Drafted from the Russian Superleague's SKA Saint Petersburg, Safronov made his North American debut with the Quebec Remparts of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) in the 1999–2000 season.

After one season with the Remparts, he joined the Coyotes' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Springfield Falcons.

[1] Safronov appeared in two games with the Thrashers in 2001–02, in-between winning the Calder Cup with their AHL affiliate, the Chicago Wolves,[2] and 32 more in 2002–03 season before being traded to the Nashville Predators (along with Simon Gamache) for Ben Simon and Tomáš Klouček.

He spent the remainder of the season with the Predators' AHL affiliate, the Milwaukee Admirals, winning another Calder Cup.

This biographical article relating to a Russian ice hockey defenceman is a stub.