Soviet Stars, Coaching Shifts, and Stanley Cup Glory | NHL News

On July 7th, history was made as the New Jersey Devils signed Soviet legends Viacheslav Fetisov and Sergei Starikov—breaking barriers for European players in the NHL without requiring defection. Fetisov, a 13-season Soviet icon, won two Cups with Detroit and later helped the Devils win one as an assistant coach. Starikov, though limited to 16 games, was part of that historic first wave. The date also marks coaching milestones: Gerry Cheevers (1980), Jack Evans (1983), and Joel Quenneville (2004), who later won three Cups with Chicago. In 2022, Tampa Bay Lightning cemented their dynasty with a second straight Stanley Cup, led by Conn Smythe winner Andrei Vasilevskiy. That same year, Montreal hosted its first in-person draft since 2019, selecting Juraj Slafkovsky No. 1 overall, while also celebrating the birthday of Hall of Famer Joe Sakic, who led two Cup-winning teams. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/ccb90993b4ccbf9d