Only a few teams can boast as many trophies and records like the ones that Sergei Mozyakin won. The forward is a two-time Gagarin Cup champion, Olympic Games gold medalist and two-time IIHF WC winner. He is also the holder of uncountable individual records. He’s the all-time leader Russian goals and points scorer, six-time first all-star team, four-time Golden Stick Award winner as MVP of the regular season, and two-time playoffs’ MVP. It’s not a surprise that Mozyakin participated in each and all KHL All-Star Games played so far.
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The Kontinental Hockey League is a big family, and journalists and analysts are one of its integral parts. After an excellent career as a player, Sergei Gimayev became a legendary journalist. His competence, analysis, and play-by-play skills forced thousands to fall in love with hockey. Thousands of people would turn the TV on not only to watch their favorite teams but also to listen to Gimayev. It’s not true that there are no irreplaceable persons. You will always be irreplaceable in our hearts, Sergei…
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Nigel Dawes, one of the most prolific international players in the League’s history, showed that for him, moving from one team to another is not more than a change in the uniform. He left Barys as a team’s legend and became a leader right away in Yekaterinburg. In the 2017-18 season, he was the regular season’s top goal scorer.
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Nikita Gusev is a clear example of how the Russian hockey vertical works. When he was playing in the MHL, he was considered a star in the making. And it worked out: in his hardware collection we can find the Gagarin Cup, the Golden Stick Award, and the Golden Helmet as First All-Star team member. In 2018, Nikita Gusev’s goal sent the Olympic Game finals to the OT, where then Team Russia won the long-awaited gold medal.
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The KHL is rich not only in excellent coaches and high-scoring forwards but also in reliable defensemen. Anton Belov won the Gagarin Cup twice. The 2016-17 season was the best in his career so far. Other than the League’s top trophy, he was the best player in the League for plus/minus and was awarded Gentleman on the Ice. The defenseman donated more than one million rubles from KHL sponsors to junior sledge hockey development and during the ceremony called on the crowd in attendance to think about charity.
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Vasily Koshechkin’s long career has as highlights two Gagarin Cup titles and two Best Goalie awards in 2013-14 and 2016-17. Koshechkin has also proved to be excellent on the international stage, having won two IIHF World Championships and being the starting netminder at the 2018 South Korea Olympic Games. Koshechkin is always an unsigned hero, a player who likes to stay away from the spotlight, ever knowing what should be done on the ice.
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Yet another KHL legend. As the adage goes, if you want to win the Gagarin Cup, you need to sign Danis Zaripov. The forward is the record-holder for Gagarin Cups won as a player, with five. He also made the First All-Star team twice, and in 2009 he won the Iron Man award for the most games played within the latest three seasons. He also has a Golden Stick award in his hardware collection.
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Ilya Kovalchuk spent six years in the KHL and was one of the League’s most shining stars. He won two Gagarin Cup titles with SKA and was the top scorer of the regular season once. Kovalchuk also won two IIHF WC gold medals, scoring the OT game-winning goal in 2008. In 2018, finally, Kovalchuk realized his long-cherished desire and became an Olympic champion.
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Alexander Radulov is one of the most decorated players in the League’s history, having won a Gagarin Cup and a whole arsenal of individual awards. He is a three-time regular-season scoring champion, two-time Golden Stick Award winner and two-time playoffs’ top scorer. In his career in the KHL, Radulov also won a “Second” award as the author of the fastest goal in the season. No other player managed to beat his record – only six seconds – so far.
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Pavel Datsyuk is a fantastic hockey player with an incredibly high hockey IQ. He’s a member of the elite “Quadruple gold club” thanks to his Gagarin Cup, Olympic Games, World Championship, and Stanley Cup triumphs. Moreover, he’s an example of endurance, being a key player for his teams at any age. Last year, Datsyuk was awarded “Faith toward hockey” honors.
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Alexey Morozov is a legend of Russian hockey, one of the most talented wingers in its history. He won two Gagarin Cups with Ak Bars Kazan. Morozov scored the Cup-clinching goal in the League’s inaugural season. That same year he was named the playoffs’ MVP.
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Dmitry Kvartalnov is a coach with a well-established and recognizable style. His teams always play at maximum energy with a lot of pressure on the opposition. At his first year in Moscow, he brought CSKA to Russian Championship title, but then suffered from a Conference Finals exit. In the 2015-16 season, he was at one game to the Gagarin Cup title, having lost 4-3 to Metallurg in the League’s grand finals. That year, Kvartalnov was named best coach of the season.
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In the different KHL seasons, the League featured people who are considered legends at both sides of the Atlantic. Mike Keenan is one of them. The veteran coach and former Stanley Cup champion won the Gagarin Cup with Metallurg Magnitogorsk at the first attempt, being also named the best coach of the season. Other than a great coach, Keenan was also an excellent mentor, having kickstarted the coaching career of today’s Team Russia head coach, Ilya Vorobyov.
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Oleg Znarok won three Gagarin Cup titles, getting four times to the final stage. Moreover, he won the Cup with HC MVD when the team never even reached the playoffs before. To build a champion team with Dynamo, he needed only two years and won twice in a row. With Team Russia, Znarok not only won the IIHF World Championship but also returned to the fans the joy of an Olympic gold medal after 16 years.
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Another legendary coach is Vyacheslav Bykov, who won the Gagarin Cup twice with different teams. Moreover, he won the title with SKA at his first year in St. Petersburg. At the end of the 2014-15 season, Bykov was awarded Best Coach honors. He also showed his excellent coaching preparation also on the international scene. Russia won his first World Championship after a 15-year hiatus under his guide. Vyacheslav Bykov is a subtle psychologist who can work with players of any level and achieve the best results also with the most-complicated characters.
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Zinetula Bilyaletdinov is the most-winning coach in the KHL history. The former Ak Bars’ coach won three Gagarin Cups, with the first triumph in 2009 and the latest in 2018. Bilyaletdinov was always among the League’s top coaches, and he also coached Team Russia at the 2014 Sochi Olympic Games. The famed bench boss was awarded twice Best Coach award. On 2019 spring, Bilyaletdinov left his position as Ak Bars head coach, but hopefully, this is the end of his career, but just a time-out.
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Gennady Velichkin is one of the best-known names of the Russian hockey recent history. He is the go-to man for Metallurg Magnitogorsk since 1991 and turned the Ural club in one of the most winning teams in Russia. Seven times was he recognizes as Russian hockey’s best executive, receiving the prestigious Valentin Sych Award. His team won the Gagarin Cup twice. Velichkin, as well as many other executives, gives every year significant contribution to the Kontinental Hockey League.
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A true legend and one of the most winning coaches in the entire hockey history. Viktor Tikhonov won three Olympic Games gold medals, eight victories at the IIHF World Championship and 12 times won the USSR championship with CSKA Moscow. A true household name and synonym with all the power of the Red Machine, Viktor Tikhonov had his impact on the KHL as well, being CSKA’s honor president till the last day. The League’s award to the best coach of the season is called after his name and is one of the most sought-after prizes of the season-closing ceremony.
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