Sokil Kyiv

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Sokil Kiev
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Sokil Kyiv
Oleh Shafarenko
CaptainDmytro Nimenko
Websitehcsokil.com.ua
Franchise history
1963–1973HC Dynamo Kyiv
1973–1992HC Sokil Kyiv
1992–1993HC Sokil-Eskulap Kyiv
1993–presentHC Sokil Kyiv

Hockey Club Sokil Kyiv (

Kyiv region
.

They are a founding club of the Professional Hockey League of Ukraine, and have formerly competed in the national leagues of Belarus, Russia, and the Soviet Union. Until 2014 Sokil remained the oldest and most accomplished team in Ukrainian hockey, winning 12 of the 19 Ukrainian Hockey Championships held since 1992. The club's senior team was inactive from 2014 to 2020.

The club was founded in 1963 as part of the Dynamo sports society, and adopted its current moniker in 1973. They are the second major-professional ice hockey team to represent the city of Kyiv, preceded only by its short lived predecessor, also named Dynamo (founded in 1953). They are the most successful Ukrainian team to have competed in the Soviet Championship, finishing as high as third in the highly competitive circuit (1985) and producing several award-winning players. In 1986, Sokil managed to become the first and only Ukrainian-based team to compete in the Spengler Cup ice hockey tournament, where they would finish 2nd. They also became the first Ukrainian team to win an international league championship, doing so in the Eastern European Hockey League consecutively in 1998 and 1999.

Sokil is accredited with developing a majority of the country's top young hockey players, producing NHL All Stars such as Dmytro Khrystych and Oleksiy Zhytnyk, and Stanley Cup Champions Ruslan Fedotenko and Anton Babchuk.

Franchise history

1963–1973: Dynamo

The team was founded in the summer of 1963 by the Deputy Chairman of Sports of Ukraine, Adrian Miziak, under the name of

Soviet ice hockey, holding its first game on 27 October 1963 against SKA Kuybyshev. The team's first head coach was Dmitri Boginov. Forward Viktor Martinov
would score the first goal in club history two minutes into the match, and the team would go on to win the game at a score of 4:1. Martinov would go on to lead the team in goals that season with 16. Though the team would finish 6th in its inaugural season, they would go on to have the best record in their division the following year; earning a promotion to the top level of competition in the Soviet leagues. To open the 1965–66 season, Kyiv would boast the second largest arena in the Soviet Union. However, while competing at the top level, Dynamo struggled. During its five years of competition in the league, which included playoff qualification each year, the team would exhibit sub-par play. Sokil's Soviet Cup playoff run in 1968 would prove to be a highlight in otherwise disappointing campaigns. Their elimination by
SKA Leningrad in the quarterfinals would be the furthest the team would finish in the tournament for nearly a decade. In the following season, Sokil would finish the first round of competition in 10th place of 12 teams, resulting in a temporary demotion to the second-tier of competition. This would last the remainder of the season. They would finish 6th in this group of 18, and 12th of 24 in the record books. This poor showing would not prove a motivator for the following year, though the departure of coach Boginov would not help either. He would be replaced by Igor Shichkov
, the team would finish dead last in the 1969–70 season, and once again become subject to outright relegation. The final three years under the Dynamo name would show gradual, albeit slow improvements; each season finishing one place higher in the standings.

1973–1996: The Falcons

For the club's 10th anniversary in 1973, the club would drop the Dynamo moniker, a move which would have a lasting legacy. The historical white and blue colors of the

Dynamo sports society
would be kept intact, but the team would adopt the name of the "Falcon", or "Sokil" in Ukrainian. Though Sokil's play would remain inconsistent throughout the 70s, the hiring of
Avtomobilist Sverdlovsk by a mere point. This foray into Soviet Cup playoffs would prove to be one of the best runs in the team's history, making it as far as the semifinals where they would ultimately fall to the legendary CSKA Moscow team. Unfortunately for the team, the Cup playoffs would not be held again for another 8 years. During this period of emphasis on regular season performance, several stars would begin to emerge from the team's ranks. Between 1981 and 1990, six players would be named to the league's 34 man All Star selections
, 5 of whom were multiple time recipients.

1984–85

Sokil would remain competitive, but the addition of homegrown forward Dmytro Khrystych and defenseman Oleksandr Hodyniuk in 1985 and 1986, respectively, would elevate the team to new heights. Their 3rd-place finish in 1985 would remain a franchise best, Ramil Yuldashev would claim the league award for most hat-tricks this year with 2, and Nikolai Narimanov would lead the league in goals with 26. The following year in 1986, Sergei Davydov would follow up on Yuldashev's success and win the hat-trick award. Sokil would be invited to the Spengler Cup tournament where they would continue their success as finalists, succumbing only to Team Canada.

Winning the

Valeri Shyriaiev would be named the league's top defensemen in both years as well. Following a 15th-place finish in 1992, the lowest in team history, the team and coach Bogdanov would part ways. This would also mark a change in the team's official name to accommodate a new sponsor; the club competed under the name Sokil Eskulap (Ukrainian: Сокіл-Ескулап) for only the 1992–93 International Hockey League (IHL) season. Bogdanov's dismissal did little to curtail the franchise's downward spiral, with the team reaching new record lows with head coach Alexander Fedeev at the helm. He would hold the position until 1996, which also marked the team's parting of ways with the newly formed Russian Hockey League
.

A positive product of these troubled years is the continued development of local talent. Future Olympian and

Russian Major League
. They would later be drafted into the NHL, both in the first round.

1996–2009: transitions

With the dissolution of the IHL, orphaned teams from the Soviet Bloc found a home in the newly formed

Konstantin Kasyanchuk was awarded league forward MVP in 2001, and Vadim Seliverstov
was named top goaltender in 2003. From 2004 through to the 2006–07 season, the team would also compete in the Open Championship of Belarus, the EEHL's spiritual successor. Here they would continue their success until hitting a metaphorical wall in 2006–07, allowing more than twice as many goals against than for, and ultimately not qualifying for the playoffs. It would be the first time they would not qualify for a league playoff in over a decade. In spite of government cuts to hockey programs in the city, the team would realign its franchise with Russia, though this time with the more modest
Yugra Khanty-Mansiysk
in a 3–1 lopsided series.

Present

Sokil in the Belarusian Extraleague

Following the 2008–09 season in the Russian league, the club announced they would rejoining the

p.1,500,000 (approx €35,000).[1]

Going into the 2009–10 Extraleague season, Sokil elevated team expenditures and signed several Ukrainian players who had been in the Kontinental Hockey League, bolstering the roster with professional names such as Kostiantyn Simchuk, Serhiy Varlamov, and Serhiy Klymentiev. They would face further financial difficulties, losing players along the way (including Varlamov), and finish 4th in the Belarusian league's standings, ultimately falling to Yunost Minsk in the semifinals. Sokil would continue their winning streak in the Ukrainian Championship, however, winning their 12th championship. The team's financial issues continued in the 2010–12 season, however, and apart from losing many key players, the team missed the Belarusian league's playoffs and their streak in the Ukrainian Championship was broken, when they lost to HC Donbas in the finals. For the 2012 season, Sokil withdrew from the Belarusian league and joined the newly formed Professional Hockey League of Ukraine.

During its first two years in the PHL, Sokil forfeited its streak of Ukrainian Championships, with rival HC Donbas-2 becoming the new national standard. To make matters worse, the team was mired in financial difficulties, with players alleging that they were not being paid by the team.[2]

In December 2013, players on the team went on strike due to not being paid their salaries, which stemmed from sponsorship issues. The team was forced to forfeit games.[3]

Team colours and mascot

The team's original colors as Dynamo were, hence the nickname that has held to this day ("white-blues"), white and blue. When the Sokil name was adopted, the team changed their colors to red and blue, the same colors of the Kyiv coat of arms of the time. The team would eventually return to its white and blue roots, along with the addition of a darker accent of blue, as well as black. Sokil's primary logo has, since 1973, featured a horse-chestnut leaf, the symbol of the city. This element has remained constant on both the chest piece as well as the shoulder patches throughout the team's history since adopting the "Sokil" name. The adding of a profile image of a falcon was added later on, and the team would return to its white and blue roots. To mark their 45th anniversary, Sokil updated their classic team logo for the 2008–09 season. The re-branding saw a modernization of the team's crest; with a new and more aggressive falcon centerpiece, while retaining the classic, albeit broadened, chestnut leaf backdrop.

  • Original logo, 1973
    Original logo, 1973
  • Sokil jersey hem logo, used briefly
    Sokil jersey hem logo, used briefly
  • Logo,until 1990
    Logo,until 1990
  • Classic logo used until 2008
    Classic logo used until 2008
  • 2008–present
    2008–present

Jerseys

Current jersey

The team's original jerseys were white with horizontal blue striping. In 1973, the primary color of red was added, and the body striping was eliminated for a more contemporary look. When the sponsor's name ("Eskulap") was added briefly in 1992, the team logo was changed to a

tryzub. Also, the Coca-Cola logo was added to the front of the team's jerseys for a period of time. Aside from this, when the blue and white colors came into use, the jerseys went through a series of design changes, running a gamut of styles containing variations of arm and hem striping, shoulder yolks, and design coloring. The contemporary jersey features a body and arm design that has a graphic of feathers rather than traditional hockey striping. It is the same design used by Avangard Omsk of the Kontinental Hockey League. The jerseys are made by the Russian company Lutch
.

Seasons and records

Season by season results

Main article: List of Sokil Kyiv seasons

League history and results

Soviet era

Soviet Championship League

Modern era

Professional Hockey LeagueBelarusian ExtraligaRussian Major LeagueBelarusian ExtraligaEastern European Hockey LeagueInternational Hockey League (1993–1996)

Team awards

Leagues

Other tournaments

Players

Honored members

Honored numbers

Retired jerseys as they appear hanging from the rafters

Sokil Kyiv has officially honored five numbers in their history. All of the honorees were born in Ukraine.

Sokil Kyiv retired numbers
No. Player Years
8 Dmitri Khristich 6
11
Anatoly Stepanischev
 12
13 Alexei Zhitnik 2
14
Valeri Shyriaiev
 9
22 Yuri Shundrov 12

*Both Zhitnik and Shyriaiev are also members of the

Soviet Hockey Hall of Fame

Individual awards

Soviet Championship All Stars

Soviet League Knight Attack award (most hat-tricks)

Soviet League Sniper award (most goals)

Soviet League Total Points award

Soviet League Top Defenseman award

  • Valeri Shyriaiev
    : 1989–90, 1990–91

Team leaders

Head coaches
Team captains

Drafted players

The following are players who have been drafted in the

Entry Draft and played the season prior to the draft for the Sokil ice hockey organization
. There have been 11 players drafted in the NHL Entry Draft from the Sokil hockey club.

The most notable players drafted from Sokil are defenseman Alexei Zhitnik, who played more the 1000 regular season games in the NHL, and forward Dmitri Khristich, who scored over 250 goals and 500 points.

Anton Babchuk was drafted 21st overall
= Played in NHL =
NHL All-Star
 = Hall of Famer
Player Hometown Origin Drafted by Year Round Overall
D Mikhail Tatarinov Angarsk  Russian SFSR Washington Capitals
1984
 011 0225
RW Dmitri Khristich Kyiv  Ukrainian SSR Washington Capitals
1988
 06 0120
D Alexander Godynyuk Kyiv  Ukrainian SSR Toronto Maple Leafs
1990
 06 0115
C Alexander Kuzminsky Kyiv  Ukrainian SSR Toronto Maple Leafs
1991
 06 0120
D Alexei Zhitnik Kyiv  Ukrainian SSR Los Angeles Kings
1991
 04 081
RW Ivan Vologjaninov Kyiv  Ukraine Los Angeles Kings
1992
 011 0254
D Yurii Hunko Kyiv  Ukraine St. Louis Blues
1992
 010 0230
D Aleksandr Alekseyev Kyiv  Ukraine
Winnipeg Jets
1992
 06 0132
D Andrei Buschan Kyiv  Ukraine San Jose Sharks
1993
 05 0106
G Igor Karpenko Kyiv  Ukraine
Mighty Ducks of Anaheim
1995
 08 0185
LW Anatolii Koveshnikov Kyiv  Ukraine Dallas Stars
1995
 08 0193

Junior program NHL alumni

The following pupils of Sokil's hockey school have gone on to be drafted into the NHL.

Nikolay Zherdev is the highest drafted player in the city of Kyiv's history
Player Hometown Origin Drafted by Drafted from Year Round Overall
D Serhiy Klymentiev Kyiv  Ukraine Buffalo Sabres Medicine Hat Tigers
1994
 05 0121
D Maxim Linnik Kyiv  Ukraine St. Louis Blues St. Thomas Stars
1998
 02 041
LW Alexei Ponikarovsky[9] Kyiv  Ukraine Toronto Maple Leafs
Krylya Sovetov
1998
 04 087
LW Alexei Mikhnov Kyiv  Ukraine Edmonton Oilers Lokomotiv Yaroslavl
2000
 01 017
D Anton Volchenkov[10] Moscow  Russia Ottawa Senators CSKA Moscow
2000
 01 021
D Anton Babchuk Kyiv  Ukraine Chicago Blackhawks
Elemash Elektrostal
2002
 01 021
C Andriy Mikhnov Kyiv  Ukraine St. Louis Blues Sudbury Wolves
2002
 02 062
LW
Nikolai Zherdev
 Kyiv  Ukraine Columbus Blue Jackets CSKA Moscow
2003
 01 04
C Daniil Sobchenko Kyiv  Ukraine San Jose Sharks Lokomotiv Yaroslavl
2011
 06 0165

References

  1. ^ "Russia remembers Sokil". hcsokol.kiev.ua. Archived from the original on 27 May 2009.
  2. ^ ПХЛ. Саулиетис: "Ситуация в Соколе не соответствовала профессиональному клубу" - iSport.ua
  3. ^ "Климентьєв: Гравці "Сокола" не вийдуть на матч - Новини хокею - bighockey.ua". Archived from the original on 24 December 2013. Retrieved 23 December 2013.
  4. ^ "Сергій Лубнін очолив "Сокіл"!". XSPORT. 25 October 2013. Archived from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved 26 October 2013.
  5. ^ ГНЕЗДО — «Они играли за Киев». Первый капитан — Валентин Уткин
  6. ^ "Пішов з життя Валентин Уткін - Новини хокею - bighockey.ua". Archived from the original on 3 October 2013. Retrieved 6 October 2013.
  7. ^ "Adventures in Division I". www.iihf.com. Archived from the original on 21 October 2013.
  8. ^ "ЭКСКЛЮЗИВ. Юрий Павлов: "Я родился на Шулявке – на хоккейной"". 22 August 2013.
  9. ^ "Ponikarovsky recognized as the star of the day in the NHL!". hcsokol.kiev.ua. Archived from the original on 4 October 2011.
  10. ^ "RP: Anton Volchenkov". Retrieved 23 April 2010.

External links

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