I congratulate you with Russian ice hockey's 70th anniversary!

Dear friends,

I congratulate you with Russian ice hockey's 70th anniversary! I wish you all health and to keep on loving the game! The Russian Ice Hockey Federation will do everything to ensure that our national teams will make you happy with new victories. We will continue to develop ice hockey in Russia.

Between the 15th and 18th of December, the Channel One Cup took place inside Moscow's Ice Palace. Six games were held between Russia, Finland, Sweden and the Czech Republic.

Russia beat the Czech Republic and Finland, while losing to Sweden. This showing enables Oleg Znarok's team to continue leading the way in the overall Euro Hockey Tour table with fifteen points.

47203 supporters attended the six Channel One Cup games, with five of them in Moscow and one in Helsinki. Russia's fixtures were sellouts, and matches not involving Russia had an average attendance of six thousand. This is two times larger than at the Finnish Karjala Cup.

During the Channel One Cup, the World Hockey Forum was ongoing. More than 700 ice hockey specialists came to the event from 25 countries. 40 speakers made speeches, including Rene Fasel, Pavel Kolobkov, Vladislav Tretyak, Mike Keenan, Teemu Selanne and Jari Kurri. Matters such as ice hockey's development, rule changes and the IIHF international and club strategy were discussed. Over 100 people were at the coaching seminar too.

In line with the Channel One Cup, a special charity match was held in honour of Russian ice hockey's 70th anniversary. There was an autograph session with Vladislav Tretyak, Alexei Yashin, Ilya Kovalchuk and Pavel Datsyuk. After that, a large parade with our national teams and players from the VHL, MHL, NMHL, Night Hockey League, WHL, children's ice hockey and sledge-hockey took place.

Soviet ice hockey stars such as Vyacheslav Fetisov, Alexei Kasatonov, Alexander Yakushev, Teemu Selanne, Essa Tikkanen, Jari Kurri, Glenn Anderson and Larry Murphy were all present at the charity game. Also, RIHF president Vladislav Tretyak, board chairman Arkady Rotenberg and first vice-president Roman Rotenberg put on their skates. Boris Mayorov, Yury Lyapkin and Boris Mikhaylov were the USSR Legends team coaches, while Vladimir Yurzinov, Mike Keenan, Sergei Makarov and Igor Kravchuk coached Russia Hockey Friends. Some of the funds raised will go towards children's sports schools. In accordance with Russian ice hockey's 70th anniversary, Russian Federation President Vladimir Putin handed out official thanks to famous ice hockey players and coaches for their contribution to the development of sport in Russia.

At the Legends Park open air ice rink, Alexei Yashin, Alexei Morozov and Andrei Kovalenko put on master-classes for children. Also, Alyosha Pushakov, a young child who wishes to be an ice hockey referee and Artyom Denisov, an eleven year old sledge-hockey player, both dropped the puck for two of Russia's Channel One Cup matches. A tour around the Ice Hockey Museum and the Russian national team's dressing room was also put on for the no.51 Moscow children's home.

In the near future, one of the most exciting tournaments is approaching - the World Junior Championship. Head coach Valery Bragin and his players are already in Canada and are preparing for the competition's opening game with Canada on December 26th.

Russian Ice Hockey Federation president

Vladislav Tretyak