OFF MIC: MEET MAVERICKS FORWARD, MAX ANDREEV

In this edition of Off Mic, we explored the unique background of Max Andreev and his inspiring hockey journey.

Max was born in Russia and grew up in a family of four just outside of downtown Moscow. While English wasn’t spoken at home, he started learning the language at school when he was in second grade. 

A few years prior, at the age of five, Max laced up the skates for the first time. Hockey was an easy choice given its popularity in Russia and the fact that his uncle, Sergei Brylin, played in the NHL and was a three-time Stanley Cup Champion with the New Jersey Devils. He was also fortunate to grow up 10 minutes away from CSKA, one of the top hockey academies in Russia, where he played until moving to the US. 

In addition to his uncle, there was an abundance of Russian talent in the NHL which served as inspiration for Max as a kid. Long-time Detroit Red Wings superstar, Pavel Datsyuk, was among his favorites. Also high on his list were Tampa Bay’s Nikita Kucherov, who also played at CSKA, and former Washington Capitals forward, Evgeny Kuznetsov, who was part of a legendary Russian World Juniors team that upset Canada in 2011.  

A few years later, Max left for the US, a situation he described as tumultuous. At the time, he was under contract with a junior team in Russia who made it clear that his playing time would be limited and refused to grant his request for a trade. Max considered moving to the US as the only viable option to keep his hockey dream alive, so he packed his bags and landed on Long Island just before his 17^th birthday in 2015. 

Max had a few relatives in the US, but not close by, so he was very much on his own when he arrived. Having spoken English since grade school helped his cause, but relocating halfway across the world was a major adjustment. 

Max spent his first year of juniors playing for the New York Bobcats of the Eastern Hockey League. He described his billet family as a saving grace, making the transition more manageable, and stays in touch with them to this day.

Max spent the next two seasons with the NAHL’s New Jersey Junior Titans and the USHL’s Central Illinois Flying Aces, respectively, before arriving at Cornell University in the fall of 2018. Being a student there and suiting up for the Big Red at Lynah Rink, which he argues is the most energetic arena in college hockey, will forever stand as one of the best experiences of his life. 

Max described Cornell as particularly rigorous from an academic perspective, especially having not gone to high school in the US. His freshman year was a struggle, and he even considered dropping out at one point, but he persevered and learned that the grind was well worth it. He improved as a student and had a successful hockey career with the Big Red, recording 75 points in 99 career games.  

Max graduated in 2023 and signed his first professional hockey contract in March of that year with the Mavericks’ AHL affiliate, the Coachella Valley Firebirds. When he reported to training camp in Kansas City in the fall, he knew right away that there was something different about that team, that it was built for a deep run. Max was familiar with some of the other guys like Patrick Curry, whom he had played against in college. The Mavericks’ first trip to the Kelly Cup Finals and the camaraderie of the group both on and off the ice made his rookie season a special one. 

The only expectation Max had for himself personally was to show up to the rink every day and give it 110%, and it paid off. He finished third among all ECHL rookies with 73 points and broke the Mavericks’ single-season ECHL assist record with 54. Max also got the opportunity to play a handful of games for the Firebirds. Playing for a then former and now current NHL Head Coach, Dan Bylsma, and rubbing elbows with guys who had spent extensive time in the NHL was an invaluable experience. 

Max expressed his gratitude for landing in the Midwest on his hockey journey. What he considers to have the attractions of a big city with a small-town feel, Max loves Kansas City for its sense of community and passionate hockey fans. (Benson, 2025)