Egor Yakovlev
A versatile Russian defenseman who brought his smooth, two-way game from the KHL to the NHL's New Jersey Devils before returning home.
Born 1991 (age 35)·Russian ice hockey player·Birthday: September 17·Millennials
Biography
Born in Magnitogorsk, the heart of Russia's steel and hockey country, Egor Yakovlev's path was almost preordained. He developed within the formidable Metallurg system, honing a poised, intelligent style of play from the blue line. His game wasn't about thunderous hits but about crisp first passes, smart pinches, and a quiet effectiveness that caught the eye of NHL scouts. In 2018, he crossed the Atlantic to join the New Jersey Devils, becoming a reliable part of their defensive rotation and experiencing the grind of an 82-game North American season. After his NHL stint, Yakovlev returned to his roots with Metallurg, bringing back a wealth of experience to the KHL. His career embodies the modern, mobile defenseman and the ongoing exchange of hockey talent between the world's top leagues.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Egor was born in 1991, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Egor Was Born
The biggest hits of 1991
#1 Movie
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Best Picture
The Silence of the Lambs
#1 TV Show
Cheers
Egor's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1991Born
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
1996Started school
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2004Became a teenager
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2007Could drive
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2009Could vote
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2012Turned 21
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2021Turned 30
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 35 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Played 46 games in the National Hockey League for the New Jersey Devils during the 2018-19 season.
- Won the Gagarin Cup, the KHL championship, with Metallurg Magnitogorsk in 2014 and 2016.
- Represented Russia at the 2018 IIHF World Championship, winning a bronze medal.
Did You Know?
He was drafted not by an NHL team, but by the KHL's Lokomotiv Yaroslavl in 2010, before being traded to Metallurg.
Yakovlev served as an alternate captain for Metallurg Magnitogorsk upon his return from the NHL.
He recorded his first and only NHL point, an assist, in a game against the Ottawa Senators in December 2018.
“A good pass from the blue line is like threading a needle in a storm.”
