Ilya Byakin

Ilya Byakin began his hockey career with Avtomobilist Sverdlovsk (now Yekaterinburg) in 1980 and played there until 1990, except for 1983-86, when he played for Spartak Moskva. Byakin won his only two Soviet Championship medals with Spartak Moskva, a silver in 1984 and bronze in 1986. From 1990-91 Byakin played one season with CSKA Moskva, before playing one season in Switzerland with SC Rapperswil-Jona and then one season in Germany with EV Landshut, before he was drafted by the NHL’s Edmonton Oilers as the 267th overall choice in 1993. Byakin played only two seasons in the NHL, his first season with the Oilers and his second season with the San Jose Sharks. From 1995-97 Byakin played in Sweden with Malmö IF and then played one season in the International Hockey League with the Las Vegas Thunder, before returning to Russia. He then played one season with Spartak Moskva, two with Lada Togliatti, two with CSKA Moskva and one season with Avangard Omsk, before retiring after the 2003-04 season, which he played with Junost Minsk in Belarus. Internationally besides his Olympic gold in 1988, Byakov was on the World Champions three times (1989, 1990, 1993) and European Champions twice (1989, 1991). He also won a gold at the 1990 Goodwill Games, silver at the 1990 European Championships and bronze at the 1991 World Championships. After finishing his sporting career Byakin worked as an ice hockey coach, serving as the head coach of Krylya Sovetov Moskva from 2007-08.