Famous ice hockey player Boris Mikhailov turns 70

A prominent Soviet ice hockey player, two-time Olympic champion and a player of the legendary USSR-Canada Super Series of 1972 Boris Mikhailov is celebrating his 70th anniversary.

Mikhailov has gone down in history of Russian hockey. Over many years, he has been playing for CSKA and the USSR national team in the legendary trio with Vladimir Petrov and Valery Kharlamov. He became Olympic champion in 1972 and 1976, world champion in 1969, 1970, 1971, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1978, 1979, champion of the USSR in 1968, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981. In 1972 he took part in the famous USSR-Canada Super Series of 1972.

In domestic hockey his sniper record of 428 goals scored in the USSR championships still remains unbeaten. And in 120 matches played for the national team at the World Championships and the Olympic Games Mikhailov scored 109 goals.

After finishing his playing career in 1980, Mikhailov became a coach. It was under his leadership in 1993, that the Russian team for the first time in its history, became world champion. The team had to wait 15 years for the next successof this kind. In 2002, the Russian team, also under the leadership of Mikhailov,  became vice-champion of the world. Subsequently, he was a member of the coaching staff of the national team at the World Championships in 2005 and 2006 and at the Olympic Games in Turin.

In 1982-1984, 1992-1997, 2002-2006 Mikhailov  was the head coach of SKA (St. Petersburg), third medalist MHL 1994. He also was the head coach of CSKA Moscow (1998-2001) and of Metallurg Novokuznetsk (2007-2009).

President of the Russian Olympic Committee and IOC member Alexander Zhukov congratulated the great ice hockey master on his anniversary:

“I would like to join the others in congratulating Boris Mikhailov. His name is firmly imprinted in the history of Russian and world hockey. Delight and love of the fans, Olympic triumphs, victories at the World Championships — these are the words to describe the career of this outstanding hockey player. I can remember how our whole country, everybody young and old, were watching the games of the legendary USSR-Canada Super Series on TV. Boris Mikhailov was the captain of  that great USSR team and, by the way, one of the few who participated in all eight games.

I am sure that the best gift for Boris Petrovich for this and all his future anniversaries, would be new victories, new generations of athletes, who will continue the best traditions of Russian hockey, who will play and win ‘just like Mikhailov’.

We wish you, Boris Petrovich, good health, prosperity, happiness and many positive emotions.”