Two-time Olympic champion Vyacheslav Fetisov has shared his thoughts on the dissertation defended by Washington Capitals captain Alexander Ovechkin in 2022, which earned him a Candidate of Pedagogical Sciences degree. The forward’s work focused on “Organization of Technical and Tactical Training Processes in Professional Hockey Clubs in Russia and the NHL.”
“You’d have to ask Alexander what his goal was with this, but regardless, such an analysis of the two schools is interesting. It all depends on where he wants to go next. Still, it’s a great example that despite his busy hockey schedule, he also dedicates time to academic work,” Fetisov said.
“Running an academy is primarily about working with children. I believe the strength of our hockey has always been the variety of schools across different regions of our country, where talented coaches emerged. They saw the game in their own way, which is how great players came from Kirovo-Chepetsk, Penza, Novokuznetsk, Voskresensk, Chelyabinsk—and I’m afraid I’m leaving some out. It seems to me this diversity and understanding of hockey by our people helped the Soviet hockey school dominate, setting the standard for others. I remember specialists traveling with video cameras to record our practices and games.”
“I hope Sasha’s example creates an opportunity to build a Russian school of hockey, which we currently lack—one that is unique, distinctive, and sets the benchmark for others,” Fetisov added.
