Valery Kamensky is the legendary Soviet and Russian hockey player. During his sports career, he has collected many awards and titles in his collection. The first Russian hockey player to win gold medals at the Olympics and the World Cup, as well as the Stanley Cup.
Biographical data
Kamensky Valery Viktorovich was born in April 1966 in the Russian city of Voskresensk. Even in childhood, the extreme striker was seen by the coaches of the main team.
Persistent training and innate talent helped the young hockey player very quickly become famous not only within the Soviet Union, but throughout the world.
The beginning of a professional career
In March 1983, the 16-year-old hockey player Valery Kamensky first appeared on the ice as part of the adult team “Chemist” from his native Voskresensk. In that season, the young striker had just begun to let in games. In total, Kamensky played in 5 fights in the championship, not distinguished by effective actions.
Only a year later, Valery becomes a player in the core team of Chemist. He played in 45 fights, in which he scored 9 goals and gave 3 assists. After this season he was invited to the metropolitan club CSKA.
"Army" years
After moving to the Moscow team, Valery Kamensky from the very first matches began to win a place in the first team. In the first season, he scored 24 (15 + 9) points in 40 fights. In the same year, the striker was first summoned to the location of the national team of the Soviet Union.
As part of the Moscow “Army men” Valery Kamensky spent 5 years. During this time, he three times became the champion of the Soviet Union, and twice - a silver medalist. In total, the striker played 219 matches for CSKA, in which he scored 96 goals and 82 times assisted teammates. In addition, he managed to rise to the rank of senior lieutenant of the army.
Thanks to the brilliant game in the Super Series against the NHL teams, the whole world learned about Valeria Kamensky. In 1991, a Russian hockey player decided to move overseas and continue his sports career there.
"Overseas" stage
In the NHL draft in 1991, Valery Kamensky was chosen by the Quebec Nordics club. In his debut season, the striker was not always allowed to the main squad. He played in 23 fights, in which he scored 21 (7 + 14) points.
In the 1992/93 season, the Russian hockey player began to go on the ice more often. The striker tried to justify the trust of the coaches, and he succeeded. In 32 matches, Kamensky scored 37 (15 + 22) points.
The next season, Valery firmly entrenched in the basic composition of “Northerners”. He becomes one of the best players in terms of performance: in 76 matches of the regular season Kamensky scored 28 goals and gave 37 assists.
After the NHL lockout, during which the hockey player played for the Swiss team, Ambri-Piotte, he played another season for the Quebec Nordics, after which he moved to Denver with the team, which became known as the Colorado Avalanche.
The first season in a new place was very successful. 85 (38 + 47) points in the regular season and 22 (10 + 12) in the hockey playoff series by Valery Kamensky helped his club win the Stanley Cup.
As part of the “Colorado Avalanche”, the Russian striker spent another 3 seasons, in which he scored 68 goals and 108 assists in 208 matches. In the 1997/98 season, Valery Kamensky’s best goal against the Florida Panthers was recognized as the most beautiful goal in that NHL regular season.
In 1999, the hockey player moved to the New York Rangers. Here he spent two seasons, after which he played for six months for the “Dallas Stars” and “New Jersey Devils”. In 2002, Kamensky decided to return to Russia. In the NHL, the attacker played 637 games in which he scored 501 (200 + 301) points.
Retirement and further activities
In Russia, hockey player Valery Kamensky played from 2003 to 2005 for his native Resurrection “Chemist”. In total, he played 80 fights, scored 22 goals and gave 28 assists. In 2005, Kamensky announced the end of his playing career.
After leaving hockey, Valery Viktorovich took up social activities. He is one of the founders of the Talent and Success Foundation. Kamensky also holds the post of president of the Moscow Regional Hockey Federation, is a member of the board of the Night Hockey League. In 2015, he assumed the post of vice president of Moscow Spartak.
