Danis Zaripov: a just retired recordman
KHL.ru continues its journey through the league’s legend. Today is Danis Zaripov’s turn. The forward has just retired, but is still the only man to have ever won five Gagarin Cups.
Danis Zaripov played his first game at the highest level at the age of 16 on Feb 27, 1998. That is, a quarter of a century ago! Small and lanky, he stepped onto the ice in the game between Mechel and Dynamo. In the summer, like many in those years, Zaripov went overseas, but, like the vast majority, he didn’t find his place there. After a year, he returned to his hometown of Chelyabinsk. However, Zaripov is best known for his time with another team: Ak Bars.
Zaripov’s move to Kazan was not without controversy, as he had a valid contract with Mechel at the time. The team’s head coach, Nikolai Makarov, accused him of “running away.” But there was nothing they could do.
From the outset, Zaripov made an impact in Ak Bars. He caught attention even during the preseason. In August 2001, the Kazan team played in the prestigious Spartak Cup, a tournament that featured the Stars of Russia team, made up of Russian players who competed in North America.
Ak Bars participated in the Spartak Cup for the third time. In the previous two editions, they lost to the Stars in the semifinals, but in 2001, they defeated them, and with a 7:3 score. However, that year, the Stars were playing in the tournament for the last time, and their roster was the least star-studded in history. In the match against Ak Bars, future teammate of Zaripov in the famous trio, Alexei Morozov, and another Krylya Sovetov graduate, Alexander Korolyuk, stood out. Other than that, there were no standout players. It’s no coincidence that in 2001, the Stars lost all their game except for a 2:2 draw against CSKA.
03.09.2008 First KHL game with one goal and two assists.
927 games played, including in the Russian Championship: A record for Ak Bars.
22.02.2009 MVP of the regular season, and a hat-trick to Khimik.
21.05.2013 Zaripov signs with Metallurg, where with Sergei Mozyakin and Jan Kovar he formed the most productive line in the KHL history, with 320 goals.
In that year, Ak Bars made it to the Spartak Cup’s finals. In the decisive game, they faced Krylya Sovetov. They won 4:2, and the game-winning goal was netted by none other than Danis Zaripov. Moreover, he accomplished it with an impressive three-way, first-touch combination. Several years later, he would continue to score such beautiful goals alongside Morozov and Sergei Zinovyev.
At the time, Zaripov wasn’t as comfortable while giving interviews. He was modest and reserved, not a player to talk much. In short, he was a newcomer in a team filled with established authorities. Nowadays, Zaripov is a master at giving interviews, open, articulate, and never at a loss for words.
Higher than Stars
It may seem that Zaripov’s time at Ak Bars went smoothly from the very beginning, but that’s not the case. In his first season in Kazan, he scored only three goals in 42 games. The result was clearly below expectations, even considering his debut. However, the club understood that the best seasons for the forward were still ahead.
Theoretically, Zaripov could have become a champion already in his first season at Ak Bars, but no one could stop Lokomotiv, led by Vladimir Vujtek. The Yaroslavl side won all their playoff games and claimed the top spot, leaving Ak Bars in second place.
Starting from the following season, things turned brighter for Zaripov. From then until 2017, he scored no less than ten goals in a season. His rise to leadership at Ak Bars was not interrupted even by the lockout. In Kazan, players like Morozov, Ilya Kovalchuk, Alexei Kovalyov, Vyacheslav Kozlov, Brad Richards, Vincent Lecavalier, Dany Heatley, and Denis Arkhipov were all on the team. Many lost their place in the starting lineup, but Zaripov played consistently. He became the team’s fifth top scorer and fourth sniper, leaving some stars, including the Canadians players, behind.
25.05.2014 Became a three-time World Champion.
28.01.2018 Played his 1,164th game in the Russian championship, a record that renewed with each game played.
28.04.2018 Zaripov becomes the first player to be a five-time Gagarin Cup champion.
Zaripov truly solidified his role within Ak Bars in 2005. During the summer, all the NHL players, except Morozov, left Kazan. Alongside Zinovyev, Morozov and Zaripov formed the new top line of the team. They became the core of the team, with Swedish forward Tony Martensson joining them I the middle in 2008.
“When I played for Ak Bars, I always wanted to compete against the Morozov line because I understood they were the best,” said former goaltender Alexander Yeryomenko in an interview with KHL.ru. “Facing them on the ice was both challenging and intriguing. I tried to play more with my head, anticipating their moves rather than reacting to every moment. I was curious to see how they orchestrated their plays and what they came up with,” added the two-time world champion and six-time Russian title holder.
From the mid to the end of the 2000s, Ak Bars dominated the Russian championship along with their impressive top line, securing three championship titles and one second-place finish.
With Mozyakin and Kovar
In 2013, Ak Bars lost to Traktor in the Gagarin Cup semifinals, conceding a goal only 29 seconds before the end of the seventh game. The previous year, they were defeated by the same opponent in the second round, and in 2011, they were eliminated in the quarters by Salavat Yulaev. Clearly, such results were not acceptable after two titles. Changes were inevitable, and Morozov and Zaripov left the team.
At that time, in 2013, some experts predicted a gradual decline for Zaripov, expecting him to move from the top to the middle of the pack, a sort of smooth career-ending trajectory. However, the opposite happened. Joining Metallurg, the 32-year-old player found a second youth.
So, in Magnitogorsk, another legendary troika was born, consisting of Zaripov, Sergei Mozyakin, and Jan Kovar. This combination defined the team’s style of play for four years. During this period, Metallurg won two Gagarin Cups and reached the finals once more, playing attacking and entertaining hockey.
Zaripov’s first season with Metallurg was brilliant. He scored a career-best 90 points. But it wasn’t just that. Zaripov quickly won his fourth gold medal as a Russian champion and became a three-time World Champion in May. Everyone would wish for such a debut with a new team.
29.01.2020 Seventh appearance at the KHL All-Star Game.
20.11.2020 429th goal in the Russian championship, that earns Zaripov a second place in all-time rankings.
Two-time winner of the Golden Helmet award as member of the first KHL All-Star team.
Member of the most productive five-men unit in the league’s history, with Viktor Antipin, Chris Lee, Kovar, and Mozyakin – 313 points.
Five medals with Team Russia
Just think about it – almost 20 years have passed since Zaripov received his first callup to the national team camp before the World Championship! However, back in 2003, he didn’t make it into the main squad, making his debut in the World Championship later, in 2006. Since then, Zaripov has been a constant presence with Team Russia. The only three World Championships he missed during this period were in 2010, 2012, and 2013.
The national team cannot be imagined without the line of Morozov, Zinovyev, and Zaripov, who played a crucial role in bringing the Gold medal to Russia in the 2008 World Championship. The following edition was also victorious for the Russian national team, with Morozov, Zinovyev, and Zaripov once again in its lineup. Unfortunately, for our hero, however, the tournament ended early due to an injury.
Besides winning three gold medals at the IIHF World Championships, Zaripov also has a bronze medal from 2007 and a silver from 2015. However, the Olympics presented a more challenging situation. Zaripov had only one chance to win an Olympic medal, in 2010. But during that tournament, Russia faced the host country Canada in the quarters and was defeated.
Zaripov could have made it to Turin in 2006. However, the head coach Vladimir Krikunov decided not to bring the entire trio of Morozov, instead inviting Maxim Sushinsky and Alexander Khavanov, whom he coached at Dynamo. If there were a ranking of the most controversial decisions regarding Team Russia selections for major tournaments, Krikunov’s move would have been among the top positions.
In the 2022-2023 season, Zaripov was still on the ice. He was the only player in the KHL over 40 years old. Therefore, it is not surprising that he holds the record for the most games played in the domestic championships. Before the start of the previous season, Zaripov mentioned that it would be his last. However, he changed his mind and decided to continue his career, stating in September that he still had not had enough of playing hockey.
Dossier
Danis Zaripov
Born on Mar 26, 1981, in Chelyabinsk.
Playing career: 1996-1998, 1999-2001, Mechel; 1998-1999, Swift Current Broncos, WHL; 2001-2013, 2017-2023, Ak Bars; 2013-2017, Metallurg.
Achievements: Three-time World Champion (2008, 2009, 2014), silver (2015) and bronze (2007) medal at the IIHF World Championships, six-time Russian champion (2006, 2009, 2010, 2014, 2016, 2018), five-time Gagarin Cup champion (2009, 2010, 2014, 2016, 2018), European Champions Cup winner (2007), Continental Cup winner (2008).
