| Association | Kazakhstan Ice Hockey Federation |
|---|---|
| General Manager | Yriy Zverev |
| Head coach | Andrei Khomutov |
| Assistants | Andrei Shayanov Galym Mambetaliyev Sergei Tambulov |
| Captain | Alexander Koreshkov |
| Most games | Alexander Koreshkov (78) |
| Most points | Alexander Koreshkov (83) |
| IIHF code | KAZ |
| IIHF ranking | 16 |
| Highest IIHF ranking | 11 (2006) |
| Lowest IIHF ranking | 21 (2003) |
| First international | |
| Kazakhstan 5 – 1 Ukraine (St. Petersburg, Russia; April 14, 1992) |
|
| Biggest win | |
| Kazakhstan 52 – 1 Thailand (Changchun, China; January 29, 2007) |
|
| Biggest defeat | |
| United States 10 – 0 Kazakhstan (Cologne, Germany; May 15, 2010) |
|
| IIHF World Championships | |
| Appearances | 18 (first in 1993) |
| Best result | 12th (2005) |
| Asian Winter Games | |
| Appearances | 5 (first in 1996) |
| Best result | Gold: 1996, 1999, 2011 |
| Olympics | |
| Appearances | 2 (first in 1998) |
| International record (W–L–T) | |
| 114-70-13 | |
The Kazakh men's national ice hockey team is controlled by Kazakhstan Ice Hockey Federation. Kazakhstan is currently ranked 16th in the world. In their first Olympic Games in 1998, the Kazakhs were able to win their preliminary group, surprising many, and would finish the tournament in 8th place. Their head coach is Andrei Khomutov. The World Junior team played a game in late December 1999 in Carman, Manitoba against the local senior team. The Kazakhs won 7-4. Unlike most European countries, the national team officially began competing against other nations as a member of the IIHF in the 1993 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships, one year after being admitted in to the federation.[1]
Since the country's independence in 1992, a total of 27 players have been drafted into the NHL.[2] However Vitaly Kolesnik who was never drafted but had a brief stint with the Colorado Avalanche.[3]
The hockey system of Kazakhstan is ranked 12th best in the world.[4]
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Kazakhstan was promoted out of Pool B into Pool A for 1998. In Helsinki, Finland, the Kazakhs defeated Slovakia 5-2 to earn a spot in the quarter-finals. However, a devastating 14-1 loss to eventual gold-medalists Finland sent Kazakhstan to the placement games, where they defeated Canada 6-3 to finish 7th. It still stands as Kazakhstan's biggest win at the U20 level. r Ice Hockey Championships]] in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Kazakhstan tied Belarus 2-2 and defeated Switzerland 3-0 to finish third place in Group B and went on to play Canada in the quarter-finals. Canada won 12-2. Nikolai Zarzhitskiy scored both Kazakhstan goals and got player-of-the-game award. Kazakhstan finished 8th and avoided relegation. they really should look at improving.
Kazakhstan was without Nikolai Antropov when he decided to stay with the Maple Leafs for the 1999–2000 NHL season. Kazakhstan was demolished 14-1 by Russia on December 25, 1999. Kazakhstan's only win was a 5-2 win over Ukraine to qualify for the quarter-finals. Kazakhstan lost to the Czech-Republic 6-3.
Kazakhstan's four-year stay at the World Junior Hockey Championships ended in 2001 when the Kazakhs went win-less and lost their fight to avoid relegation to Belarus.
Kazakhstan spent six years in Division I and nearly came close to being promoted back to the top level (just needed one more win in the 2005 and 2006 games). In 2007, Kazakhstan was finally promoted by edging Norway 3-2 in an IIHF U20 Division I tournament in Torre Pellice, Italy.
Kazakhstan played in the 2008 World Junior Hockey Championships in Liberic, Czech-Republic. The Kazakhs wore only their white nike swift jerseys during the tournament because blue jerseys were not available. Kazakhstan was up 2-0 against Russia, but lost 5-4. They also lost to the US by a score of 4-2. Kazakhstan went on to defeat Switzerland 3-1 and defeated Denmark 6-3 to finished 8th.
Yakov Vorobyov became only the third Kazakh player to play in the Canadian Hockey League. Vorobyov played for the Ottawa 67's, but was released shortly after. Vadim Sozinov played for the Ottawa 67's in 2000-01 and Konstantin Pushkarev played for the Calgary Hitmen in 2004-05.
Kazakhstan boosted plenty of returning players from 2008 upon coming to Ottawa, Ontario to compete in the 2009 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. Kazakhstan scored only 4 goals during the entire tournament and was relegated back to Division I after a 7-1 loss to Latvia.
Oleg Bolyakin will remain as head coach for Kazakhstan as the Kazakhs will play in the 2010 World Junior Championships, Division 1 held in Gdansk, Poland from December 14–20, 2009. Kazakhstan will compete against Belarus, Italy, Norway, Croatia, and Poland.
For the 2011 IIHF world championships they swept their group winning all 5 games and were promoted back to the championship level after being relegated last year.
Kazakhstan finished 8th, with their first game a loss to Finland by a score of 8-2. The Kazakhs were officially eliminated from the Olympics with a loss to Canada by a score of 4-1.
Goaltenders
Defensemen
Forwards
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