Today Alexei Volchenkov, one of the greatest national hockey players, 10-time USSR champion, 6-time USSR Cup winner, 9-time European Champions Cup winner and a member of the 1975/1976 Super Series, would be 69 years old.
Volchenkov started hockey in Novosibirsk in 1966. After spending one season for the masters’ team of Siberia, he moved to Moscow. Alexei Volchenkov spent almost his entire career with CSKA, playing as a 13th ranked defenseman. He was invited to CSKA team by Anatoly Tarasov. Alexei came to Moscow and trained for two teams at once. He trained in the masters’ team with Tarasov and in youth team with Yuriy Chabarin who has been coaching Alexei's son for 20 years.
It was very difficult for an 18 years old hockey player to break into the masters’ team, because CSKA was the base club of the national team. However, in September 1971, key defenseman Vladimir Lutchenko was injured. Volchenkov got a chance in a game with Spartak, used it and immediately and permanently secured a place on the team.
During 13 years of playing for CSKA he won the USSR championship ten times and won the European Cup nine times. He was awarded the Order "For Service in the Armed Forces", was constantly included in the USSR team and played several games in it, but at the world championships and the Olympics did not play once. Instead, he took part in the 1976 Super Series against NHL clubs. CSKA team defeated the New York Rangers (7:3) and Boston (5:2), tied it up with Montreal (3:3) and lost to Philadelphia (1:4).
After his career, Volchenkov retired from hockey. He worked for the Sports Committee of the Ministry of Defense.
Alexei's son, Anton Volchenkov, is a CSKA graduate, 2009 world champion. He played for CSKA team in 1999-2000. He also played in the NHL for Ottawa (2002-2010), New Jersey (2010-2014) and Nashville (2014-2015).
Alexei Volchenkov passed away on January 10, 2011. His memory will live on forever and will be carefully passed on to the next generations of hockey players.
