Sergey Kalinin (ice hockey)
A versatile and hard-working forward who carved out an NHL career before returning to become a KHL champion with CSKA Moscow.
Born 1991 (age 35)·Russian ice hockey player·Birthday: March 17·Millennials
Biography
Sergey Kalinin's hockey path mirrors that of many skilled Russian players of his generation: domestic success, a venture to the NHL, and a return home to cement a legacy. A product of the Metallurg Magnitogorsk system, he developed into a reliable two-way forward, capable of playing center or wing with a responsible defensive game. His performance in the KHL earned him a contract with the New Jersey Devils, where he spent a season and a half adapting to the North American game. While his offensive numbers in the NHL were modest, he was valued for his hockey sense and work ethic. His return to Russia, first to SKA St. Petersburg and then to CSKA Moscow, marked a career resurgence. At CSKA, he found a perfect role as a dependable middle-six forward on a powerhouse team, contributing crucial depth scoring and defensive play. This culminated in winning the Gagarin Cup, the KHL championship, in 2022, affirming his status as a winner in the league where his career began.
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.
Sergey 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 Sergey Was Born
The biggest hits of 1991
#1 Movie
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Best Picture
The Silence of the Lambs
#1 TV Show
Cheers
Sergey'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
- Won the Gagarin Cup as KHL champion with CSKA Moscow in 2022.
- Played 86 games in the NHL for the New Jersey Devils across the 2015-16 and 2016-17 seasons.
- Represented Russia at the 2016 IIHF World Championship, winning a bronze medal.
- Was a KHL All-Star in 2015 while playing for Avangard Omsk.
Did You Know?
He was drafted by the New Jersey Devils in the 6th round, 162nd overall, in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft.
He played in the KHL for Avangard Omsk, Salavat Yulaev Ufa, SKA St. Petersburg, and CSKA Moscow.
His father, Pavel Kalinin, was also a professional hockey player.
He won a silver medal with Russia at the 2015 IIHF World Championship.
“A player's duty is to the crest on the front, not the name on the back.”
