Died today in Moscow. Viktor Tikhonov -the famous soviet ice hockey player, multiple USSR champion and hockey master. After finishing his player carrier he begun as coach for the Riga Dinamo club on 1968. The club was struggling in the third division in the USSR hockey league. With his iron discipline and great coaching skills he brought the team up to Highest Division and added Riga to the Soviet Hockey elite. He lead the team until 1977 when he went to work as coach for Moscow CSKA and the USSR hockey team gaining 3 Olympic Gold medals. A legend for the Latvian and Soviet hockey he helped hockey to be popular in Latvia and made it professional. The original Riga Dinamo was a great foundation for the future restored national hockey team that entered the world elite on 1996 with most of the Riga Dinamo players in it. On 1998 TIkhonov was admitted to International Ice Hockey Federation Hall of Fame. His son Vasily Tikhonov born in Riga was also a hockey coach. He began coaching the Riga Dinamo youth teams but then moved to United States where he worked with NHL Team San Jose Sharks were Latvian goalie Artūrs Irbe played. Later moved back to Russia and coached the KHL teams. On August 7 2013 he died in accident Moscow. His son also born in Riga Viktor Tikhonov Jnr. is hockey player in KHL teams also played in Russian national team. For last 5 years the restored Riga Dinamo team is playing in KHL. With changing success it has twice made it to second part of playoffs.
Posted on: Mon, 24 Nov 2014 08:56:42 +0000
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