Ilya Mikheyev facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ilya Mikheyev
Mikheyev with the Vancouver Canucks in 2023
Born	(1994-10-10) 10 October 1994 (age 30) Omsk, Russia
Height	6 ft 3 in (191 cm)
Weight	195 lb (88 kg; 13 st 13 lb)
Position	Forward
Shoots	Left
NHL team Former teams	Chicago Blackhawks Avangard Omsk Toronto Maple Leafs Vancouver Canucks
National team	Russia
NHL Draft	Undrafted
Playing career	2012–present

Ilya Andreyevich Mikheyev (Russian: Илья Андреевич Михеев) is a professional ice hockey player from Russia. He was born on October 10, 1994. Ilya plays as a right winger for the Chicago Blackhawks in the National Hockey League (NHL).

Before joining the Blackhawks, he played for the Toronto Maple Leafs and Vancouver Canucks in the NHL. He also played for Avangard Omsk in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL).

About Ilya Mikheyev

Early Life and Education

Ilya Mikheyev grew up in Omsk, Russia. Omsk is a city located in southwestern Siberia. His parents are Andrey and Natalya. Andrey is a lawyer and a university lecturer. Natalya works as a director in a private company.

Ilya is also very smart off the ice. He has a college degree in sports tourism. He also earned a master's degree in sports science.

Starting His Hockey Journey

Ilya began his hockey career at the school of Avangard Omsk. This is a well-known hockey club in Russia. In 2012, he started playing for the youth team called Omskie Yastreby. This team competes in the MHL.

In 2013, he returned to Omskie Yastreby. He finished fifth in scoring for the league that season. He also helped his team win the Kharlamov Cup. This is a major championship in the MHL.

Playing in Russian Leagues

During the 2013–14 season, Ilya started playing for Yermak Angarsk. This team was a farm team for Avangard in the VHL. With Yermak Angarsk, he won the Nadezhda Cup.

Over the next few seasons, he also played for other Avangard farm teams. These included Sokol Krasnoyarsk and Saryarka Karagandy in the VHL.

In the 2015–16 season, Ilya moved up to play for Avangard in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). The KHL is one of the top hockey leagues in the world. He quickly became an important player for the team.

During the 2017–18 season, he was Avangard's top scorer. He had 38 points that season. In the 2018–19 season, he scored 23 goals and 22 assists. This gave him 45 points, making him the team's top scorer again. He helped Avangard reach the Gagarin Cup finals. He was also named a KHL First Team All-Star for that season.

Playing in North America

Joining the Toronto Maple Leafs

On May 6, 2019, Ilya Mikheyev signed a contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs. This was his first step into the National Hockey League (NHL). On October 2, 2019, he scored his first NHL goal. He also got an assist in a game against the Ottawa Senators.

Ilya became known for his love of soup. This even led to a partnership with the Campbell Soup Company!

Dealing with an Injury

On December 27, 2019, Ilya had a serious injury during a game. A skate blade accidentally cut his wrist. He had surgery right away to fix an artery and tendons in his wrist. He missed the rest of the regular season. The season was later cut short because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, Ilya was able to return for the playoffs. The Maple Leafs lost in the first round that year.

Later Seasons with Toronto

On October 20, 2020, Ilya signed a new two-year contract with the Maple Leafs. During the 2020–21 season, he mainly played on the team's third line. He was known for his strong defensive play. In the playoffs that year, he did not score any points.

In his final season with the Maple Leafs, the 2021–22 season, he had his best year. He scored 21 goals and 32 points in 53 games. He also played in all seven of the Maple Leafs' playoff games. He scored two goals and four points in those games.

Moving to the Vancouver Canucks

On July 13, 2022, Ilya left the Maple Leafs. He signed a four-year contract with the Vancouver Canucks. In his first pre-season game with the Canucks, he tore a ligament in his knee. This injury is called an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear.

He missed the rest of the pre-season. He made his debut with the Canucks on October 18, 2022. After playing 43 games, the Canucks decided he needed surgery to fix his knee. He missed the rest of the 2022–23 season. He finished that season with 13 goals and 28 points.

During the 2023–24 season, Ilya played in 78 regular season games. He scored 11 goals and had 31 points.

Joining the Chicago Blackhawks

On June 26, 2024, the Canucks traded Ilya Mikheyev to the Chicago Blackhawks. He was traded along with another player, Sam Lafferty. This trade brought Ilya to a new team for the upcoming season.

International Hockey Play

Ilya has also represented his home country, Russia, in international hockey. In 2017, he played for Team Russia at the 2017 Deutschland Cup. He then made his full international debut for Russia at the 2018 World Championships in Denmark.

Career Statistics

Regular Season and Playoffs

International Play