Alex Burmistrov Signs With ECHL Cincinnati

The 8th overall pick of the 2010 NHL Draft is returning to the States. According to Tony Androckitis of Inside AHL Hockey, the ECHL’s Cincinnati Cyclones have signed forward Alexander Burmistrov for the 2026-27 campaign.

Burmistrov, 34, is one of only a few active players to have suited up for the Atlanta Thrashers. In the NHL, Minnesota Wild defenseman Zach Bogosian and unrestricted free agent forward Evander Kane are the two remaining NHL players eligible to claim that distinction. However, Burmistrov never became what the Thrashers believed he would be, nor any team, for that matter.

After scoring 22 goals and 65 points in 62 games for the OHL’s Barrie Colts in the 2009-10 season, the Thrashers selected Burmistrov in what would become their final draft. NHL Central Scouting ranked him as the 11th-best North American prospect, which led to him being viewed as a slight reach at the time. Burmistrov immediately joined Atlanta for the 2010-11 season, registering six goals and 20 points in 74 games with a -12 rating.

Burmistrov remained with the organization as the Thrashers became the Winnipeg Jets for the 2011-12 campaign. He continued as a tertiary scorer, registering 17 goals and 38 points in 120 games throughout the next two seasons. Burmistrov was upset about being assigned to the AHL and not being allowed to play in the KHL during the 2012-13 lockout. As a result, he did not want to continue his career in Winnipeg. The following summer, he signed with Ak Bars Kazan in the KHL.

Eventually, time apart healed the wounds between Burmistrov and the Jets, and he returned to the organization for the 2015-16 season. Unfortunately, he again struggled to gain much traction with the team and was waived early in the 2016-17 season. He was claimed by the Arizona Coyotes and arguably had the best stretch of his NHL career, scoring five goals and 14 points in 26 games down the stretch.

After a one-year stint with the Vancouver Canucks, Burmistrov filed his retirement paperwork with the NHL and has been in Russia since. Although he has held a roster spot for the last nine years, he has not achieved significant success. Playing for Ak Bars Kazan, Salavat Yulaev Ufa, Metallurg Magnitogorsk, Spartak Moskva, Dynamo Moskva, and Shanghai Dragons, Burmistrov has registered 26 goals and 90 points in 315 games since the 2017-18 KHL season.