Russia national ice hockey team

The Russian national men's ice hockey team is one of the top rated and most successful national ice hockey teams in the world, rated number two in IIHF world rankings. It has been competing internationally since 1993 and follows a long tradition of Soviet Union team mostly composed of Russian players. The Russian team replaces the Unified Team of 1992. In 1991 and earlier, players competed with the Soviet Union national ice hockey team.

The Russian team has not been as dominant as the Soviet team, winning the gold in the World Championships only twice in 17 years but it remains one of the top teams in the world. Russia finished 4th at the 2006 Winter Olympics. The team is controlled by the Ice Hockey Federation of Russia. Russia has a total of 77,702 players, about 0.05% of its population. As of August 2006, their head coach is Vyacheslav "Slava" Bykov. Team Russia also has scored more goals than any other IIHF team.Fact|date=May 2008

Russia won the World Championship in 2008, after a 5-4 overtime win in the gold medal game versus Canada. Ilya Kovalchuk scored the game-winning goal on a powerplay.

2008 IIHF World Championship team

:"See: 2008 IIHF World Championship rosters

2007 IIHF World Championship team

:"See: 2007 IIHF World Championship rosters

2006 Olympic team

;Goaltenders
*Ilya Bryzgalov - Phoenix Coyotes
*Evgeni Nabokov - San Jose Sharks
*Maxim Sokolov - Metallurg Novokuzneck*(*) Sokolov was selected to replace Nikolai Khabibulin who had withdrawn due to injury.

;Defensemen
*Sergei Gonchar - Pittsburgh Penguins
*Darius Kasparaitis - SKA Saint Petersburg - A
*Andrei Markov - Montreal Canadiens
*Daniil Markov - Detroit Red Wings
*Vitaly Vishnevski - New Jersey Devils
*Sergei Zhukov - Lokomotiv Yaroslavl
*Anton Volchenkov - Ottawa Senators

;Forwards
*Maxim Afinogenov - Buffalo Sabres
*Pavel Datsyuk - Detroit Red Wings
*Alexander Frolov - Los Angeles Kings
*Alexander Kharitonov - HC Dynamo Moscow
*Alexander Korolyuk - San Jose Sharks
*Ilya Kovalchuk - Atlanta Thrashers
*Alexei Kovalev - Montreal Canadiens - C
*Viktor Kozlov - Washington Capitals
*Evgeni Malkin - Pittsburgh Penguins
*Alexander Ovechkin - Washington Capitals
*Maxim Sushinsky - HC Dynamo Moscow
*Alexei Yashin - New York Islanders - A

Olympic record

*1994 - Finished in 4th place
*1998 - Won silver medal
*2002 - Won bronze medal
*2006 - Finished in 4th placeFrom 1956 to 1988, the Soviet Union national ice hockey team won seven gold medals, one silver medal, and one bronze medal in nine appearances. The Unified Team at the 1992 Winter Olympics also won the gold medal.

World Cup record

*1996 - Lost semi-final
*2004 - Lost quarter-final

World Championship record

* 1992 - Finished in 5th place
* 1993 - Gold medal winner
* 1994 - Finished in 5th place
* 1995 - Finished in 5th place
* 1996 - Finished in 4th place
* 1997 - Finished in 4th place
* 1998 - Finished in 5th place
* 1999 - Finished in 5th place
* 2000 - Finished in 11th place
* 2001 - Finished in 6th place
* 2002 - Silver medal winner
* 2003 - Finished in 6th place
* 2004 - Finished in 10th place
* 2005 - Bronze medal winner
* 2006 - Finished in 5th place
* 2007 - Bronze medal winner
* 2008 - Gold medal winner

ee also

*Soviet national ice hockey team
*Unified Team

References