a new low and he demanded a pay raise threatening not to honour the final year of his contract.Template:Sfn When the Senators refused, Yashin demanded a trade on the advice of his agent, Mark Gandler. This was the third time that Yashin demanded a new contract during his five years with the team.Template:Sfn Yashin, his agent, and the team, all negotiated through the media, throwing around accusations and ultimatums.Template:Sfn Johnston refused to trade Yashin, instead stripping him of his captaincy and issuing it to Daniel Alfredsson.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> When Yashin still refused to report, the Senators suspended him for the remainder of the 1999–2000 season on 10 November, with the full support of the NHL.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The team, through the NHL, sought punitive damages in court. Yashin was also sued by a fan of the Senators, with the lawsuit later being dismissed.Template:Sfn After the season, an NHL arbitrator refused to grant Yashin the free agent status he claimed to have earned, instead tolling his contract for another season on the grounds that Yashin owed the Senators the final year of his contract if he ever returned to the NHL.Template:Sfn Despite the Senators arbitration victory, the team's owner, Rod Bryden, sued Yashin for damages. The lawsuit was eventually dropped.Template:Sfn

Yashin returned to the Senators for the 2000–01 season. He was jeered by the crowd in nearly every NHL arena, especially in Ottawa, and had to fight Florida Panthers' defenceman Todd Simpson on 18 November, who went at Yashin to show him that other players were not happy with his actions.Template:Sfn On 21 October 2000, Yashin recorded four assists in a 6–6 tie with the Atlanta Thrashers, and three assists in a 5–3 victory over Philadelphia on 2 December.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He recorded his sixth career hat trick on 6 January 2001 in a 4–3 win over the Montreal Canadiens.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He notched one more three-point game that season on 1 March in an 8–4 victory over the San Jose Sharks.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He finished the season with 40 goals and 88 points in 82 games.<ref name="hockeydb"/> The Senators made the playoffs after finishing second in the Eastern Conference and faced the Toronto Maple Leafs in their first-round match up.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> However, once again Yashin disappeared in the playoffs, recording only one assist as the Senators were swept in four games by the Maple Leafs.Template:Sfn

New York Islanders (2001–2007)

Yashin playing for the New York Islanders

In the 2001 offseason, the New York Islanders were looking to upgrade their first line centre position and had four choices, with the Islanders general manager Mike Milbury choosing to go for one of the two available on the trade market, rather than sign one of the two available as free agents. Yashin and Jason Allison of the Boston Bruins were the trade targets, and Milbury chose to go with Yashin after the Bruins asked for too much in return for Allison.Template:Sfn On the day of the 2001 NHL entry draft, Yashin was traded to the New York Islanders in exchange for defenceman Zdeno Chára, forward Bill Muckalt and the second overall pick, which the Senators used to select highly touted centre Jason Spezza.<ref name="Trade">Template:Cite news</ref> Milbury promptly re-signed Yashin to a ten-year, $87.5 million contract. Although his contract was reduced by 24% due to the new NHL Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) signed in 2005, Yashin was widely considered to be grossly overpaid and virtually untradeable.<ref name="Untradeable">Template:Cite web</ref>

Yashin made his debut in the 2001–02 season opener on 5 October, a 3–2 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Operating on the first line, flanked by Brad Isbister and Mariusz Czerkawski, in the next game the following day, Yashin recorded his first goal with the Islanders in a 3–0 shutout win over the Florida Panthers.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The Islanders started hot to start the season, playing well through October.<ref name="maven">Template:Cite web</ref> He marked three-point games on 13 October, 27 November, and 7 December.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On 12 January 2002, he tallied four assists in a 5–4 victory over the Boston Bruins<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and then registered his first hat trick with the Islanders in a spirited 6–3 win over their crosstown rivals, the New York Rangers, on 30 January.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He was named to the World Team at the 2002 All-Star Game in February.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In his first game back with the Islanders following the All-Star break, he marked three points in a 6–6 tie with the Florida Panthers on 4 February.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He finished the season with 32 goals and 75 points in 78 games.<ref name="hockeydb"/> Yashin's play was generally praised in 2001–02, as he carried the team's offence for stretches during the season.<ref name="maven"/> He helped his new team make the playoffs for the first time in eight years in 2002, though the Islanders were still unable to advance beyond the first round. The Isles lost to the Toronto Maple Leafs in a hard-fought seven game series.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Yashin registered three goals and seven points in the seven games.<ref name="hockeydb"/>

In June 2002, Czerkawski was traded to Montreal and Oleg Kvasha was slotted in on Yashin's line as his permanent replacement for the beginning of the 2002–03 season, having found some success on Yashin's wing the previous season.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>Template:Sfn Yashin recorded three-point games on 24 October and 23 November.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Islanders started off poorly and required interventions by general manager Milbury and head coach Peter Laviolette to correct the team's course.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> However, the line did not work well, and the Islanders' moved other players onto it, including Mattias Weinhandl, Shawn Bates, and Mark Parrish.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Yashin marked a three-point game on 3 January 2003.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> However, as the season wore on his scoring dried up and commentary about his work ethic began to appear again.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> However, as the trade deadline passed, the Islanders still sought someone who could play permanently on Yashin's wing unsuccessfully and even traded Isbister away.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> After Isbister's departure, Aaron Asham was the next forward promoted to Yashin's line.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> On 20 March, Yashin tied his career high in points in a game, scoring two goals and recording five points in a 6–3 victory over the Montreal Canadiens.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He then marked his first career four-goal game in a 9–2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks on 25 March.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He finished the regular season with 26 goals and 65 points in 81 games.<ref name="hockeydb"/> The Islanders qualified for the 2003 playoffs and faced Yashin's former team, the Ottawa Senators, in the first round. Yashin was excellent in the opening game of the series, a 3–0 victory.Template:Sfn<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> However, despite Yashin's play, the Islanders were no match for the Senators and Ottawa won the next four games to eliminate New York.Template:Sfn Yashin finished with two goals and four points in the five games.<ref name="hockeydb"/>

Yashin and the Islanders faced criticism after their abrupt exit in the playoffs, and head coach Laviolette was fired as a result. A scoring winger to play alongside Yashin was identified as a major need by the franchise ahead of the 2003–04 season.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The only forward that fit that description the Islanders were able to acquire was Czerkawski, who they had traded away the season before, and he was returned to Yashin's line in training camp along with Kvasha by new head coach Steve Stirling.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Yashin notched a three-point game (all assists) on 25 October in a 7–3 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> By November, the Islanders' play failed to excite the crowds and attendance began dropping. Islanders' owner Charles Wang had accrued $20 million in losses on the team the season prior and the team's ineffectiveness led many to believe that he would endure another season of losses. This led to rumours that nearly the entire team was available for trade, except for Yashin, whose play under Stirling had improved over the prior season and was the team's lone bright spot.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> By the end of the month, even Yashin had gone into a scoring drought and the team lost five games in a row.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The losing streak stretched to seven before the Islanders turned their play around. Yashin was tied with Czerkawski for the team lead in points when on 23 December, Yashin's right forearm was accidentally cut by a skate blade, which severed tendons and required immediate surgery. He was expected to miss three months for recovery.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He returned to the lineup on 9 March 2004 in a 3–2 overtime loss to the St. Louis Blues, playing sparingly.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He marked a three-point game on 2 April in a 6—4 win over the Carolina Hurricanes, scoring one goal and assisting on two others.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The victory ensured the Islanders qualified for the playoffs.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Yashin finished the regular season with 15 goals and 34 points in 47 games.<ref name="hockeydb"/> The Islanders faced the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round, but were no match for Martin St. Louis and Nikolai Khabibulin as New York was eliminated in five games.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Yashin recorded one assist in the series.<ref name="hockeydb"/>

2004–05 lockout and Russia

Ahead of the 2004–05 NHL season, the players were locked out by the owners and the season was eventually cancelled on 16 February 2005.<ref name="lockout">Template:Cite magazine</ref> During negotiations, large NHL contracts, such as the one Yashin had signed, were targeted for reductions.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Just ahead of the cancellation, Yashin signed a short-term deal with Lokomotiv Yaroslavl of the Russian SuperLeague in February which included an out clause for the NHL if play returned.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Yashin appeared in ten regular season games for Lokomotiv, scoring three goals and six points.<ref name="hockeydb"/> Lokomotiv qualified for the playoffs, knocking off the powerhouse Ak Bars Kazan in the first round, before ultimately being eliminated and winning the bronze medal.<ref name="khlyashin">Template:Cite web</ref> In nine playoff games, Yashin scored three goals and ten points.<ref name="hockeydb"/>

Return to NHL

The lockout ended on 21 July 2005 and one of the new regulations that was implemented prevented players from holding out mid-contract, a direct result of Yashin's behaviour earlier in his career.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Prior to the 2005–06 season, the Islanders lost several key players to free agency or retirement and significantly retooled their roster. Captain Michael Peca was traded to free up room to sign free agents such as high-scoring wing Miroslav Šatan<ref name="PecaTrade">Template:Cite web</ref> and Yashin became team captain.<ref name="Bio">Template:Cite web</ref> Šatan was the scoring winger the franchise had sought to pair with Yashin and along with rookie Robert Nilsson, formed the team's top line.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Yashin recorded two goals and three points on 25 October against the Atlanta Thrashers and then one goal and three points on 29 October against the Buffalo Sabres.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> However, Nilsson's time on the top line was short-lived, as Asham and Kvasha both saw time, with Kvasha even taking Yashin's spot at centre and Yashin lining up on the left.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Yashin's play once again became uninspired and he was benched by Stirling in consecutive games in early January 2006.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Stirling lasted until 13 January when he was fired and replaced in the interim by Brad Shaw.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Shaw immediately moved Šatan off Yashin's line and the Islanders won their game that night 3–2 over the Calgary Flames.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Yashin recorded his 400th career assist in a 4–3 shootout victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins on 26 January.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Šatan's season improved after being moved off Yashin's line and Kvasha was traded away at the trade deadline.<ref name="hahnapr2006">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="leafs">Template:Cite news</ref> Other players, such as Jeff Tambellini and Sean Bergenheim, ended up on his line.<ref name="leafs"/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Yashin recorded a three-point game on 14 March, and then again on 25 March, and a two-goal, four-point night on 8 April.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Despite tying the team lead for scoring with 28 goals and 66 points, Yashin was met my boos from the fans.<ref name="hockeydb"/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> After the season ended with the Islanders out of the playoffs for the first time since his arrival, Yashin acknowledged that he needed to score more. There was also speculation that the Islanders would buy out his contract and rebuild in a different image, but the team decided to retain him.<ref name="hahnapr2006"/>

An October 2006 article in Newsday suggested that Yashin must "make a difference" in 2006–07 or he will be bought out at the end of the season.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> New head coach, Ted Nolan, began the season playing Yashin on the right wing, with Mike Sillinger at centre and Viktor Kozlov on the opposite side.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> That did not last long and early in the season, Yashin was back centreing his own line, with Kozlov and Andy Hilbert flanking him.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> On 19 October, he recorded a three-point game followed up by a four-point effort on 21 October and another three-point match on 2 November.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> By the 20-game mark, Yashin was earning praise in the local media for the first time in recent memory, and his point totals were among the league leaders.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Jason Blake was placed on Yashin's line and went on a scoring tear. However, on 25 November, Yashin suffered a knee sprain after taking a knee-to-knee hit.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He initially returned after a few weeks, but his effectiveness was reduced, and the team revealed that the knee was not 100%. Early in February, Nolan decided to rest Yashin until his knee was completely healthy, which prompted questions about whether the team still had faith in Yashin and whether the re-injury was legitimate or a pretext for benching him.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He returned full time after missing 16 games on 8 March 2007.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> However, Nolan found his immediate play poor and Yashin was demoted to the fourth line.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He recorded 13 points (five goals and eight assists) in 16 games which helped the Islanders clinch the eighth and final playoff berth in the Eastern Conference. In the first round series against the Buffalo Sabres, Yashin registered no points in five games and at times was demoted to the fourth line by Nolan.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Islanders decided to buy-out the remainder of Yashin's contract in June 2007, according to a report in Newsday.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The contract was bought-out for $17.63 million, or two-thirds of the amount left on the contract, to be paid out over eight years at a rate of $2.2 million per year.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Return to Russia (2007–2012)

Perhaps surprisingly, Yashin's agent, Mark Gandler, claimed that Yashin was keen on a return to Ottawa once his contract had been bought-out by the Islanders. "It's a new chapter and we'll be calling Ottawa for sure," Gandler was quoted in the Ottawa Sun as saying, adding, "He'd love to return to Ottawa, in fact."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> However, the Senators showed little to no interest in bringing Yashin back into the fold, and Gandler was subsequently "not happy with" contract offers from various NHL teams, resulting in threats of his client returning to Russia to resume his hockey career.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On 20 July 2007, Yashin signed a one-year contract with Lokomotiv Yaroslavl of the Russian Superleague (RSL).<ref name="Lokomotiv">Template:Cite web</ref> In the 2007–08 season Lokomotiv advanced to the league playoff final facing the regular season leaders, Salavat Yulaev Ufa, where they lost.<ref name="khlyashin"/> In 56 games, Yashin scored 16 goals and 43 points, leading his team in scoring and in 16 playoff games, recorded eight goals and 14 points, leading his team in playoff scoring. He was awarded the Russian SuperLeague's Most Valuable Player Award in 2008.<ref name="hockeydb"/><ref name="khlyashin"/>

Ahead of the 2008–09 season, the RSL was replaced by the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) as Russia's premiere hockey league. He made his KHL debut on 2 September 2008 against Salavat Yulaev Ufa and marked his first KHL goal on 6 September against Metallurg Magnitogorsk. As one the league's biggest stars, Yashin headlined his own all-star team at the league's inaugural all-star game, facing off against Jaromír Jágr's team. Lokomotiv advanced to the Gagarin Cup final against Ak Bars, losing in the final game.<ref name="khlyashin"/> Yashin again led Lokomotiv in both regular season scoring with 21 goals and 47 points in 56 games and in the playoffs, with seven goals and 18 points in 19 games.<ref name="hockeydb"/><ref name="khlyashin"/> On 29 May 2009, Yashin officially signed with SKA Saint Petersburg of the KHL.<ref name="khlyashin"/> Playing on a line with Maxim Sushinsky and Petr Cajanek, he recorded 18 goals and 64 points in 56 games in the 2009–10 season.<ref name="hockeydb"/><ref name="khlyashin"/> However, in the playoffs, St. Petersburg faltered and were knocked out in the first round.<ref name="khlyashin"/> Yashin scored two goals and three points in the four games.<ref name="hockeydb"/> The following season in 2010–11, the line was broken up and Yashin's production dipped, scoring 15 goals and 33 points.<ref name="hockeydb"/><ref name="khlyashin"/> Yashin, along with Maxim Afinogenov, led St. Petersburg to a Spengler Cup victory over Canada on 31 December 2010.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> There were some distractions during the season, as Yashin became embroiled in a contract dispute of his St. Petersburg teammate Evgeni Nabokov and his former NHL team, the New York Islanders. Yashin advised the Islanders to claim Nabokov off waivers from the Detroit Red Wings, but Nabokov refused to report to New York and instead joined Yashin in Russia to start the season.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> However, SKA's playoff ambitions were ended early, as the team was eliminated in the second round.<ref name="khlyashin"/> Yashin finished the playoffs with one goal and five points in four games.<ref name="hockeydb"/> SKA chose not renew Yashin's contract after the season.<ref name="islandersreturn">Template:Cite news</ref>

In the 2011 offseason, the New York Islanders and Yashin discussed the possibility of Yashin returning to play for the team in the 2011–12 season.<ref name="islandersreturn"/> Ultimately, the two sides failed to come to terms and Yashin subsequently signed a one-year deal with CSKA Moscow for the 2011–12 season.<ref name="khlyashin"/> He made 43 appearances for CSKA, scoring nine goals and 20 points.<ref name="hockeydb"/> Following the 2011–12 season, Yashin retired.<ref name="khlyashin"/>

Management career

In December 2012, Russian Hockey Federation president Vladislav Tretiak appointed Yashin as the general manager of the Russia women's national ice hockey team.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> After his tenure as the general manager ended, he was named an assistant coach of the Russian men's national team on 23 August 2013.<ref name="khlyashin"/>

International play

Template:MedalTableTop Template:MedalSport Template:MedalCountry Template:MedalCompetition Template:MedalSilver Template:MedalBronze Template:MedalCompetition Template:MedalGold Template:MedalBronze Template:MedalCompetition Template:MedalSilver Template:MedalCountry Template:MedalCompetition Template:MedalGold Template:MedalBottom Yashin made his international debut with the CIS national ice hockey team in 1992, a multi-national successor team to the preceding Soviet team that appeared after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 at the World Junior Championships.<ref name="hockeydb"/>Template:Sfn The team also included Alexei Kovalev and Nikolai Khabibulin of Russia, Darius Kasparaitis of Lithuania, Alexei Zhitnik of Ukraine, and Sandis Ozoliņš of Latvia. The CIS team won the tournament gold medal.Template:Sfn Following the World Juniors, the CIS team was disbanded and each player would represent their new nation in future tournaments.Template:Sfn

Yashin was an exception to a general rule that Russian players in the NHL would not play for the national team in the 1990s. Yashin only missed three international tournaments in his career. Yashin represented his native Russia at the 1996 and 2004 World Cup of Hockey, the 1998, 2002, and 2006 Winter Olympics, and at nine World Championships.<ref name="inductees-2020">Template:Cite web</ref> He was named the national team captain at the 1996 World Cup, the 1999 World Championships, and the 2001 World Championships.<ref name="khlyashin"/> In his international career he won the World Championship gold medal in 1993 and the bronze medal in 2005, Olympic silver in 1998 and bronze in 2002.<ref name="inductees-2020"/>

He was inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame in 2020.<ref name="inductees-2020"/> The induction ceremony was scheduled during the 2020 IIHF World Championship, but was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The IIHF Hall of Fame class of 2020/2022 was inducted during the 2022 IIHF World Championship.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Personal life

Yashin was born in Sverdlovsk, Soviet Union (now Yekaterinburg, Russia) to parents Valeri and Tatiana. Valeri was a university professor specializing in forest ecology and Tatiana, an electrical engineer. He also has one brother, Dima.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Yashin was in a long-term relationship with actress and former model Carol Alt.<ref name="Marriage">Template:Cite web</ref>

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1990–91	Avtomobilist Sverdlovsk	USSR		26	2	1	3	10		—	—	—	—	—
1991–92	Dynamo Moscow	USSR		28	7	3	10	19		7	0	2	2	0
1992–93	Dynamo Moscow	RUS		27	10	12	22	18		10	7	3	10	18
1993–94	Ottawa Senators	NHL		83	30	49	79	22		—	—	—	—	—
1994–95	Las Vegas Thunder	IHL		24	15	20	35	32		—	—	—	—	—
1994–95	Ottawa Senators	NHL		47	21	23	44	20		—	—	—	—	—
1995–96	CSKA Moscow	RUS		4	2	2	4	4		—	—	—	—	—
1995–96	Ottawa Senators	NHL		46	15	24	39	28		—	—	—	—	—
1996–97	Ottawa Senators	NHL		82	35	40	75	44		7	1	5	6	2
1997–98	Ottawa Senators	NHL		82	33	39	72	24		11	5	3	8	8
1998–99	Ottawa Senators	NHL		82	44	50	94	54		4	0	0	0	10
2000–01	Ottawa Senators	NHL		82	40	48	88	30		4	0	1	1	0
2001–02	New York Islanders	NHL		78	32	43	75	25		7	3	4	7	2
2002–03	New York Islanders	NHL		81	26	39	65	32		5	2	2	4	2
2003–04	New York Islanders	NHL		47	15	19	34	10		5	0	1	1	0
2004–05	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl	RSL		10	3	3	6	14		9	3	7	10	10
2005–06	New York Islanders	NHL		82	28	38	66	68		—	—	—	—	—
2006–07	New York Islanders	NHL		58	18	32	50	44		5	0	0	0	0
2007–08	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl	RSL		56	16	27	43	63		16	8	6	14	16
2008–09	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl	KHL		56	21	26	47	30		19	7	11	18	10
2009–10	SKA Saint Petersburg	KHL		56	18	46	64	38		4	2	1	3	0
2010–11	SKA Saint Petersburg	KHL		52	15	18	33	50		4	1	4	5	0
2011–12	CSKA Moscow	KHL		43	9	11	20	18		3	1	0	1	0
NHL totals				850	337	444	781	401		48	11	16	27	24
KHL totals				207	63	101	164	136		30	11	16	27	10

International

Year	Team	Event		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1991	Soviet Union	EJC		6	2	3	5	2
1992	CIS	WJC		7	4	2	6	2
1993	Russia	WJC		3	1	0	1	4
1993	Russia	WC		8	2	1	3	5
1994	Russia	WC		1	2	3	8
1996	Russia	WC		8	4	5	9	4
1996	Russia	WCH		5	2	2	6
1997	Russia	WC		5	3	0	3	12
1998	Russia	OLY		6	3	3	6	0
1999	Russia	WC		6	8	1	9	6
2000	Russia	WC		5	1	1	2	8
2001	Russia	WC		7	2	3	5	6
2002	Russia	OLY		6	1	1	2	0
2004	Russia	WC		6	1	2	3	2
2004	Russia	WCH		4	1	2	3	4
2005	Russia	WC		9	2	1	3	8
2006	Russia	OLY		8	1	3	4	4
Junior totals				16	7	5	12	8
Senior totals				88	30	27	57	73

Awards and honors

Award	Year
NHL
IIHF Hall of Fame	2020<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
NHL
All-Star Game	1994, 1999, 2002
Second All-Star Team	1999
KHL
All-Star Game	2009, 2010, 2011

Sources

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External links

• Template:Icehockeystats