Vladislav Tretiak speaks about the busy month of February

Dear friends!

I would like to congratulate everyone with the start of spring!

We had a busy concluding month of winter, with two of our junior national teams travelling to Belarus to participate in the Future Cup against the host nation. It turned out to be an excellent competition which allowed guys representing both countries to receive vital international experience. Furthermore, I would like to thank the Belarusians for their professional organisation of the tournament and warm hospitality!

Over in Chelyabinsk Region, ice hockey fans were treated to memorable events, with the NMHL Generation Cup being staged in Magnitogorsk and the WHL All-Star Game being contested in Chelyabinsk. Teams representing the National Junior Hockey League and the Student Hockey League faced each other in the Generation Cup, while more than 6,000 people attended the WHL event at the Traktor Arena! The match was dedicated to the 30th anniversary of women's ice hockey in Russia.

During my business trips, I not only participate in public events, but also hold meetings with governors and sports officials from various regions. Such conversations about the development of hockey took place not only in the Chelyabinsk Region, but also in the Amur Region. I recently returned from a business trip to the Far East - and I am still impressed by what I saw. After all, during my stay in Blagoveshchensk and Vladivostok, I managed not only to fruitfully resolve a number of hockey issues, but also to attend unforgettable events.

During my travels, I spoke to governors and sporting officials across Chelyabinsk Region and the Far East, during which we discussed the development of ice hockey and how the Russian Ice Hockey Federation can provide assistance. In Blagoveshchenk and the Chinese city of Heihe, which are both located in the Far East, the Russian-Chinese Winter Sports Festival was organised. Our Chinese colleagues are interested in using Russia's experience to develop ice hockey in their country, and we're only too happy to help. Moreover, we are consequently continuing to develop relations between our two great nations.

Not far away in Vladivostok, we opened the 2025 Asia Student Hockey Challenge which has been organised by the Student Hockey League and the Far Eastern Federal University. Sport at student level is one of the most effective instruments of developing international cooperation.

While in Khabarovsk, I visited the Vostochny Cosmodrome, looking at the launch pads for rockets and how they prepare space projects. I was really impressed by what I saw! When visiting such facilities as the cosmodrome, any person experiences a sense of pride in our sovereign power, our breakthrough technologies, and the ability of Russian people to make their wildest dreams come true. In the book of honoured guests, I wrote, “We are the best in the world!” - and it came from the heart. By the way, it's worth noting that domestic space and ice hockey have always had a lot in common, with the legendary Yuri Gagarin having loved our sport.

New competitions and events await!

President of the Russian Ice Hockey Federation

Vladislav Tretiak