Hockey
Iconic Russian Coach Finds NHL Job. Now He’s on a Special Mission
One of the most titled coaches in Russia, Oleg Znarok, is returning to work.
Recently, a photo of Oleg Znarok with Matvey Michkov and Ivan Fedotov, who play for Philadelphia, went viral on social networks. And the day before, it became clear that the Russians did not just meet: Znarok’s name appeared in the “personnel” section on the official Flyers website. The former head coach of the Russian national team is listed as a consultant on the development of European players and scouting.
At the same time, Znarok retired from coaching at the end of 2022, when he left Ak Bars after a victorious match against Lokomotiv. At that time, many believed that the career of one of the most titled coaches in Russian hockey was over.
However, now the specialist will work for an NHL club in a role that is unusual for him.
Why does Philadelphia need Znarok?
Znarok will be building his career in North America for the first time in his career, although many people thought for a long time that he would head an NHL club. Moreover, the specialist has a serious track record: he won the Gagarin Cup three times and also successfully worked for the Russian national team. However, talk about the NHL ended as quickly as it began. And after Ak Bars, it seemed that Znarok would never return to hockey. And suddenly, after a long period of inactivity, the specialist was invited to Philadelphia for a scouting position.
The Flyers have already explained why they invited one of the best coaches in Russia.
— There are several Russians on the Philadelphia roster. The club’s general manager Daniel Briere, president of hockey operations Keith Jones and head coach John Tortorella like the fact that Znarok has the experience and ability to help hockey players, not just Russian ones, — the club said.
Znarok’s professionalism is known to everyone. He led the Russian national team to gold medals at the World Championship and the Olympics. Interestingly, the current Philadelphia coach John Tortorella is the same old school representative that the Russian specialist is. They crossed paths at the 2016 World Cup, where Znarok and the Russian national team reached the semi-finals, while Tortorella and the US national team did not make it out of the group.
The invitation of Znarok to the position of scout is quite justified. After all, a person who worked in the KHL for more than 10 years is capable of finding talented hockey players from Europe for the Flyers.
Mentor for young talent
Philadelphia has three Russians on its roster: defender Yegor Zamula, goalkeeper Fedotov and forward Michkov. The latter’s adaptation is a priority for the club.
Philadelphia drafted Michkov in 2023, and this summer the player officially moved to the American club. The Flyers already want to see a real leader in the young Russian forward. Considering that Znarok’s authority is unquestionable for Russian hockey players, his strictness and exactingness will only benefit the talented guy.
Former defenseman for several KHL teams Nikita Shchitov agreed that Znarok moved to the NHL, in part, to help Russian hockey players adapt.
— Znarok was offered such a position, it’s cool and great. It will be good for Oleg Valerievich, he’s been out of work for a long time, there will be new practice, a new field of activity that will help him learn something more about himself. He will gain new experience, help our guys in Philadelphia. He is an authoritative man, — Shchitov told Match TV.
Philadelphia chose Znarok also because Fedotov and Michkov’s agent, Paul Theofanos, is a long-time acquaintance of the specialist (he handles the affairs of Artemy Panarin, the coach’s son-in-law).
Let’s see what the famous coach will do first in Philadelphia. In any case, Znarok will return to his favorite job and will be useful to the new club, and will also help Russian hockey players feel more comfortable – an ideal scenario for all parties.
Source: Sportbox
I’m a sports enthusiast and journalist who has worked in the news industry for over 8 years. I currently work as an author at Sportish and my work focuses mainly on sports news.