Alexei Melnichuk

{{Infobox ice hockey player

| name = Alexei Melnichuk

| image =

| caption =

| image_size =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1998|6|29|df=y}}

| birth_place = Saint Petersburg, Russia

| league = KHL

| team = Lokomotiv Yaroslavl

| prospect_league = VHL

| prospect_team =

| position = Goaltender

| catches = Left

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 2

| weight_lb = 190

| former_teams = SKA Saint Petersburg
Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod
San Jose Sharks
HC Sochi
Traktor Chelyabinsk
Avangard Omsk

| career_start = 2018

| career_end =

| draft = Undrafted

}}

Alexei Andreyvich Melnichuk ({{langx|ru|Алексей Андреевич Мельничук}}; born 29 June 1998) is a Russian professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for Lokomotiv Yaroslavl of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL).

Playing career

Melnichuk played professionally in his native Russia, with SKA Saint Petersburg and Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) before signing as an undrafted free agent to an entry-level contract with the San Jose Sharks in May 2020.{{cite web|title=Sharks Sign Goaltender Alexei Melnichuk|url=https://www.nhl.com/sharks/news/sharks-sign-goaltender-alexei-melnichuk/c-316490142|publisher=National Hockey League|accessdate=4 May 2020|date=4 May 2020}}

During his maiden North American season in the 2020–21 campaign, he made his NHL debut with the Sharks appearing in relief on 11 February 2021, in a 6–2 defeat to the Los Angeles Kings.{{cite web|title=Kings score six, defeat Sharks to split two-game set, end slide|url=https://www.nhl.com/sharks/news/san-jose-sharks-los-angeles-kings-game-recap/c-321232178|publisher=National Hockey League|accessdate=11 February 2021|date=11 February 2021}} He was handed his first start on 8 May 2021, in a 4–5 overtime loss to the Arizona Coyotes.{{cite web|title=Kessel wins it in OT in 900th consecutive NHL game, Coyotes top Sharks|url=https://www.nhl.com/sharks/news/arizona-coyotes-san-jose-sharks-game-recap/c-324338430|publisher=National Hockey League|accessdate=8 May 2021|date=8 May 2021}}

In the following {{NHL Year|2021}} season, Melnichuk continued in the AHL with the San Jose Barracuda. As the starting goaltender, Melnichuk collected 10 wins through 31 regular season games. At the NHL trade deadline, Melnichuk was dealt by the Sharks to the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for Antoine Morand on 21 March 2022.{{Cite web |title=Lightning acquire goalie Alexei Melnichuk from Sharks for Antoine Morand |url=https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/lightning-acquire-goalie-alexei-melnichuk-from-sharks-for-antoine-morand/ |access-date=22 March 2022 |website=Sportsnet.ca |language=en}} He was immediately reassigned to the Lightning's ECHL affiliate, the Orlando Solar Bears.{{cite web| url = https://twitter.com/TBLightning/status/1506045932353523715 | title = Melnichuk will report to Orlando | publisher = Twitter | author = Tampa Bay Lightning | date = 22 March 2022 | accessdate = 22 March 2022}}

After completing the season with the Solar Bears, Melnichuk's KHL rights were traded by SKA Saint Petersburg to HC Sochi on 6 May 2022.{{cite web| url = https://www.hcsochi.ru/media/news/obmen-sportivnymi-pravami/ | title = Sports rights exchanged | publisher = HC Sochi | date = 6 May 2022 | accessdate = 6 May 2022 | language = Russian }} Opting to halt his North American career, Melnichuk was later signed by Sochi to a two-year contract on 11 May 2022.{{cite web| url = https://www.hcsochi.ru/media/news/aleksey-melnichuk-stal-igrokom-sochi/ | title = Alexei Melnichuk becomes a Sochi player | publisher = HC Sochi | date = 11 May 2022 | accessdate = 11 May 2022 | language = Russian}}

During the 2022–23 season, Melnichuk made 8 appearances with Sochi before he was initially loaned to Traktor Chelyabinsk for the remainder of the season on 21 October 2022.{{cite web| url = https://hctraktor.org/media/news/45343-aleksey-melnichuk-v-traktore/ | title = Alexie Melnichuk in Traktor | publisher = Traktor Chelyabinsk | date = 21 October 2022 | accessdate = 21 October 2022 | language = Russian}} After two months with Traktor, Melnichuk was again on the move and signed a two-way contract with Avangard Omsk on 21 December 2022.{{cite web| url = https://www.hawk.ru/en/news/47538/ | title = Avangard signs Melnichuk | publisher = Avangard Omsk | date = 21 December 2022 | accessdate = 21 December 2022 | language = Russian}}

Melnichuk made just two appearances with Avangard Omsk before his rights were traded in the off-season in a return to former club, Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod on 20 July 2023. He was promptly signed to a one-year contract for the 2023–24 season.{{cite web| url = https://hctorpedo.ru/news/club/aleksey-melnichuk-vernetsya-v-torpedo/ | title = Alexei Melnichuk will return to Torpedo | publisher = Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod | date = 20 July 2023 | accessdate = 20 July 2023 | language = Russian}} Before making an appearance with Torpedo, Melnichuk left the club following an injury and moved to fellow KHL outfit, Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, on 28 December 2023.{{cite web| url = https://hclokomotiv.ru/article/8712 | title = Alexei Melnichuk Lokomotiv newcomer | publisher = Lokomotiv Yaroslavl | date = 28 December 2023 | accessdate = 28 December 2023 | language = Russian }}

Career statistics

=Regular season and playoffs=

border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" style="text-align:center; width:75%;"
bgcolor="#e0e0e0" ! colspan="3" bgcolor="#ffffff"\| ! rowspan="99" bgcolor="#ffffff"\| ! colspan="9" bgcolor="#e0e0e0"\|Regular season ! rowspan="99" bgcolor="#ffffff"\| ! colspan="8" bgcolor="#e0e0e0"\|Playoffs
bgcolor="#e0e0e0" ! Season ! Team ! League ! GP ! W ! L ! T/OT ! MIN ! GA ! SO ! GAA ! SV% ! GP ! W ! L ! MIN ! GA ! SO ! GAA ! SV%
2015–16	SKA-Varyagi	MHLB \| 9	5	3	1	545	24	0	2.64	.891 \| —	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
bgcolor="#f0f0f0" \| 2015–16	SKA-1946	MHL \| 15	5	3	1	642	24	1	2.24	.915 \| 3	0	3	158	8	0	3.04	.892
2016–17	SKA-1946	MHL \| 17	10	5	2	1035	39	2	2.26	.924 \| 1	0	1	62	3	0	2.92	.889
bgcolor="#f0f0f0" \| 2016–17	SKA-Neva	VHL \| 17	15	1	1	1029	28	5	1.63	.932 \| —	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2017–18	SKA-1946	MHL \| 3	3	0	0	180	7	0	2.34	.873 \| 1	0	1	45	4	0	5.30	.778
bgcolor="#f0f0f0" \| 2017–18	SKA-Neva	VHL \| 19	16	3	0	1076	30	4	1.67	.934 \| 8	4	1	389	12	0	1.85	.937
2017–18	SKA Saint Petersburg	KHL \| 2	1	0	0	67	3	0	2.68	.900 \| —	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
bgcolor="#f0f0f0" \| 2018–19	SKA-Neva	VHL \| 30	20	6	2	1697	49	2	1.73	.924 \| 9	6	3	547	10	3	1.10	.963
2018–19	SKA-1946	MHL \| 1	1	0	0	60	0	1	0.00	1.000 \| 2	1	1	119	3	0	1.51	.938
bgcolor="#f0f0f0" \| 2019–20	SKA Saint Petersburg	KHL \| 16	8	5	1	892	25	4	1.68	.930 \| —	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2019–20	SKA-Neva	VHL \| 8	7	1	0	461	15	2	1.95	.925 \| 10	5	4	556	20	2	2.16	.937
bgcolor="#f0f0f0" \| 2020–21	Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod	KHL \| 14	6	6	2	851	38	0	2.68	.912 \| —	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2020–21	San Jose Barracuda	AHL \| 17	7	7	3	1003	58	0	3.47	.868 \| —	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
bgcolor="#f0f0f0" \| 2020–21	San Jose Sharks	NHL \| 3	0	1	1	131	11	0	5.05	.864 \| —	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2021–22	San Jose Barracuda	AHL \| 31	10	14	2	1651	108	0	3.92	.867 \| —	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
bgcolor="#f0f0f0" \| 2021–22	Orlando Solar Bears	ECHL \| 6	2	1	2	276	14	0	3.04	.895 \| —	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2022–23	HC Sochi	KHL \| 8	1	4	0	372	16	0	2.58	.922 \| —	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
bgcolor="#f0f0f0" \| 2022–23	Traktor Chelyabinsk	KHL \| 4	0	2	0	105	10	0	5.70	.750 \| —	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2022–23	Omskie Krylia	VHL \| 4	0	2	0	120	11	0	5.49	.817 \| —	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
bgcolor="#f0f0f0" \| 2022–23	Avangard Omsk	KHL \| 2	0	1	0	60	3	0	3.00	.857 \| —	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2023–24	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl	KHL \| 4	2	1	0	195	4	1	1.23	.938 \| —	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
bgcolor="#e0e0e0" ! colspan="3"\|KHL totals ! 50 !! 18 !! 19 !! 3 !! 2,543 !! 99 !! 5 !! 2.34 !! .914 ! — !! — !! — !! — !! — !! — !! — !! —
bgcolor="#e0e0e0" ! colspan="3"\|NHL totals ! 3 !! 0 !! 1 !! 1 !! 131 !! 11 !! 0 !! 5.05 !! .864 ! — !! — !! — !! — !! — !! — !! — !! —