Mikhail Donika
Encyclopedia
Mikhail Donika is a Russian ice hockey
defenceman. He was drafted in the 9th round, 272nd overall by the Dallas Stars
in the 1999 NHL Entry Draft
. Donika never came to North America to play professional hockey, spending his entire career in Russia, playing for Yaroslavl Torpedo, Moscow Dynamo
, Moscow Spartak, and Lada Togliatti
.
for Yaroslavl Torpedo starting in 1997. He was not drafted by a National Hockey League
(NHL) team in his first year of eligibility, but in 1999, he was selected by the Dallas Stars
in the ninth round (272nd overall) of the 1999 NHL Draft. Donika did not play professional hockey in North America at any level, instead playing in Russia and Belarus.
in international competition at the junior level. He played in three consecutive world junior tournaments, playing in 20 games total, and recording three assists. At the 1997 World Junior Championships
, he helped Russia capture the bronze medal. In 1998
, Russia lost to Finland
in overtime during the gold medal game, settling for silver. The 1999 World Junior Championship
was Donika's last year of junior eligibility. At the tournament in Winnipeg
, Manitoba
, Donika and his Russian teammates captured the gold medal by defeating Canada in overtime. With the victory, Donika and his teammate Roman Lyashenko
became the only two players in the history of the World Junior Championships
to capture gold, silver and bronze medals.
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
defenceman. He was drafted in the 9th round, 272nd overall by the Dallas Stars
Dallas Stars
The Dallas Stars are a professional ice hockey team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The team was founded during the 1967 NHL expansion as the Minnesota North Stars, based in Bloomington, Minnesota. The...
in the 1999 NHL Entry Draft
1999 NHL Entry Draft
The 1999 NHL Entry Draft was held on June 26 at the FleetCenter in Boston, Massachusetts. According to Sports Illustrated and other sports news agencies, at the time the 1999 draft was considered one of the deepest in talent in years, headed by Patrik Stefan and the Sedin twins. However, the...
. Donika never came to North America to play professional hockey, spending his entire career in Russia, playing for Yaroslavl Torpedo, Moscow Dynamo
HC Dynamo Moscow
HC Dynamo Moscow was a Russian professional ice hockey club based in Moscow. They were members of the Bobrov Division in the Kontinental Hockey League...
, Moscow Spartak, and Lada Togliatti
HC Lada Togliatti
HC Lada is a Russian professional ice hockey team based in Togliatti, Russia. They were members of the Kharlamov Division of the Kontinental Hockey League.Due to a lack of a satisfactory arena the KHL expelled the team...
.
Professional play
Donika played professional hockey in RussiaRussia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
for Yaroslavl Torpedo starting in 1997. He was not drafted by a National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
(NHL) team in his first year of eligibility, but in 1999, he was selected by the Dallas Stars
Dallas Stars
The Dallas Stars are a professional ice hockey team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The team was founded during the 1967 NHL expansion as the Minnesota North Stars, based in Bloomington, Minnesota. The...
in the ninth round (272nd overall) of the 1999 NHL Draft. Donika did not play professional hockey in North America at any level, instead playing in Russia and Belarus.
International play
Donika represented RussiaRussia men's national junior ice hockey team
The Russian men's national under 20 ice hockey team is the national under-20 ice hockey team in Russia. The team represents Russia at the International Ice Hockey Federation's World Junior Hockey Championship, held annually every December and January.-History of Team Russia:Russia competed as a...
in international competition at the junior level. He played in three consecutive world junior tournaments, playing in 20 games total, and recording three assists. At the 1997 World Junior Championships
1997 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships
-Quarterfinals:-Semifinals:-5th place game:-Bronze Medal Game:-Gold Medal Game:-Final standings: was relegated for the 1998 World Juniors-Scoring leaders:-Goaltending leaders:-Pool B:...
, he helped Russia capture the bronze medal. In 1998
1998 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships
- Quarterfinals :- Semifinals :- Placement games :- 7th place game :- 5th place game :- Bronze medal game :- Gold medal game :- Relegation round : lost the two game total goal series 17-3 and was relegated for the 1999 World Juniors...
, Russia lost to Finland
Finland men's national junior ice hockey team
The Finnish men's national under 20 ice hockey team is the national under-20 ice hockey team in Finland. The team represents Finland at the International Ice Hockey Federation's IIHF World U20 Championship.-2011 WJC roster:...
in overtime during the gold medal game, settling for silver. The 1999 World Junior Championship
1999 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships
-Quarterfinals:-Semifinals:-5th place game:-Bronze medal game:-Gold medal game:-Final ranking:-Scoring leaders:-Pool B:Played at Szekesfehervar and Dunaujvaros, Hungary from December 27 to January 3. Two groups of four played round robins, and then the top three played each of the top three teams...
was Donika's last year of junior eligibility. At the tournament in Winnipeg
Winnipeg
Winnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
, Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
, Donika and his Russian teammates captured the gold medal by defeating Canada in overtime. With the victory, Donika and his teammate Roman Lyashenko
Roman Lyashenko
Roman Lyashenko was a Russian ice hockey player. He played professionally in North America for the Dallas Stars and New York Rangers of the National Hockey League, and also suited up for affiliate teams in the American Hockey League and the now-defunct International Hockey League...
became the only two players in the history of the World Junior Championships
World Junior Ice Hockey Championships
The International Ice Hockey Federation World Under 20 Championship is an annual event organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation for national under-20 ice hockey teams from around the world...
to capture gold, silver and bronze medals.