Mikhail Biryukov: career path of Russian hockey player

Russian hockey player Mikhail Biryukov - goalkeeper of the highest level. From a young age the pupil of Yaroslavl "Lokomotiv" demonstrated an excellent game at the gate, which continues to be confirmed even now, speaking for the Nizhny Novgorod "Torpedo".

First Steps to World Glory

After passing the hockey school "Locomotive" in Yaroslavl, in 2004, Mikhail Biryukov went on a year and a half to NMHL, where he defended the colors of HC "Dmitrov", until in 2005 he received an offer from the team of the VCL "Captain". As part of Stupino club goalkeeper did not play long. Already after a season of a talented guy, he attracted to himself "Hammer-Prikamye". At the heart of the Perm club, Mikhail immediately became the main guard of the gate and helped the team to break into the playoffs, after which in early 2007 he became a player of the MVD club.

In his first club Elite Division of the Russian championship Mikhail Biryukov played less than two seasons. The first year for the "Ministry of Internal Affairs" was fruitful for the goalkeeper: his game contributed to the release of the playoffs, but because of the financial difficulties of the club during the 2008/2009 season, Michael became a member of the Minsk "Dynamo". To play in the composition of Minskers for Biryukov was not difficult. The young, but experienced goalkeeper quickly blended into the game, becoming the club's first goalkeeper. At the same time, the Russian began to regularly call in the Russian national team, which only strengthened his unshakable position in the dispute over the place at the gate.

Coming to the "Yugra"

A confident game in the goal line both in the games of the national team, and Minsk "Dynamo", attracted attention to Mikhail Khanty-Mansiysk "Ugra", which in the summer of 2010 he signed a contract. For the next four seasons, Biryukov became the team's main star, demonstrating at times an incredible level of play. However, the efforts of the goalkeeper was not enough for the success of "Ugra". The team has never been able to take place above the tenth in the national championship, and also lost in the first round of the playoffs. As a result, at the end of the 2013/2014 season, Michael moved to the capital of CSKA Moscow, where he could not gain a foothold in the base, having played only 3 times, and returned to Khanty-Mansiysk.

Career in "Torpedo"

After playing for another half a year for "Ugra", in winter 2015, Mikhail Biryukov was able to find a new club "Torpedo". As part of the Nizhny Novgorod goalkeeper became one of the main guards of the gate, playing in about half the meetings of the championship. At the beginning of the 2016/2017 season, the Russian offered to sign a contract with Metallurg-Novokuznetsk, where Mikhail went for six months, then returned to Nizhny Novgorod in December 2016. After returning to the "Torpedo" goalkeeper began to appear more often on the field and at the moment is the first number in the gates of his team.

National successes

World glory Mikhail Biryukov got, speaking for the Russian national team. In the national team the goalkeeper made his debut in 2008, appearing in one match in the hockey Eurotour. Having shown himself, the coaching staff of the national team invited the goalkeeper to the forthcoming world championship, where Mikhail went three times on the ice. The debut at the world championship came in the match of the preliminary stage against the Czech Republic, where Biryukov's game helped the Russians wrest the victory in overtime, having also taken part in the victory over Denmark. Then the hockey player appeared again at the gate in the game against Belarus, standing in a series of shootouts. In the playoff games Michael was not involved, but all this time he was on the bench, ready to help the team. As a result, having won in the finals over Canada, Biryukov became a world champion in the Russian national team.

In 2010-2011 the Russian was regularly invited to Eurotour matches, and in 2014, without hitting the Olympic team, Michael took part in the World Cup, where he again played the role of the second goalkeeper of the team. Having played only one meeting, the goalkeeper became a two-time winner of the world championship, after which he was not called in the national team again.