Sergei Pryakhin
Encyclopedia
Sergei Vasilievich Pryakhin (born December 7, 1963 in Moscow
, Soviet Union
) is a retired Russia
n ice hockey
forward
.
Sergei was the first Soviet
member of their national hockey team that the Soviet government allowed to play in the National Hockey League
. Other players had either defected or had not been member of the national team before him. After playing in the Soviet Elite League for Soviet Wings, he was given permission to leave following the 1988-89 Soviet league season and joined the Flames in March 1989. His first game came on March 30, 1989 as member of the Calgary Flames
.
While he would only last a few years in the NHL, he did pave the way for players such as Sergei Makarov
, Vladimir Krutov
and Igor Larionov
, amongst many others, to also be allowed to ply their trade in the NHL. Sergei would spend his entire career with the Flames. Priakin was included on the 1989 Calgary team winning picture, and was awarded a Stanley Cup ring. He was the first Russian trained played to receive a Stanley Cup ring. Pryakhin played only 2 regular season games, and 1 playoff, so he was not eligible to be engraved on the Stanley Cup.
He split the next two seasons between the Flames and their IHL affiliate in Salt Lake City
before returning for Europe. He played in Switzerland
for ZSC Lions
and in Finland
for Espoo.
Internationally, Pryakhin represented the USSR in the 1987 Canada Cup
and won a gold medal at the 1986 World Championships
.
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
) is a retired Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
forward
Forward (ice hockey)
In ice hockey, a forward is a player position on the ice whose primary responsibility is to score goals. Generally, the forwards try to stay in three different lanes, also known as thirds, of the ice going from goal to goal. It is not mandatory however, to stay in a lane. Staying in a lane aids in...
.
Sergei was the first Soviet
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
member of their national hockey team that the Soviet government allowed to play in the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
. Other players had either defected or had not been member of the national team before him. After playing in the Soviet Elite League for Soviet Wings, he was given permission to leave following the 1988-89 Soviet league season and joined the Flames in March 1989. His first game came on March 30, 1989 as member of the Calgary Flames
Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is the third major-professional ice hockey team to represent the city of Calgary, following the...
.
While he would only last a few years in the NHL, he did pave the way for players such as Sergei Makarov
Sergei Makarov
Sergei Mikhailovich Makarov is a Russian former ice hockey right wing and two-time Olympic gold medalist, regarded as one of the greatest players to play the sport...
, Vladimir Krutov
Vladimir Krutov
Vladimir Yevgenyevich Krutov born June 1, 1960) is a former Soviet hockey forward. Together with Igor Larionov and Sergei Makarov, he was part of the famed KLM Line...
and Igor Larionov
Igor Larionov
Igor Nikolayevich Larionov is a Russian retired professional ice hockey player, known as The Professor. Along with Viacheslav Fetisov, he was instrumental in breaking the barrier that stopped Soviet players from joining the National Hockey League . He primarily played the centre position, and is...
, amongst many others, to also be allowed to ply their trade in the NHL. Sergei would spend his entire career with the Flames. Priakin was included on the 1989 Calgary team winning picture, and was awarded a Stanley Cup ring. He was the first Russian trained played to receive a Stanley Cup ring. Pryakhin played only 2 regular season games, and 1 playoff, so he was not eligible to be engraved on the Stanley Cup.
He split the next two seasons between the Flames and their IHL affiliate in Salt Lake City
Salt Lake Golden Eagles
The Salt Lake Golden Eagles were a minor professional hockey team based in Salt Lake City, Utah from 1969 to 1994.They played in the Western Hockey League from 1969 to 1974, the Central Hockey League from 1974 to 1984 and the International Hockey League from 1984 to 1994...
before returning for Europe. He played in Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
for ZSC Lions
ZSC Lions
The Zürcher Schlittschuh Club Lions are a professional ice hockey team located in Zürich, Switzerland, playing in the National League A. The home arena, the 10,700 seat Hallenstadion, is in the Zürich district of Oerlikon...
and in Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
for Espoo.
Internationally, Pryakhin represented the USSR in the 1987 Canada Cup
1987 Canada Cup
The 1987 Canada Cup was a professional international ice hockey tournament held from August 28 to September 15, 1987. The finals took place in Montreal on September 11 and Hamilton, Ontario, on September 13 and September 15, and were won by Team Canada....
and won a gold medal at the 1986 World Championships
1986 World Ice Hockey Championships
The 1986 Ice Hockey World Championships took place in the Soviet Union from 12 April to 28 April. The games were played at the Palace of Sports of the Central Lenin Stadium in Moscow, and eight teams took part. Each team played each other once, and then the four best teams played each other again....
.
International statistics
| Year | Team | Event | Place | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 1982 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships The 1982 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships was the 6th edition World Junior Ice Hockey Championships and was held from December 22, 1981 until January 2, 1982. The tournament was hosted by the United States in various cities across the state of Minnesota with some games also played in the... |
Soviet Union | WJC | 4th | 7 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 4 | |
| 1983 1983 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships The 1983 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships was the 7th edition of the World Junior Ice Hockey Championships and was held in Leningrad, Soviet Union between December 26, 1982 and January 4, 1983... |
Soviet Union | WJC | 7 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 13 | ||
| Junior Int'l Totals | 14 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 17 | ||||
| 1987 | Soviet Union | WC Ice Hockey World Championships The Ice Hockey World Championships are an annual ice hockey tournament organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation . First officially held at the 1920 Summer Olympics, it is the sport's highest profile annual international tournament. The IIHF was created in 1908 while the European... |
8 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 8 | ||
| 1987 1987 Canada Cup The 1987 Canada Cup was a professional international ice hockey tournament held from August 28 to September 15, 1987. The finals took place in Montreal on September 11 and Hamilton, Ontario, on September 13 and September 15, and were won by Team Canada.... |
Soviet Union | CC Canada Cup (ice hockey) The Canada Cup was an invitational international ice hockey tournament held on five occasions between 1976 and 1991. The tournament was created to meet demand for a true world championship that allowed the best players from participating nations to compete regardless of their status as professional... |
9 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 6 | ||
| 1990 1990 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships -Final Round:-Consolation Round:Norway needing to keep their final game within four goals, lost four to nothing to the Germans, and were relegated.... |
Soviet Union | WC | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||
| Senior Int'l Totals | 20 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 16 | ||||