Alexander Selivanov
A swift and opportunistic Russian winger whose sharp shooting made him a reliable scorer during the first wave of post-Soviet players in the NHL.
Born 1971 (age 55)·Russian ice hockey player·Birthday: March 23·Generation X
Biography
Alexander Selivanov emerged from the final years of the Soviet hockey system just as its doors were swinging open. A product of the famed CSKA Moscow youth program, he arrived in North America in the mid-1990s, part of a new generation testing its skill against the world's best. His game was straightforward and effective: find open ice, receive the puck, and release a quick, accurate shot. This knack for finishing served him well with the Tampa Bay Lightning, where he enjoyed his most productive seasons, once potting 31 goals. Selivanov's journey was that of a hockey nomad, playing for six NHL clubs and later extending his career across Europe in Germany, Russia, and Switzerland. His transition from player to coach was a natural progression, applying the lessons from his long, varied career to guide the next generation in Russia's Far East with Admiral Vladivostok.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Alexander was born in 1971, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Alexander Was Born
The biggest hits of 1971
#1 Movie
Fiddler on the Roof
Best Picture
The French Connection
#1 TV Show
Marcus Welby, M.D.
Alexander's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1971Born
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1976Started school
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1984Became a teenager
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1987Could drive
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1989Could vote
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1992Turned 21
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
2001Turned 30
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2011Turned 40
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2021Turned 50
January 6 Capitol breach; COVID vaccines roll out globally
Gas: $3.01/galHome: $298,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Levitating" — Dua LipaBest Picture: CODA
2026Age 55 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Scored a career-high 31 goals and 55 points for the Tampa Bay Lightning during the 1996-97 NHL season.
- Won a bronze medal with the Russian national team at the 2002 IIHF World Championship.
- Played over 500 games in the NHL across ten seasons with six different franchises.
- Later served as head coach for the KHL team Admiral Vladivostok.
Did You Know?
He was drafted by the Philadelphia Flyers in the 10th round, 234th overall, in the 1994 NHL Entry Draft.
His son, Alexander Selivanov Jr., is also a professional hockey player.
He scored his first NHL goal on his first shot in his first game.
After retiring as a player, he worked as an assistant coach for the Russian national team at the 2014 World Championship.
“A good shot is one that goes in the net.”
