Today it would have been Nikolai Puchkov's 85th birthday

Today Nikolai Puchkov would have been celebrating his 85th birthday. During his coaching career he became a SKA legend, while also winning Olympic gold in 1956. In 1971, he took SKA to their first ever USSR championship bronze medal. With him SKA went on to compete in the USSR Cup final, and twice win the Spengler Cup. Nikolai died in 2005 in Saint Petersburg.

In the summer a friendly memorial tournament is held in his honour, and he also has a hockey goalkeeping school named after him.