Vladislav Tretiak visited Ryazan

Vladislav Tretiak, the President of the Russian Ice Hockey Federation (RIHF), paid a visit to Ryazan, where he met with Pavel Malkov, the Governor of Ryazan Region.

The parties discussed the development of ice hockey in the region and its prospects. Furthermore, RIHF Deputy General Director Alexander Kiknadze and the head of the local ice hockey federation Oleg Smirnov also participated in the meeting.



Tretiak was subsequently a guest of honour at the opening ceremony of the Tretiak Square venue, which drew in a few thousand fans! The ice hockey rink located at the square was a gift to the city from the RIHF President.



A key highlight of Tretiak's visit was the All-Russian Hockey League (VHL) match between Ryazan and AKM Tula which he attended. Tretiak spoke to both teams following its completion, while also meeting with the club's National Junior Hockey League (NMHL) side and local junior players.

RIHF President Vladislav Tretiak:

"Ryazan Region is one of the main development centres for ice hockey in our nation. A comprehensive training system has been established, while local academies are functioning effectively. Professional clubs are also achieving success, with Ryazan often qualifying for the VHL playoffs and NMHL side Ryazan-VDV tallying 32 consecutive wins! This is indeed a record across Russian leagues, and the winning streak is yet to end. The key is that such success inspires athletes to achieve great things. From my part, I am always happy to share my experiences, give advice and provide assistance to young players who are at the very start of their careers. When taking to Ryazan's senior players, I praised them for their efforts and desire to display creative, attack-minded ice hockey. The same can be said for youth team Ryazan-VDV.

"Pavel Malkov pays close attention to ice hockey and demonstrates true commitment to its development. The local federation, headed by Oleg Smirnov, is operating well across all development aspects. Moreover, we have to note that the region has long been producing excellent referees and coaches. More and more people are beginning to get engaged in ice hockey at amateur level as well.



"The RIHF actively supports all aspects of ice hockey development in the region. Our cooperation is expanding in areas such as educating coaches and specialists, implementing the Red Machine National Development Program into the youth ice hockey system, staging interregional competitions and promoting the sport. Infrastructure development remains a priority. In order to encourage the nation to get involved in ice hockey, we must have excellent facilities. Therefore, we are making special efforts to ensure that new rinks are constructed across the region so that we can give everyone the chance to play."