Andrei Kostitsyn
| Andrei Kostitsyn | |||
|---|---|---|---|
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| Born |
February 3, 1985 Navapolatsk, Byelorussian SSR, Soviet Union |
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| Height | 6 ft 0 in (183 cm) | ||
| Weight | 216 lb (98 kg; 15 st 6 lb) | ||
| Position | Right wing | ||
| Shoots | Left | ||
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KHL team Former teams |
HC Sochi CSKA Moscow Montreal Canadiens Nashville Predators Traktor Chelyabinsk Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod |
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| National team |
 Belarus
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| NHL Draft | 10th overall, 2003 Montreal Canadiens |
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| Playing career | 2003–present | ||
Andrej Alehavič Kaścicyn (Belarusian: Андрэй Алегавiч Касціцын; born February 3, 1985), better known as Andrei Kostitsyn (Russian: Андрэй Олегович Костицын), is a Belarusian professional ice hockey forward who currently plays for HC Sochi in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). The media have nicknamed him AK-46, a play on his initials (AK) and player number (46) in reference to the Soviet AK-47 rifle. His younger brother Sergei plays for HC Dinamo Minsk of the Kontinental Hockey League. Both Andrei and Sergei played together on the Canadiens as well as the Predators.
Beginning in 2000–01, Kostitsyn spent the first two seasons of his early career with Polimir Novopolotsk, competing in several leagues, including the Eastern European Hockey League (EEHL). In the summer of 2002, he signed with CSKA Moscow and moved to Russia. He split his time with the organization between CSKA 2 of Russia's developmental league and also continued to play in the Belarusian league with Yunost.
After his first season with CSKA, he was selected by the Montreal Canadiens in the first round, tenth overall, of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft. Kostitsyn drew favourable scouting reports from his strong showing at the 2003 World U-18 Championships and was expected to be taken even higher in the draft; it is speculated that health concerns with his back caused teams to pass him over.
In the summer of 2004, he was invited to the Montreal Canadiens' training camp and signed a three-year deal with the club. He was subsequently assigned to the Canadiens' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Hamilton Bulldogs, for the 2004–05 season. He scored his first goal with Hamilton in his first game, on October 15, 2004, and finished the season with 23 points in 66 games.
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