For a decade, Maxim Afinogenov dazzled Buffalo Sabres fans with his lethal combination of skating, speed, and skill. An exciting player who was selected by the Sabres with the 69th pick in the third round of the 1997 NHL Draft, the Russian-born player went on to become a good scorer for the franchise during a memorable era.
After spending two years playing for Moscow Dynamo in Russia, Afinogenov turned pro in 1999-00 at age 20. He only spent a brief period in Rochester playing in the American Hockey League (AHL). In 15 games, he tallied six goals and 12 assists. That was enough for the Sabres to bring him up.
Afinogenov’s Memorable Debut
Playing his first career game for the Sabres, Afinogenov made it a memorable NHL debut by scoring his first goal and assisting on another in a 6-2 win over the Boston Bruins on Nov. 10, 1999. He followed that up with a goal in his second game.
He tallied four goals and four assists in his first six games. In his first season as a 20-year-old rookie in 1999-2000, the right winger finished with 16 goals and 134 points – his 16 goals ranked fifth on the team, and 14 were scored at even strength to rank fourth on the team.
The Sabres made the playoffs. However, it was a short stay before they fell to the Philadelphia Flyers, losing their first-round series 4-1. Afinogenov played in all five games, registering an assist.
“Roll the Highlight Film”
An exciting player who dangled around defenders on breathtaking rushes, Afinogenov had the uncanny ability to score highlight-reel goals that brought fans out of their seats. He was such an explosive skater that he could turn on a dime and make opponents look like they were standing still.
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Most of those rushes were called by the longtime voice of the Sabres, Rick Jeanneret. The Hockey Hall of Fame broadcaster was one of the best parts of watching the Sabres. After doing the radio since 1971-72, Jeanneret took over as the television voice of the Sabres in 1995-96 on Empire Sports Network. He doubled as both the TV and radio voice in 1997-98.
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Jeanneret lasted 51 years calling Sabres games before hanging up the microphone in 2021-22. He passed away on Aug. 17, 2023. He’s fondly remembered and left a legacy of memorable calls that can be replayed on YouTube, including a magnificent goal Afinogenov scored versus the Tampa Bay Lightning when he victimized goaltender John Grahame by completing a spin-o-rama on Nov. 22, 2003.
“Afinogenov gets it. He couldn’t get the shot away. Now he does. He scores! Holy mackerel. Roll the highlight film,” an excited Jeanneret described of the goal on Empire Sports Network.
That call became synonymous with the man affectionately known as RJ. He released a CD appropriately entitled Roll The Highlight Film in 2005 that compiled his best calls. I still have it.
Afinogenov as a Key Scorer
Afinogenov established himself as a key scorer for the Sabres during his third season. For the first time in his career, he recorded 20 or more goals by notching 21 and a career-high 40 points in 2001-02. His 21 goals ranked third on the team – 17 came at even strength, which tied Miroslav Satan for the team lead.
Unfortunately, the Sabres missed the playoffs. After the departure of Dominik Hasek and Michael Peca from a strong 2000-01 roster that came very close to reaching the Eastern Conference Final, the Sabres went through some tough times rebuilding. They failed to qualify for the postseason for the next three seasons (2001-02 through 2003-04).
By the end of 2003-04, they were on the right track. Led by key pickups, Chris Drury and Daniel Briere, the Sabres finished with a record of 37-34-7-4 for 85 points. After playing only 35 games due to a concussion in 2002-03, Afinogenov scored 17 goals and 31 points in 73 games in 2003-04.
He scored his first career hat trick against the Capitals on Dec. 31, 2003, in a 7-1 win at home. Afinogenov scored on a breakaway to beat Washington goalie Maxime Ouellet in the first period. The second goal came early in the second period when he stole a puck and drove a slap shot from a long distance past Ouellet. With less than two minutes left in the second, Afinogenov completed the hat trick by driving to the middle and putting home his own rebound.
It was that kind of explosiveness that made him an electrifying player. Although he never scored 30 goals in a season, he was a high-speed magnet who could erupt at any moment.
Sabres’ Memorable Season 2005-06
Following 2003-04, the NHL canceled the 2004-05 season after the league couldn’t reach an agreement with the players. At the time, Afinogenov returned home to play for Moscow Dynamo. In 36 games, he posted 13 goals and 25 points. He added four goals and four assists in the playoffs.
When the NHL returned in 2005-06, the Sabres were ready to compete for the Stanley Cup. Boasting a strong roster that featured Drury, Briere, Afinogenov, Ales Kotalik, Tim Connolly, Thomas Vanek, Jason Pominville, Brian Campbell, Jay McKee, Teppo Numminen, and Ryan Miller, the Sabres put together a memorable campaign under head coach Lindy Ruff. They went 52-24-6 with 110 points to finish second in the Northeast Division. Only the Senators had a better record. They’d hear from the Sabres soon enough.
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During that season, it all came together for Afinogenov. At 26, he established career bests in goals (22), assists (51), and points (73). On a balanced roster that could explode at any moment, Afinogenov led the team in scoring.
In the postseason, the Sabres reached the Eastern Conference Final. After ousting the Flyers in six games in the first round, they got revenge on the Senators by beating them in a tightly contested five-game second-round series. All five games were decided by a goal, and the Sabres won all three that went to overtime – highlighted by Pominville’s series-clinching shorthanded goal in Game 5 to stun the Senators on May 13, 2006.
Their reward was to face the second-seeded Carolina Hurricanes in the Conference Finals. In what proved to be a series full of twists and turns, the two teams battled it out for seven games. Five of the seven were decided by a single goal.
Despite losing key defensemen to injuries, the Sabres got a Briere overtime winner in Game 6 to force a deciding seventh game. Game 7 was played without McKee, who was out with a severe leg infection caused by a shot he blocked earlier in the postseason. That was a big blow.
For two periods, the Sabres led the Canes 2-1 on goals from Doug Jannik and Jochen Hecht. But Carolina responded by scoring the final three goals to win 4-2 and take the series on June 1, 2006. It was a crushing loss for a team that fought valiantly without several regulars.
Afinogenov Overtime Hero
The following season, the Sabres finished with the best record in the league – going 53-22-7 with 113 points to win the Presidents’ Trophy. In 56 games, Afinogenov scored at over a point-per-game pace with 23 goals and 38 assists. He was a big part of the team’s return trip to the Eastern Conference Final.
Following a five-game first-round series win over the New York Islanders, the Sabres ran into the formidable New York Rangers in a highly competitive second-round series. After each side held serve on home ice through four games, a pivotal Game 5 was played in Buffalo.
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For over 56 minutes, nothing separated the teams. Neither side could score. When Rangers forward Martin Straka snuck a wrist shot past Miller with 3:19 left in regulation, it spelled doom for the Sabres. They had trouble getting anything past Henrik Lundqvist. With the Hall of Fame goaltender hot, the Sabres needed someone to step up.
With Miller on the bench for an extra attacker, Connolly and Briere combined on a setup that forced Lundqvist into a tough save. The rebound was put in by Drury with 7.7 seconds remaining. The clutch goal sent the game to overtime.
The Sabres got a power play in overtime. After setting up, Dmitri Kalinin and Pominville got the puck over to Afinogenov at the point. He let go of a shot that went off the Rangers’ Jed Ortmeyer and past Lundqvist to give the Sabres an exciting 3-2 overtime win on May 4, 2007. After being benched earlier in the series, an emotional Afinogenov celebrated by diving on the ice.
“Definitely happy,” Afinogenov said following his overtime heroics. “We’re up right now. It’s a happy day for us.”
“I can’t be angry. Definitely, I want to be there, help the guys and help the team. But there’s nothing I can do. They tell me I’m not playing, I’m not playing.”
The Sabres held on for a 5-4 win in Game 6 to take the series on May 6, 2007.
In the Conference Finals, the Senators had waited a year to avenge the second-round upset. This time, it was the Senators who won twice in overtime, including Game 5 to eliminate the Sabres on May 19, 2007.
It was a bitter defeat for a team that believed they could deliver a Stanley Cup to Western New York. Instead, Buffalo fans are still wondering what if.
End of a Sabres Era
After the departures of Briere and Drury to free agency, the Sabres still had a competitive team in 2007-08. However, with 90 points, they missed the playoffs. It was the end of an era.
Making matters worse, Afinogenov plummeted to 10 goals and 18 assists in 56 games to mark the beginning of the end of his time in Buffalo. His final season as a Sabre came in 2008-09. At 29, he scored six goals and 20 points in 48 games. He left the Sabres in the off-season after scoring 134 goals and 200 assists in 559 games with the club.
A Return to Form
After making the Atlanta Thrashers on a professional tryout, Afinogenov bounced back in 2009-10, playing all 82 games for the first time in his career. Finally healthy, he produced a career-best 24 goals and 61 points to finish second in team scoring behind Nik Antropov.
However, in a season when the Thrashers traded superstar Ilya Kovalchuk to the Devils, they failed to qualify for the postseason. Afinogenov decided not to return the following season. That would be it for his NHL career. He finished with 158 goals and 395 points in 651 games.
Afinogenov Returns Home
Instead, Afinogenov returned home to play for SKA Saint Petersburg in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). Injuries limited him to 49 combined games between 2011-12 and 2012-13.
He was traded to Vityaz Podolsk in 2013-14. He was named team captain and played there until 2018-19, when he decided to play for Moscow Dynamo. He wrapped up his 20-year career at age 40 in 2019-20.
A Sabre to Remember
Afinogenov will go down as one of the most exciting players to play for the organization. His end-to-end rushes were breathtaking along with some of the highlight-reel goals he scored. While he might not go down as an all-time great Sabre, he’ll be fondly remembered by Buffalo fans.