Aleksey Nikiforov

Aleksey Nikiforov (April 24, 1957 in Elektrėnai, Lithuania) is a former professional hockey player for the Dynamo Riga team of the Russian Elite League. He is the father of Sarnia Sting star Vladimir Nikiforov in the OHL. He resides on Long Island where he still teaches hundreds of adults and children of various skill capabilities how to play the game.

Coaching career

Aleksey currently coaches the Suffolk PAL Squirt AAA (Minor) team. He previously coached the New York Junior Bobcats of the Atlantic Junior Hockey League where he boasted great placement for many of his students. He is credited with "teaching" many Long Island hockey products the game. He teaches a European style of hockey, as opposed to the North American style. This European style focuses on skating speed, puck possession, and puck movement, while the North American style focuses more on bodychecking and overall physical domination. The translation of this style is very apparent in his American-born students such as Christopher Higgins of the Montreal Canadiens and 2006 NHL Draft pick Tony Romano.

Notable students

*Darius Kasparaitis, New York Rangers
*Dainius Zubrus, New Jersey Devils
*Alexei Yashin, New York Islanders
*Michael Komisarek, Montreal Canadiens
*Christopher Higgins, Montreal Canadiens
*Bryan McCabe, Toronto Maple Leafs
*Vladimir Malakhov, San Jose Sharks
*Alexei Kovalev, Montreal Canadiens
*Rob Scuderi, Pittsburgh Penguins
*Eric Nystrom, Calgary Flames

External links

* [http://www.longislandpress.com/?cp=194&show=article&a_id=5967 Great story on how he has trained his son]
* [http://www.nybobcats.com/Page.asp?id=4897&snid=30262375&org=nybobcats.com Blurb on his credentials from the New York Bobcats website]
* [http://www.nhl.com/features/system/romano080406.html Article on Tony Romano, a 2006 draft pick of the New Jersey Devils, who is a former student of Nikiforov's]