Andrei Skopintsev

Infobox Ice Hockey Player
team = HC Sibir Novosibirsk
former_teams = Tampa Bay Lightning
Atlanta Thrashers
Krylja Sovetov (RSL)
HC Dynamo Moscow (RSL)
Augsburger Panther (DEL)
TPS (SM-liiga)
league = KHL
position = Defence
shoots = Right
height_ft = 5
height_in = 10
weight_lb = 185
nationality = Russia
birth_date = Birth date and age|1971|9|28|mf=y
birth_place = Moscow, USSR
draft = 153th overall
draft_year = 1997
draft_team = Tampa Bay Lightning
career_start = 1987

Andrei Skopintsev (born September 28, 1971 in Moscow, U.S.S.R.) is a Russian professional ice hockey defenceman who currently plays for HC Sibir Novosibirsk of the Russian Super League. He began his career with Elektrostal Kristall beofre moving to Krylja Sovetov where he spent six seasons. In 1995 he moved to Germany's Deutsche Eishockey-Liga where he spent one season with the Augsburger Panther where he pulled out his best scoring numbers of his career, in which despite his reputation as a stay-at-home defenceman, scored 10 goals and 20 assists for 30 points in 46 games. He moved on to Finland's SM-liiga in 1996 and played to TPS Turku, it was during that time where Skopintsev was drafted 153th overall in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft by the Tampa Bay Lightning and after one more season in Finland, the Russian moved to North America. Despite his strong reputation he built in Europe, Skopintsev never managed to emulate his performances, bouncing between the NHL and the International Hockey League. He played for the Tampa Bay Lightning and then the Atlanta Thrashers, playing 40 regular season games, scoring 2 goals and 4 assists for 6 points, collecting 32 penalty minutes. After three mediocre season in the American league, Skopintsev returned in Russia in 2001 and spent five seasons with HC Dynamo Moscow and in 2006 he signed with his current employers Vityaz Chekhov.

External links

*hockeydb|30264