Vitaly Anikeyenko

Vitaly Anikeyenko
Born	(1987-01-02)2 January 1987 Kyiv, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union
Died	7 September 2011(2011-09-07) (aged 24) Yaroslavl, Russia
Height	6 ft 3 in (191 cm)
Weight	218 lb (99 kg; 15 st 8 lb)
Position	Defenceman
Shot	Right
Played for	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl Metallurg Novokuznetsk
NHL draft	70th overall, 2005 Ottawa Senators
Playing career	2005–2011
Medal record Ice hockey Representing Russia World Junior Championships 2007 Sweden IIHF World U18 Championships 2003 Russia

Vitaly Serhiiovych Anikeyenko (2 January 1987 – 7 September 2011) was a Ukrainian-Russian professional ice hockey player.

Life

Born in Kyiv, Anikeyenko spent the entirety of his professional hockey career with Lokomotiv Yaroslavl of the Kontinental Hockey League, save for a loan spell with Metallurg Novokuznetsk during 2007–08. He was a member of the Russian national team that competed in the IIHF World Championship's under 18 and under 20 levels; winning a silver medal for the country in 2007. Anikeyenko was drafted 70th overall in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft by the Ottawa Senators.

Death

Main article: 2011 Lokomotiv Yaroslavl plane crash

On 7 September 2011, Anikeyenko was killed in a plane crash when a Yakovlev Yak-42 passenger aircraft, carrying nearly his entire Lokomotiv Yaroslavl team, crashed at Tunoshna Airport, just outside the city of Yaroslavl, Russia. The team was traveling to Minsk to play their opening game of the season, with its coaching staff and prospects. Lokomotiv officials confirmed that the entire main roster was on the flight, including four players from the junior team. The bodies of Ukrainian teammates Anikeyenko and Daniil Sobchenko were repatriated following the crash for burial in Ukraine. The funeral was held on 10 September at Sovskoe cemetery in Kyiv.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2002–03	Lokomotiv–2 Yaroslavl	RUS.3		33	0	5	5	30		—	—	—	—	—
2003–04	Lokomotiv–2 Yaroslavl	RUS.3		46	3	9	12	74		—	—	—	—	—
2004–05	Lokomotiv–2 Yaroslavl	RUS.3		63	3	15	18	68		—	—	—	—	—
2005–06	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl	RSL		26	0	1	1	28		1	0	0	0	0
2005–06	Lokomotiv–2 Yaroslavl	RUS.3		22	4	4	8	20		—	—	—	—	—
2006–07	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl	RSL		25	1	2	3	16		3	0	0	0	12
2006–07	Lokomotiv–2 Yaroslavl	RUS.3		19	2	9	11	63		—	—	—	—	—
2007–08	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl	RSL		40	4	9	13	48		16	0	0	0	20
2007–08	Metallurg Novokuznetsk	RSL		10	1	1	2	10		—	—	—	—	—
2008–09	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl	KHL		40	2	9	11	44		19	0	2	2	10
2009–10	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl	KHL		52	7	11	18	50		9	1	0	1	8
2010–11	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl	KHL		52	5	14	19	79		3	0	2	2	4
RSL totals				101	6	13	19	102		20	0	0	0	32
KHL totals				144	14	35	49	174		31	1	4	5	22

International

Year	Team	Event	Result		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2003	Russia	WJC18			6	0	0	0	4
2004	Russia	U17	5th		5	0	3	3	11
2004	Russia	U18	5th		5	1	1	2	6
2005	Russia	WJC18	5th		6	1	1	2	12
2007	Russia	WJC			6	0	1	1	10
Junior totals					28	2	6	8	39

See also

• List of ice hockey players who died during their playing career

External links

• Biographical information and career statistics from NHL.com, or Eliteprospects.com, or Eurohockey.com, or The Internet Hockey Database
• Vitaly Anikeyenko player profile at RussianProspects.com