Vyacheslav Bykov

Did You Know?

• Bykov is of Mari descent.
• He became a naturalised Swiss citizen in 2003, and his family lives in Marly, Switzerland.
• In 2023 he slammed the NHL for barring Russian players from bringing the Stanley Cup to Russia.

Playing career

Bykov began his playing career with Traktor Chelyabinsk in 1979. After three years he moved to CSKA Moscow, where he became a regular on the Soviet national team. He participated in multiple international tournaments, winning gold at the 1983, 1986, and 1989 World Championships, silver in 1987, and bronze in 1985. He also earned a silver at the 1987 Canada Cup and gold at the 1988 Winter Olympics. With the Unified Team he won gold at the 1992 Winter Olympics, and with Russia he won gold at the 1993 World Championships. In 1990 he joined HC Fribourg-Gottéron in Switzerland, and ended his playing career in 2000 after two seasons with HC Lausanne.

Coaching career

Bykov was named head coach of the Russian national team on 10 August 2006, succeeding Vladimir Krikunov. His team won bronze at the 2007 World Championship in Moscow, then gold at the 2008 World Championship in Quebec and again at the 2009 World Championship in Bern. After a 3–7 loss to Canada and a sixth-place finish at the 2010 Winter Olympics, and failing to win gold in two subsequent World Championships, he was fired by the Russian Hockey Federation. Concurrently, from 28 April 2004 to 4 April 2009, he coached CSKA Moscow, reaching the semi-finals of the Russian Superleague and the quarter-finals of the KHL. On 14 May 2009 he was named head coach of Salavat Yulaev Ufa, winning the Continental Cup and bronze in 2009–2010, and the Gagarin Cup in 2010–2011. On 4 April 2014 he was appointed head coach of SKA Saint Petersburg on a two-year contract with an option for a one-year extension. In his first season he led SKA to their first Gagarin Cup win, becoming the first coach to win the trophy with two different teams.