As a youth, Markov played in the 1990
Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with a
minor ice hockey team from
Moscow. , with the
Red Wings.| 170px Markov began his career in 1993, playing for
HC Spartak Moscow in Russia. The
Toronto Maple Leafs of the NHL drafted him in the 9th round of the
1995 NHL entry draft. However, partway through the 1996–97 season, he left Moscow and began playing for the Maple Leafs' farm team, the
St. John's Maple Leafs. He made the jump to the NHL at the end of the
1997–98 season. After four seasons in Toronto, he was traded to the
Phoenix Coyotes for
Travis Green,
Robert Reichel, and
Craig Mills. He played two seasons for the Coyotes before joining the
Carolina Hurricanes for the
2003–04 season; once again, he was traded to the
Philadelphia Flyers for forward
Justin Williams partway through the season. On March 5, 2004, he scored the 10,000th goal in Flyers history against
Patrick Lalime and the
Ottawa Senators during a 5–3 win at the Wachovia Center. In the time leading up to the
2005–06, the Flyers found themselves in potential trouble with the new salary cap and needed to unload some salary. Thus, they traded Markov to the
Nashville Predators for a third round pick in the
2006 NHL entry draft. On 26 July 2006, the
Detroit Red Wings signed Markov as a free agent. Markov then signed a two-year contract with Dynamo Moscow in Russia. Markov is noted for his toughness. One game which Markov played for the Leafs involved him receiving an injury below his eye which required stitches. He took the stitches without anesthetic in order to keep playing. Markov is also well known for returning to
Jaromír Jágr his infamous "goal-salute" after the Maple Leafs knocked the Penguins out of the 1999 NHL playoffs during an Eastern Conference Semi-Finals overtime win. ==Career statistics==