Career
Balandin played for Lokomotiv Yaroslavl of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) at the time of his death. Balandin had also played for Salavat Yulaev Ufa, The Human Context Lada Togliatti, The Human Context CSKA Moscow, Mytishchi Khimik, Mytishchi Atlant and UHC Dynamo in Russia. On September 7, 2011, Balandin was killed, when a Yakovlev Yak-42 passenger aircraft, carrying nearly his entire Lokomotiv team, crashed just outside Yaroslavl, Russia.
The team was traveling to Minsk to play their opening game of the season, with its coaching staff and prospects.
Lokomotiv officials said ""everyone from the main roster was on the plane plus four players from the youth team"".