Sergei Mylnikov facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sergei Mylnikov |
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| Born | 6 October 1958 Chelyabinsk, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union |
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| Died | 20 June 2017 (aged 58) Moscow, Russia |
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| Height | 5 ft 10 in (178 cm) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 172 lb (78 kg; 12 st 4 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Goaltender | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Caught | Left | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Played for | Traktor Chelyabinsk SKA Leningrad Quebec Nordiques Torpedo Yaroslavl Skedvi/Säter IF |
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| National team |  Soviet Union |
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| NHL Draft | 127th overall, 1989 Quebec Nordiques |
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| Playing career | 1977–1995 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Sergei Aleksandrovich Mylnikov (born October 6, 1958 – died June 20, 2017) was a famous Soviet and Russian ice hockey goaltender. He played in top leagues from 1977 to 1995. These included the Soviet Hockey League and the National Hockey League (NHL).
Sergei Mylnikov made history as the first Soviet goalie to play in the NHL. He mostly played for Traktor Chelyabinsk. He also played for teams like SKA Leningrad and the Quebec Nordiques. He was a key player for the Soviet national team. He won a gold medal at the 1988 Winter Olympics. He also won gold at the 1989 and 1990 IIHF World Championships. He was named to the Soviet All-Star team in 1988. In 1985, he joined the Russian and Soviet Hockey Hall of Fame.
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Becoming a Hockey Goalie
Sergei Mylnikov started playing hockey when he was six years old. His father encouraged him to play. He chose to be a goaltender because he was not very tall. This position suited him well.
His chance to play internationally came later. This was because there were many other great Soviet goalies. Famous players like Vladislav Tretiak and Vladimir Myshkin were also playing.
Playing for Top Teams
Mylnikov played for several teams during his career. He spent most of his time with Traktor Chelyabinsk. He played there from 1976 to 1980 and again from 1983 to 1989. He also had short periods with SKA Leningrad.
In 1989, he joined the Quebec Nordiques. This made him the first Soviet goaltender to play in the NHL. After his time in North America, he played for Torpedo Yaroslavl. He finished his playing career with Skedvi/Säter IF in Sweden.
International Success
Sergei Mylnikov was a very successful international player. He helped the Soviet junior team win two junior world championships. These wins happened in 1977 and 1978.
He was also the starting goalie for the Soviet team at the Canada Cup in 1987. His biggest achievements were with the senior national team. He won Olympic gold in 1988. He also won two World Championship gold medals in 1989 and 1990.
After His Playing Career
After retiring as a player in 1995, Mylnikov stayed in hockey. He became a head coach for Säter IF in Sweden for two seasons. Later, he coached several Russian clubs. He coached from 1997 to 2012.
He also continued to play "masters hockey" until 2010. Sergei Mylnikov passed away in 2017 at the age of 58. His sons, brother, and nephew also became ice hockey goaltenders.
