Today In Sports History (March 29, 1989)

On this day in 1989, Sergei Priakhin was permitted to leave the Soviet Ice Hockey Federation and play in the NHL. While Priakhin was not the first Soviet player to come over to the NHL he was the first one that was granted permission to go to the NHL. He was drafted by the Calgary Flames in the 12th round of the 1988 entry draft, however he didn’t play in an NHL game until March 31, 1989. Priakhin spent the majority of the season with his overseas team, the Soviet Wings. Upon his arrival to America, Priakhin played in only three games in a Calgary uniform. But his good energy was contagious, as the Flames won their only Stanley Cup later that season with Prakhin on the roster. Unfortunately, he did not qualify to get his name on the Stanley Cup due to not playing in enough games that season. He played for the Calgary Flames for two more seasons, until going back to finish his career in Europe. While Sergei Priakhin may not have been a superstar caliber player, his contributions to the international side of the game cannot be overlooked. He paved the way for future Soviet players to find a home in the NHL.