Former Red Wings Star Turned Down NHL Job

Former Detroit Red Wings center Igor Larionov is gifted with a brilliant and perceptive intellect for the game. That’s why he’s known in hockey circles as The Professor.

Well, it turns out that The Professor was turning down a chance to coach in the NHL this summer.

The Russian web site Sport-Express was asking Larionov a series of question. This would be including whether coaching in the NHL might be something that he would find to be intriguing. His answer was quite surprising.

“I worked in the NHL for many years,” Larionov said. “You asked me if there were any offers … There were. But I turned them down.”

Is this the year for @Igor_Larionov's Torpedo? pic.twitter.com/kfWTU1Icof

— KHL (@khl_eng) August 7, 2024

An NHL center for 14 seasons, Larionov would skate with the Red Wings from 1995-2000, winning Stanley Cups in 1996-97 and 1997-98. Moving to the Florida Panthers for the 1999-2000 season, surprisingly on December 28, 1999, a trade would bring Larionov back fo the Red Wings. He’d played with the team through the 2002-03 season, winning another Stanley Cup in 2001-02.

Former Red Wings Player Still Has Work To Do In KHL

Larionov has never been an NHL coach. His Russian Five teammate Slava Fetisov did serve a stint as an assistant coach with the New Jersey Devils. Other Russian Five members Sergei Fedorov (CSKA Moscow) and Slava Kozlov (Moscow Dynamo) also have KHL coaching experience on their resume.

He’s currently the head coach for the KHL’s Topedo Nizhky Novgorod. It’s his work there that is keeping Larionov away from trying his hand behind an NHL bench.

Igor Larionov expects his team to make the next step: get past first round and then at least reach the semifinals. pic.twitter.com/hdEqXXJH2f

— KHL (@khl_eng) August 20, 2024

“I’m in Torpedo, and I’m very glad that I’m in the city where my mother was born, a city with deep hockey traditions,” Larionov said. “That’s the most important thing.

“If you started a project that is at the very beginning of its journey, it is not correct to leave it in relation to the team and the fans. Therefore, this issue is closed for now.”