The main task is for the national team to advance to division IA
The Ukrainian Hockey Federation announced the appointment Dmitry Khristich to post head coach Ukrainian national team. His assistants will be Sokol’s current mentor Oleg Shafarenko and Canadian Nick Filan.
The contracts with the new coaching staff are for one year. The main tasks are for the national team to enter Division IA and rejuvenate the squad.
Khristic, 54, will exercise overall management of the team and make final personnel and strategic decisions. Shafarenko will be responsible for the tactical and strategic preparation of the team for the main competitions, planning and implementing the training process.
Khristich managed to spend more than a dozen seasons in the NHL, playing for the Washington Capitals, Los Angeles Kings, Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs, and took part in the All-Star Games.
He played for the Ukrainian national team at the Olympic Games in Salt Lake City in 2002 and became the world champion as a member of the USSR national team (1990). Khristich was also an assistant head coach of the Ukrainian national team in 2008-2012, 2021-2022.
In early October, the FHU fired Vadim Shakhraichuk from the position of head coach of the Ukrainian national team. Previously journalist Elena Kurbanova reportedthat on May 15, the head of the Security Service of Ukraine Vasily Malyuk informed the Minister of Youth and Sports of Ukraine Vadim Gutzeit that Shakhraichuk has a Russian passport.
The Ukrainian national hockey team plays in division IB. In 2024, the blue-yellows will play against Estonia, China, the Netherlands, Lithuania and Spain in the world championship.
Source: Sportarena
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