Andrei Lomakin

Andrei Viacheslavovich Lomakin (in Russian: Андрей Вячеславович Ломакин) (b. April 3rd 1964 in Voskresensk, Russia - d. December 9th 2006) is a former professional left winger who played mainly in the Soviet League and National Hockey League with the Philadelphia Flyers and the Florida Panthers.

Trained by Khimik Voskresensk, Lomakin left the team in 1985 to join the powerful Dynamo Moscow. He was among the first generation of soviet stars to leave their country after the fall of communism to play in the NHL; Lomakin had been the Flyers' 7th round pick (138th overall) of the 1991 NHL Entry Draft. In 1991, at the age of 27, Lomakin became the first ever Russian to play for the Flyers. Later, he was a member of the Florida Panthers for their inaugural season and the next; he posted career highs in goals and points in his first season with the Panthers. He retired in 1997.

Lomakin played for the Soviet Union at various international competitions, most notably the 1987 and 1991 Canada Cups, the 1988 Olympics where he won the gold medal with the Soviet National Team and the 1991 World Championship.

Lomakin passed away on December 9th 2006 after a long fight against cancer.