Kazakhstan men's national ice hockey team
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| Association | Kazakhstan Ice Hockey Federation |
|---|---|
| General Manager |  Shumi Babayev |
| Head coach | Vladimir Krikunov |
| Assistants |  Alexander Achziger Ivan Krivonosov Yerlan Sagymbayev Sergey Zvyagin |
| Captain | Alexei Troschinsky |
| Most games | Alexander Koreshkov (78) |
| Most points | Alexander Koreshkov (83) |
| IIHF code | KAZ |
| IIHF ranking | 16  1 |
| Highest IIHF ranking | 11 (2006) |
| Lowest IIHF ranking | 21 (2003) |
| First international | |
Kazakhstan 5–1 Ukraine  (St. Petersburg, Russia; 14 April 1992) |
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| Biggest win | |
Kazakhstan 52–1 Thailand  (Changchun, China; 29 January 2007) |
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| Biggest defeat | |
 United States 10–0 Kazakhstan (Cologne, Germany; 15 May 2010) |
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| IIHF World Championships | |
| Appearances | 18 (first in 1993) |
| Best result | 12th (2005) |
| Asian Winter Games | |
| Appearances | 5 (first in 1996) |
| Best result |  Gold: 1996, 1999, 2011 |
| Olympics | |
| Appearances | 2 (first in 1998) |
| International record (W–L–T) | |
| 122–79–14 | |
The Kazakhstan men's national ice hockey team is controlled by Kazakhstan Ice Hockey Federation. Kazakhstan is currently ranked 17th in the world. In their first Olympic Games in 1998, the Kazakhs were able to win their preliminary group, surprising many, and would finish the tournament in 8th place. Their head coach is Andrei Khomutov. Unlike most European countries, the national team officially began competing against other nations as a member of the IIHF in the 1993 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships, one year after being admitted into the federation.[1]
Since the country's independence in 1992, a total of 27 players have been drafted into the NHL.[2] (note: link does not include Evgeni Nabakov, Anton Khudobin, Maxim Kuznetsov, Maxim Birbraer, Konstantin Barulin, Alexander Perezhogin, Dimitri Pätzold and Pavel Vorobiev. These players play internationally elsewhere). However Vitaly Kolesnik, who was never drafted, had a brief stint with the Colorado Avalanche.[3]
The national team has played at the Championship level 6 times (1998, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2010, 2012 and 2014 (qualified)).
The hockey system of Kazakhstan is ranked 12th best in the world.[4]
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National junior U-20 team [edit]
Kazakhstan was promoted out of Pool B into Pool A for 1998. In Helsinki, Finland, the Kazakhs defeated Slovakia 5–2 to earn a spot in the quarter-finals. However, a devastating 14–1 loss to eventual gold-medalists Finland sent Kazakhstan to the placement games, where they defeated Canada 6–3 to finish 7th. It still stands as Kazakhstan's biggest win at the U20 level.
Nikolai Antropov became the fifth Kazakh player drafted into the National Hockey League when selected the first-round by the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1998. Antropov would captain the Kazakhstan team at the 1999 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Kazakhstan tied Belarus 2–2 and defeated Switzerland 3–0 to finish third place in Group B and went on to play Canada in the quarter-finals. Canada won 12–2. Nikolai Zarzhitskiy scored both Kazakhstan goals and got player-of-the-game award. Kazakhstan finished 8th and avoided relegation.
Kazakhstan was without Nikolai Antropov when he decided to stay with the Maple Leafs for the 1999–2000 NHL season. Kazakhstan was demolished 14–1 by Russia on 25 December 1999. Kazakhstan's only win was a 5–2 win over Ukraine to qualify for the quarter-finals. Kazakhstan lost to the Czech Republic 6–3.
Kazakhstan's four-year stay at the World Junior Hockey Championships ended in 2001 when the Kazakhs went winless and lost their fight to avoid relegation to Belarus.
Kazakhstan spent six years in Division I and nearly came close to being promoted back to the top level (just needed one more win in the 2005 and 2006 games). In 2007, Kazakhstan was finally promoted by edging Norway 3–2 in an IIHF U20 Division I tournament in Torre Pellice, Italy.
Kazakhstan played in the 2008 World Junior Hockey Championships in Liberic, Czech Republic. The Kazakhs wore only their white jerseys during the tournament because blue jerseys were not available. Kazakhstan was up 2–0 against Russia, but lost 5–4. They also lost to the United States by a score of 4–2. Kazakhstan went on to defeat Switzerland 3–1 and defeated Denmark 6–3 to finished 8th.
Yakov Vorobyov became only the third Kazakh player to play in the Canadian Hockey League. Vorobyov played for the Ottawa 67's, but was released shortly after. Vadim Sozinov played for the Ottawa 67's in 2000–01 and Konstantin Pushkarev played for the Calgary Hitmen in 2004–05.
Kazakhstan boosted plenty of returning players from 2008 upon coming to Ottawa, Ontario, to compete in the 2009 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. Kazakhstan scored only 4 goals during the entire tournament and was relegated back to Division I after a 7–1 loss to Latvia.
Oleg Bolyakin will remain as head coach for Kazakhstan as the Kazakhs will play in the 2010 World Junior Championships, Division 1 held in Gdansk, Poland, from 14–20 December 2009. Kazakhstan will compete against Belarus, Italy, Norway, Croatia and Poland.
For the 2011 IIHF world championships they swept their group winning all 5 games and were promoted back to the championship level after being relegated last year.
1998 Olympics [edit]
Kazakhstan finished 8th, with their first game a loss to Finland by a score of 8–2. The Kazakhs were eliminated from the Olympics with a loss to Canada by a score of 4–1.
World Championship 2013 Division I Group A [edit]
- Roman Savchenko Barys Astana Defender
- Vitaliy Novopashin – A Barys Astana Defender
- Andrei Korabeynikov Kazzinc-Torpedo Defender
- Yevgeniy Blokhin Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk Defender
- Maxim Semenov Kazzinc-Torpedo Defender
- Yevgeniy Fadeyev Barys Astana Defender
- Alexei Troschinsky Vityaz Chekhov Defender
- Vladislav Kolesnikov Kazzinc-Torpedo Defender
- Artem Lakiza Barys Astana Defender
- Talgat Zhailauov – A Barys Astana Forward
- Fedor Polishchuk Barys Astana Forward
- Yesmukhanbet Tolepbergen Barys Astana Forward
- Viktor Alexandrov Barys Astana Forward
- Konstantin Savenkov Kazzinc-Torpedo Forward
- Ilya Solarev Barys Astana Forward
- Dmitry Upper – C Barys Astana Forward
- Roman Starchenko Barys Astana Forward
- Maxim Belyayev Yugra Khanty-Mansiysk Forward
- Vadim Krasnoslobodtsev Barys Astana Forward
- Konstantin Pushkarev Barys Astana Forward
- Konstantin Romanov Barys Astana Forward
- Andrei Spiridonov Barys Astana Forward
Goaltenders
- Andrei Yankov Kazzinc-Torpedo
- Vitaly Kolesnik Lokomotiv Yaroslavl
- Vitaliy Yeremeyev Barys Astana
Olympic record [edit]
- 1920–1992 – Part of the Soviet Union
- 1994 – Did not qualify
- 1998 – Finished in 8th place
- 2002 – Did not qualify
- 2006 – Finished in 9th place
- 2010 – Did not qualify
Nagano Cup [edit]
- 2010 – 1st
World Championships record [edit]
- 1930–1991 – Part of the Soviet Union
- 1992 – Did not participate
- 1993 – Finished in 19th place (3rd in Pool C)
- 1994 – Finished in 24th place (4th in Pool C)
- 1995 – Finished in 22nd place (2nd in Pool C)
- 1996 – Finished in 21st place (won Pool C)
- 1997 – Finished in 14th place (2nd in Pool B)
- 1998 – Finished in 16th place
- 1999 – Finished in 19th place (3rd in Pool B)
- 2000 – Finished in 18th place (2nd in Pool B)
- 2001 – Finished in 21st place (3rd in Division I, Group B)
- 2002 – Finished in 21st place (3rd in Division I, Group A)
- 2003 – Finished in 17th place (won Division I, Group A)
- 2004 – Finished in 13th place
- 2005 – Finished in 12th place
- 2006 – Finished in 15th place
- 2007 – Finished in 21st place (3rd in Division I, Group A)
- 2008 – Finished in 20th place (2nd in Division I, Group A)
- 2009 – Finished in 17th place (1st in Division I, Group A)
- 2010 – Finished in 16th place
- 2011 – Finished in 17th place (won Division 1, Group B)
- 2012 – Finished in 16th place
- 2013 – Finished in 17th place (won Division I, Group A)
References [edit]
- ^ http://www.iihf.com/iihf-home/countries/kazakhstan.html
- ^ http://www.eliteprospects.com/draft_by_nation.php?NationID=36
- ^ http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=12246
- ^ http://www.iihf.com/en/home-of-hockey/news/news-singleview/browse/3/article/russian-league-tops-first-chl-ranking-1.html
External links [edit]
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