Vyacheslav Kozlov

Vyacheslav "Slava" Anatolevich Kozlov (born May 3, 1972, in Voskresensk, U.S.S.R.) is a Russian ice hockey left winger and alternate captain who currently plays for the Dynamo Moscow of the Kontinental Hockey League. He is a two-time Stanley Cup champion (1997, 1998) from his years playing with the Detroit Red Wings. He has also played for the Buffalo Sabres and Atlanta Thrashers.

Playing career
Kozlov was drafted 45th overall by the Detroit Red Wings in the 1990 NHL Entry Draft. Kozlov made his NHL debut on March 12, 1992, recording two assists in Detroit's 5–4 win over the St. Louis Blues. He became a regular player with Detroit in the 1993–94 NHL season. After the Red Wings acquired Igor Larionov in 1995, coach Scotty Bowman created a 5–man Russian unit (the "Russian Five") consisting of forwards Kozlov, Sergei Fedorov and Larionov, and defensemen Vladimir Konstantinov and Viacheslav Fetisov. This group helped Detroit to a Stanley Cup win in 1997.

Kozlov played for Detroit until the summer of 2001, when he was traded to the Buffalo Sabres in the trade that put Dominik Hašek in a Red Wings jersey. After one injury-shortened season in Buffalo, Kozlov was traded to the Atlanta Thrashers.

Since the inception of the shootout into NHL play in 2005, Kozlov has been been known as one of the league's best scorers in the shootout.

Kozlov re-signed with the Atlanta Thrashers on July 4, 2007, with a 3-year, $11–million contract.

Kozlov played his 1000th NHL game on December 26, 2007, against the Columbus Blue Jackets and his former Russian Five teammate, Sergei Fedorov. After scoring only 41 points during the 2007–08 season, many thought his scoring touch had disappeared. However, he bounced back in 2008–09 with one of the best seasons of his career, scoring 26 goals and 76 points.



Awards

 * 1996–97 NHL Stanley Cup  (Detroit Red Wings)
 * 1997–98 NHL Stanley Cup  (Detroit Red Wings)
 * 2006–07 Dan Snyder Memorial Award

International play

 * Played for the Soviet Union in the 1988 European Junior Championships.
 * Played for the Soviet Union in the 1989 European Junior Championships.
 * Played for the Soviet Union in the 1990 World Junior Championships.
 * Played for the Soviet Union in the 1990 European Junior Championships.
 * Played for the Soviet Union in the 1991 World Junior Championships.
 * Played for the Soviet Union in the 1991 World Championships.
 * Played for the Soviet Union in the 1991 Canada Cup.
 * Played for Team Russia in the 1994 World Championships.
 * Played for Team Russia in the 1996 World Cup of Hockey.