Dynamo Minsk will play at least 5 upcoming matches of the Belarusian ice hockey championship without one of the team leaders Maxim Balmochnyh. At the end of the fourth match of the 1/4 finals in Mogilev against the local "Khimvolokn" (March 16), the Dynamo striker hit with a club both linesmen serving the match - Vladimir Ruf from Minsk and Valery Goryaev from Novopolotsk.

The heated forward committed assault while the chief referee of the meeting, the Czech Milan Minarzh, examining the controversial episode, talked with the captain of Dynamo Alexander Zhurik. However, the hockey player's misconduct did not go unnoticed. Match inspector Sergei Savitsky, who witnessed the episode, insisted on making a corresponding entry in the protocol.

Presumably, the dissatisfaction of the player was caused by the decision of the linesmen, as a result of which Dynamo remained in the minority in overtime of a tense duel with Khimvolokno. The judges considered that the Minsk team had an extra player on the ice, and the guests were punished with a two-minute penalty for violating the strength of the team. It turned out to be fatal, as the Mogilevites took advantage of the removal and scored the winning goal - 3:2.

"I respect Maxim as good hockey player However, I have no right to turn a blind eye to the lynching committed by him," inspector of the meeting Sergey Savitsky explained the situation to a BelTA correspondent. According to the regulations, the hockey player will automatically receive a five-match disqualification for physical contact with the referees. However, the disciplinary commission may toughen the punishment. Lately similar violations in the Belarusian extraleague have become more frequent. And this despite the fact that International Federation Hockey (IIHF), recommends uncompromising fight against rudeness on ice. Nevertheless, for some reason, even rather severe minimal punishments do not stop the players. So, shortly before the playoffs, the forward of Gomel Sergey Zadelenov attacked the judge. At the final stretch of the regular championship, the team had to do without its leader. And, perhaps, precisely for this reason, she did not get into the top eight squads, which continued to fight for medals.

29-year-old Maxim Balmochnykh will be a serious loss for Dynamo. After all, a year ago, along with the captain of the Belarusian national team Oleg Antonenko, he led Dynamo to gold medals, becoming with 13 points (6 goals plus 7 assists) top scorer playoffs of the Belarusian extraleague last season. Having moved to Metallurg Novokuznetsk in the summer of 2007, the striker returned to Minsk during the current championship and became a key player in the team.

In general, the imbalance of the Russian striker has repeatedly crumpled his career. In the late 90s of the last century, Maxim was considered one of the most promising Russian hockey players, became the world champion among youth teams and at the same time was included in the symbolic teams of the world youth championships. Overseas, he tried to gain a foothold in the NHL club Anaheim Mighty Ducks, for which Belarusian Ruslan Salei played for 9 seasons. However, his North American stage of the hockey biography was limited mainly to performances for the Anaheim farm club - the Cincinnati Mighty Ducks. This segment of his career was marked by a scandalous incident. In 1999, during a match for Cincinnati, the then 20-year-old forward, dissatisfied with the rough reception used against him, hit the opponents defender in the face with a stick, injuring him (the hockey player received more than 15 stitches). Maxim was sent off before the end of the game, and then received an 8-match suspension.

Already after returning from overseas, Balmochny's inconsistency led to the fact that he was suspended from hockey for almost half a season. Playing in the second division of the Russian championship for Lipetsk, in March 2006, in the 1/8 final match with the Khabarovsk Amur, Balmochny roughly attacked the defender Maxim Gusev (who played in the Grodno Neman this year) and inflicted a severe cranio- brain injury. For this, Balmochny also suffered a lengthy disqualification, due to which he missed a significant part of last season. After the expiration of the sentence, the striker could not find a job for a long time until he was invited to the Minsk "Dynamo", with which in the spring of 2007 he won the "gold" of the championship of Belarus.

Started playing in Lipetsk. From 1996 to 1999 in Lada (Tolyatti) - 70 games, 18 goals, 6 assists. In 1997 he was one of the five most promising young European hockey players, according to the Hockey magazine and the Red Ace scout agency, after Sergey Samsonov, Olli Jokinen, Maxim Afinogenov and Ero Somervuori. Silver medalist of the 1998 World Youth Championship. Became the best in the team in the "goal + pass" system. He entered the symbolic team of the tournament. In 1999 he became the world champion in ice hockey among youth teams. In the course of the tournament, he scored 8 points (3+6) in 7 games, becoming, along with Maxim Afinogenov, the best in the team in the "goal + pass" system. He re-entered the symbolic team of the tournament. In the NHL draft in 1997, he was selected as the 45th team by the Anaheim Mighty Ducks. PERSONS: Balmochnykh, Kolesnikov, Sukharev The 1998/1999 season was divided between the Lada and the Quebec Remparts team in the main junior league of the province of Quebec for which in 21 matches he scored 9 goals and made 22 assists. The 2000-2001 and 2001-2002 seasons were mainly spent in the Anaheim farm club Cincinnati Mighty Ducks in the AHL. In 88 matches scored 25 points (12+13). First NHL game on January 19, 2000 against the Dallas Stars. The first scoring point - an assist on January 29, 2000 in a match against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Season In 2002-03 he returned to Russia, where he played for Severstal (12 matches, 1 + 2). July 6, 2002 from Anaheim in New Jersey, along with Jeff Friesen and Oleg Tverdovsky, traded for Peter Sikora, Mike Commondor, JF Dumpfuz and Igor Pokhanka. I could not gain a foothold in the team. In 2003-2004, again overseas in the Albany River Rats (AHL, 45 games, 5 + 9). In 2004-2005 - in HC Lipetsk (top league). In March 2006, in the middle of the second period, in a match against Khabarovsk Amur, Balmochnykh inflicted a serious injury on the defender of the guests Maxim Gusev. The PHL first disqualified Balmochny for 8 games. But at the second meeting, she also suspended the license. Due to the ban on playing for Russian clubs, M. Balmochnyh moved to the championship of Belarus. At first he played for Yunost, and then he was invited to Dynamo Minsk. Maksim Balmochnykh, along with the captain of the Belarusian national team Oleg Antonenko, became the leader of Dynamo, which led to gold medals, becoming the top scorer in the playoffs of the Belarusian extraleague with 13 points (6 goals plus 7 assists). In March 2008, he was disqualified for five matches for attacking linesmen during a meeting with Mogilev Khimvolokno. With his game, not in demand at home, he attracted the attention of the coaches of the national team of Belarus, who raised the issue of obtaining Belarusian citizenship for Maksim Balmochny. In 2009, he agreed to play for the Belarusian national team, entering the list of players who can take part in the 2010 Olympics as part of the Belarusian national team. However, he did not play for the Belarusian national team. In May 2007, he signed a contract with Metallurg Novokuznetsk. However, already in December 2007, he was withdrawn from the team by the decision of the coaching staff. He returned to Dynamo Minsk again. The 2008-09 season began in the Belarusian extraleague as part of the Gomel club, then again moving to Dynamo Minsk. Until January 13, 2010, he played in the KHL for Dynamo Minsk (withdrawn). He continued to play in the farm club of Minsk "Dynamo" "Shakhtar". Since October 2010, he played in the championship of Belarus for HC "Brest". In July 2011 he returned to HC Lipetsk.

Once one of Russia's most talented strikers, he makes a special statement explaining why he was punished too harshly in Russia and recalls the bloodiest moments of his career. You have to understand who he is. After the youth world championships in 1998 and 1999, he was considered a rising star in world hockey. He had golden hands tremendous speed, and if the career was successful, then the country would be divided into two camps: some would be crazy about tricks Pavel Datsyuk, while others would become Balmochny fans. But Maxim at some point stopped. He says it's because of his character.

- What advice would you give to players who play great at the youth level and are preparing to move into adult hockey?
- Work. You have to devote all your time to hockey, but the most important thing is to find your coach.

- Did you have one?
- Even two: my first coach and Gennady Tsygurov. Gennady Fedorovich's attitude towards me did not change, even if I did the wrong things. He always forgave, messed with me, gave me another chance.

You are now an adult. Can you already explain why you made such mistakes that prevented you from opening up to the end?
- Main mistake- Early departure to North America. There was no need to rush there so early, it was worth it to play in Russia. And everything pointed to the fact that I was doing wrong.

- For instance.
- Gennady Tsygurov persuaded me. Then, the day before my departure, I was robbed in Lipetsk and severely beaten. Now I understand that it was a sign that you should not go, but I did not listen to this. America was not my country.

- In the domestic sense?
- And this too. I was terribly lacking in communication. In addition, I had to play hockey, which I hate, when you have to stupidly throw into the zone, beat the opponent and rush around the court. And this is not at all what I can do. I wasn't taught that. Now I understand that I had to do like Datsyuk. He went there as an already established player, his North America they didn’t change, but they wanted me. I was against it.

Then you could be understood - young, hot ... But after all, even in adult career there were episodes that are difficult to explain. In Cincinnati, while playing for the farm club of Anaheim, you hit an opponent with a stick and received an eight-game suspension. Why did you hit a man with a club?
- It was in the second game of the season. It should be noted that in the first I scored two goals. So, they immediately began to pay attention to me. In the second match, their fighter started to piss me off at the faceoff point. What can I say... He succeeded.

- Everything was so serious?
- There was a fight. Of course, he beat me, because he is a professional tough guy. And in response, I did something with my hands, something with a club. I don't like to lose. But there were also pluses because of this case.

- What kind?
“No one has ever approached me again. That's where you put yourself. True, if this fight happened now, I would not behave like this.

- Why?
- Yes, there was no benefit because of my rough play. By the way, Alexander Perezhogin followed the same path. He has a slightly different situation, he acted too harshly in the game, but they don’t forgive this there.

- There was also an episode in 2006 when you knocked out a player of Amur, so much so that you were deprived of a player's license.
- I met Maxim Gusev, because of whom I was punished, later in Belarus. I apologize for that episode. But there was not so unambiguous situation.

- Very little was written about the Major League then. What happened?
- I’m leaving for the “penny”, the defender is pushing me in the back. A fight began. But then another hockey player comes to my side and hits me in the face. Here you understand, the curtains fell over your eyes.

- Understand.
- So I caught up with him and hit Gusev. I wanted to turn him around to face me, but it didn’t work out, and because of this, the blow turned out to be hard. Yes, and I hit in the shoulder, but missed and hit in the head.

- And then what happened?
- You see, I remember very badly, but not because of the prescription of years, it was just that the situation was already such that I was in a stressful state. I remember that they wanted to deal with me on the bench, but they took me to the locker room.

- In Russia, there were cases when the police were called to the game.
- It seems that something similar happened, but there were no consequences. I just got disqualified.

“But the punishment was harsh. Your license has been taken away. Rarely does this happen.
- At first they gave me 15 matches, and only then they took away my license for nine months.

- In fact, they were left without work.
- But it's my own fault, what can I say. Yes, it was unfair, but to prove the case with the help of fists is wrong.

Here are some more amazing moments in your career. You received some deafening punishment. Before the 1999 World Youth Championships, there was a special order: never invite you to the national team. Then the selected license.
- This is all due to the fact that I left for America. And not just left, but with a scandal. I had a valid contract with Lada, which was not recognized in the USA and allowed me to play in Anaheim. I don't think I've been forgiven for this. True, in 1999 Tsygurov did not obey and took me to the national team.

If we talk about the case in Khabarovsk, it is not clear what you did in 2006 in Lipetsk. A man who played in America returns to Russia and can find a club in the Super League.
- I didn't look for anything. He returned back in 2005, but stayed at home and played for Lipetsk in major league. At that time I had a child, I had to help my wife, so I didn’t want to go anywhere.

Your attempts in adult hockey to gain a foothold in the top clubs were also unsuccessful. You were not in Novokuznetsk for long.
- Played when Sergei Nikolaev worked there. But then things went badly for the club, the coach was removed, Boris Mikhailov came. I couldn’t play then, got injured, but they didn’t even let me recover, they said that I was not needed.

I read something amazing: the Lipetsk hockey club is terminating the contract with you because the team is now in the VHL, and higher-level players are needed there.
- Real humiliation. I read this on the site and was outraged. It turns out that the team is strengthened by such masters that I can’t even find a place in the fourth link? It seems to me that the club was just scared.

- What?
- It's no secret that I enjoy authority among the players and will never keep silent if injustice is happening, and this, by the way, hurt my career. I guess I was just uncomfortable in the club. At the same time, I worry about Lipetsk hockey. Now the president of the club wants to raise the team, is under construction good arena. And I hope that everything will work out for him, but, as often happens in such a situation, they gather in the environment different people.

At the training sessions of "Admiral" I met your partner in the youth team of 1999. Andrei Nikitenko is not afraid of distance, he wants to play.
- No, I'm finishing.

- What a news!
Yes, I'm in business. Maybe I'll find a job at a children's school. Not a head coach, an assistant. It is important for me to help Lipetsk hockey, even if not with a game. I feel like I should.

- You mentioned that you suffered because of your words. If time turned back, when would they remain silent?
- In fact, the words hurt me the most after the 1999 World Cup, when I said that we beat the Canadians, we beat and will beat. But I would say them now. That phrase ruined my career in North America. Canadian coach Michael Babcock took over Anaheim and made sure I never got up. What's more, he deliberately ruined my career. Do you think I should have remained silent then?

- No, the words are beautiful.
- And I think so. Perhaps the form was incorrect, but the meaning is correct. I don't regret anything.

- Are you leaving. In essence, without winning anything at the adult level.
- I'm happy with my career. Sounds weird, right? But it's true. I went out on the ice to play, I enjoyed what I was doing. Let it not be in life big victories but it was hockey.

The well-known hockey player commented on the decision of HC Lipetsk to terminate the contract with him.

A scandal erupted in Lipetsk hockey.

Hockey players under the guidance of coach Valery Oleinik are now preparing for the season and looking at newcomers at the training camp in Usman. But a quiet and calm off-season did not work out. Like a bolt from the blue, the news broke out - the club terminated the contract with one of its brightest pupils, world champion-99 among youth Maxim Balmochnyh.

It is curious that even at the beginning of last season Balmochny was "in favor", it was he who was entrusted with the role of the captain of the team, which then passed to defender Vadim Navrotsky during the championship. It turns out that in a year Maxim has gone from team captain to a player who is not needed?

But it was not possible to quietly remove the 34-year-old striker from the team. Pravdorub Balmochnyh without equivocation commented on the club's decision to terminate the contract.

- Real humiliation! - quotes the player's reaction allhockey.ru, - It turns out that the team is strengthened by such masters that I can’t even find a place in the fourth link? It seems to me that the club was just scared. It's no secret that I enjoy authority among the players and will never keep silent if injustice is happening, and this, by the way, hurt my career. I guess I was just uncomfortable in the club.

Balmochnykh noted that Vladimir Tuchkov, president of HC Lipetsk, is trying to develop hockey in every possible way.

And I hope that everything will work out for him, but, as often happens in such a situation, different people gather around, - the hockey player said.

The disgraced striker admitted that he would most likely end his playing career.

Yes, I'll go into business, - shares Balmochny's plans, - Maybe I'll find a job in a children's school. Not a head coach, an assistant. It is important for me to help Lipetsk hockey, even if not with a game. I feel like I should.

Maxim Balmochnykh was born in 1979, a pupil of the Lipetsk coach Halim Mingaleev. In 1997, he was one of the five most promising young European hockey players, according to the Hockey magazine and the Red Ace scouting agency, after Sergey Samsonov, Olli Jokinen, Maxim Afinogenov and Ero Somervuori.

In 1999, as part of the Russian national team on the ice of Canadian Winnipeg, he became the world champion, scoring 9 points (3 goals and 6 assists) in 7 matches of the tournament, becoming, together with Maxim Afinogenov, the team's top scorer in the "goal + pass" system.

Selected in the NHL Draft by the Anaheim Mighty Ducks club, he played 6 matches in the strongest league in the world, in which he scored one assist (in the game with Pittsburgh in 2000).

He also played for Lada (Tolyatti), Severstal (Cherepovets), Dynamo (Minsk). At one time (when Maxim was enchanting in the KHL in a Dynamo Minsk sweater), the issue of attracting Balmochny to the Belarusian national team and granting him citizenship of this country was discussed. But in the end, the Lipchan did not play for the Belarusians.

Several times he returned to his native Lipetsk, last time this happened in 2011.

photo site HC "Lipetsk"

Maxim Vasilievich Balmochnykh(March 7, 1979, Lipetsk, RSFSR, USSR) - Russian hockey player, left winger. pupil hockey club"Lipetsk". He ended his career in 2013.

Biography

Started playing in Lipetsk. From 1996 to 1999 in "Lada" (Tolyatti) - 70 games, 18 goals, 6 assists.

In 1997, he was one of the five most promising young European hockey players, according to the Hockey magazine and the Red Ace scouting agency, after Sergey Samsonov, Olli Jokinen, Maxim Afinogenov and Ero Somervuori.

Silver medalist at the 1998 World Youth Championship. Became the best in the team in the "goal + pass" system. Entered the symbolic team of the tournament.

In 1999 he became the world champion in ice hockey among youth teams. In the course of the tournament, he scored 8 points (3+6) in 7 games, becoming, along with Maxim Afinogenov, the best in the team in the "goal + pass" system. Re-entered the symbolic team of the tournament.

Selected 45th overall by the Anaheim Mighty Ducks in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft.

The 1998/1999 season was divided between Lada and the Quebec Remparts team in the main junior league of Quebec, for which in 21 matches he scored 9 goals and made 22 assists.

The 2000-2001 and 2001-2002 seasons were mainly spent in the Anaheim farm club, the Cincinnati Mighty Ducks in the AHL. In 88 matches scored 25 points (12+13). First NHL game on January 19, 2000 against the Dallas Stars. First scoring point - assist on January 29, 2000 against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

In 2002-03 he returned to Russia, where he played for Severstal (12 matches, 1+2).

On July 6, 2002, from Anaheim to New Jersey, along with Jeff Friesen and Oleg Tverdovsky, he was traded for Peter Sikora, Mike Commondor, J.F. Dampfuz and Igor Pokhanka. Couldn't get into the team.

In 2003-2004, again overseas in the Albany River Rats (AHL, 45 games, 5 + 9). In 2004-2005 - in HC "Lipetsk" (major league).

In March 2006, in the middle of the second period, in a match against the Khabarovsk "Amur", Balmochnykh inflicted a serious injury on the defender of the guests Maxim Gusev. The PHL first disqualified Balmochny for 8 games. But at the second meeting, she also suspended the license.

In connection with the ban on playing for Russian clubs, M. Balmochnyh moved to the championship of Belarus. At first he played for Yunost, and then he was invited to Dynamo Minsk. Maksim Balmochnykh, along with the captain of the Belarusian national team Oleg Antonenko, became the leader of Dynamo, which led to gold medals, becoming the top scorer in the playoffs of the Belarusian extraleague with 13 points (6 goals plus 7 assists). In March 2008, he was suspended for five matches for attacking linesmen during a meeting with Mogilev Khimvolokno.

With his game, not in demand at home, he attracted the attention of the coaches of the national team of Belarus, who raised the issue of obtaining Belarusian citizenship for Maxim Balmochny. In 2009, he agreed to play for the Belarusian national team, entering the list of players who can take part in the 2010 Olympics as part of the Belarusian national team. However, he did not play for the Belarusian national team.

In May 2007, he signed a contract with Metallurg Novokuznetsk. However, already in December 2007, he was withdrawn from the team by the decision of the coaching staff.

He returned to Dynamo Minsk again. He began the 2008-09 season in the Belarusian extraleague as part of the Gomel club, then again moving to Dynamo Minsk.

Until January 13, 2010, he played in the KHL for Dynamo Minsk (withdrawn). He continued to play in the farm club of Minsk "Dynamo" "Shakhtar".

From October 2010 he played in the championship of Belarus for HC Brest. In July 2011 he returned to HC Lipetsk.

Statistics

	regular season	Playoffs
YEAR	TEAM	AND	G	P	O	W	+/-	GB	GM	PG	B	%	AND	G	P	O	W	GB	GM	PG
1999-00	Anaheim Ducks	6	0	1	1	2	+2	0	0	0	6	0.0	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
TOTAL		6	0	1	1	2	+2	0	0	0	6	0.0	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-