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King of Russia: A Year in the Russian Super League
A revealing look inside the Russian Super League by its first Canadian coach.
Until now no Canadian had penetrated the coaching ranks of Russian hockey, but the year after the NHL lockout, Dave King became head coach of the Metallurg Magnitogorsk. From the beginning, King, Canada’s long-time national coach and former coach of both the Flames and Blue Jackets, realized he was in for an adventure. His first meeting with team officials in a Vienna hotel lobby included six fast-talking Russians and the “bag-man” — assistant general manager Oleg Kuprianov, who always carried a little black bag full of U.S. one hundred dollar bills.
The mission seemed simple enough: keep the old Soviet style combination play on offence, but improve the team’s defensive play — and win a Russian Super League Championship. Yet, as King’s diary of his time in Russia reveals, coaching an elite Russian team is anything but simple. King of Russia details the world of Russian hockey from the inside, intimately acquainting us with the lives of key players, owners, managers, and fans, while granting us a unique perspective on life in an industrial town in the new Russia. And introducing us to Evgeni Malkin, Magnitogorsk’s star and the NHL’s newest phenomenon.
Until now no Canadian had penetrated the coaching ranks of Russian hockey, but the year after the NHL lockout, Dave King became head coach of the Metallurg Magnitogorsk. From the beginning, King, Canada’s long-time national coach and former coach of both the Flames and Blue Jackets, realized he was in for an adventure. His first meeting with team officials in a Vienna hotel lobby included six fast-talking Russians and the “bag-man” — assistant general manager Oleg Kuprianov, who always carried a little black bag full of U.S. one hundred dollar bills.
The mission seemed simple enough: keep the old Soviet style combination play on offence, but improve the team’s defensive play — and win a Russian Super League Championship. Yet, as King’s diary of his time in Russia reveals, coaching an elite Russian team is anything but simple. King of Russia details the world of Russian hockey from the inside, intimately acquainting us with the lives of key players, owners, managers, and fans, while granting us a unique perspective on life in an industrial town in the new Russia. And introducing us to Evgeni Malkin, Magnitogorsk’s star and the NHL’s newest phenomenon.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published October 2, 2007
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
November 1, 2015
Pretty good look at coaching Magnitogorsk Metallurg in the Russian Super League (RSL), which preceded the current Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). King started out basically spouting the crap most Westerners seem to about Eastern European hockey players (lazy, enigmatic, etc), but that mellowed/improved as the book progressed, fortunately. 98% of the reason I read this book was for the glimpses of baby!Evgeni Malkin during the 2005-2006 hockey season, including a bit about Malkin "defecting" to the NHL at the beginning of the 2006-2007 season.
March 30, 2011
I'm an Evgeni Malkin fan, and reading about his last year in Magnitorgorsk before he came to Pittsburgh was very interesting. I knew nothing whatsoever about Russia and this was an eye opening read to say the least. Bitter cold, food shortages, the list goes on. Not just for hockey fans.
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November 18, 2011Being the hockey fanatic I am, I would personally give this book five stars just because of its constant first-person take on the new experiences of un-ventured land of the coaching world.The difference is that not everyone is in love with hockey so I can say I would give this book a strong 4 on a five star scale. But, don;t get me wrong, you don't HAVE to love hockey in order to enjoy this book, but I find it difficult to believe that there are hockey players like me out there who wouldn't like this book.
King of Russia is a bout a professional hockey coach, Dave King, who coached 13 years in the NHL and multiple years before at division one college hockey schools, and various years as a professional scout in the NHL. As the NHL lockout begins in 2005, Coach Dave looks elsewhere to work while the NHL figures out how they will resolve their issues. After declining a job from Sweden, he is offered a job as the head coach for the Russian KHL team, METALLURG MAGNITOGORSK. This was taken as a shock, because if he were to take the job, he would be the first Canadian-Ameifcan coach to ever coach in Russia. Due to some language barriers, and different gameplay styles than he is used to, Dave experiences one of the best seasons as a professional hockey coach ever, and has experienced something that he may have never gotten he chance to if he didn't take the job: he became close to a whole new culture of people and style of hockey.
Throughout the book, there are sense of intensity, humor, and admiration for all in the book. Whether it be running practices without players not being able to understand the coach, or a missed bus on the day of the championship game, this book will have you (the reader) laughing or crying. I highly recommend this book for I enjoyed reading it and think others would too.
King of Russia is a bout a professional hockey coach, Dave King, who coached 13 years in the NHL and multiple years before at division one college hockey schools, and various years as a professional scout in the NHL. As the NHL lockout begins in 2005, Coach Dave looks elsewhere to work while the NHL figures out how they will resolve their issues. After declining a job from Sweden, he is offered a job as the head coach for the Russian KHL team, METALLURG MAGNITOGORSK. This was taken as a shock, because if he were to take the job, he would be the first Canadian-Ameifcan coach to ever coach in Russia. Due to some language barriers, and different gameplay styles than he is used to, Dave experiences one of the best seasons as a professional hockey coach ever, and has experienced something that he may have never gotten he chance to if he didn't take the job: he became close to a whole new culture of people and style of hockey.
Throughout the book, there are sense of intensity, humor, and admiration for all in the book. Whether it be running practices without players not being able to understand the coach, or a missed bus on the day of the championship game, this book will have you (the reader) laughing or crying. I highly recommend this book for I enjoyed reading it and think others would too.
May 25, 2017
Interesting book about a Canadian Coach’s experience in the Russian Superleague Pre KHL: (05-06) with Metallburg Magnitogorsk, and industrial town that lies on the Europe-Asia border. Was also fascinating to read about a young Yevgeni Malkin.
Facts about Russian Hockey:
Cost not a factor here
Heavy emphasis is on finding the best and training them, while weeding out recreational players
Russian players, like the people are stoic as hell when it comes to training
Russian hockey, like the country as a whole still suffers from a ‘Soviet Hangover’. Heavy emphasis on playing as 5 man units, no mixing and matching. First line always matches against First line of other team. No designated checking lines to shut down top line: IN all, players are as rigidly controlled and supervised as in soviet era. ‘The players aren’t trained to think; they’re trained to survive’
4*: Not an outstanding piece of literature, but it was a fun and informative read.
Facts about Russian Hockey:
Cost not a factor here
Heavy emphasis is on finding the best and training them, while weeding out recreational players
Russian players, like the people are stoic as hell when it comes to training
Russian hockey, like the country as a whole still suffers from a ‘Soviet Hangover’. Heavy emphasis on playing as 5 man units, no mixing and matching. First line always matches against First line of other team. No designated checking lines to shut down top line: IN all, players are as rigidly controlled and supervised as in soviet era. ‘The players aren’t trained to think; they’re trained to survive’
4*: Not an outstanding piece of literature, but it was a fun and informative read.
April 17, 2023
A passably interesting chronicle of what the KHL is like from the perspective of a Canadian coach.
There are nuggets of interest in there. The Malkin saga. The little bits about how the league and teams work and how they are different than the NHL.
But there's so much wrong with it.
King is an exceptionally boring man. Half the things he writes about are food. People bringing chocolate chips so his wife could bake cookies. How bad the pizza is in Russia and his relief that he found a good place. His unwillingness to eat fish stew. That he had to teach his team's staff that cold McDonalds was bad.
There's not a lot of insight, or lyricism to his descriptions of this beautiful game. It's written like a diary. And a lot of the entries repeat themselves. It's just not a pleasure to read and I REALLY like hockey.
There are nuggets of interest in there. The Malkin saga. The little bits about how the league and teams work and how they are different than the NHL.
But there's so much wrong with it.
King is an exceptionally boring man. Half the things he writes about are food. People bringing chocolate chips so his wife could bake cookies. How bad the pizza is in Russia and his relief that he found a good place. His unwillingness to eat fish stew. That he had to teach his team's staff that cold McDonalds was bad.
There's not a lot of insight, or lyricism to his descriptions of this beautiful game. It's written like a diary. And a lot of the entries repeat themselves. It's just not a pleasure to read and I REALLY like hockey.
July 18, 2020
An entertaining journal of Dave's experiences and thoughts about Russia. I learned quite a bit about the underlying culture of the country. The only complaint I'd have is that he analyzes the games his team played in too much detail. That was unnecessary for the book.
September 21, 2024
Written as daily journal entries, this first-hand account of one year behind the bench in the Russian Super League provides great insight to the life of a hockey coach in uncharted territory. Along with the development of Evgeni Malkin, the book is highlighted by the success of the team and the commendable work ethic of the Russian players. King’s unique perspective is worth-while, but with the exception of a few standout moments, the format of the book prevents it from becoming a “cant-put-down” read.
February 10, 2016
I love fish out of water sports tales. This book is a fantastic insight into the post-Soviet, pre-KHL era of Russian hockey. It is a little eery reading about the plane travel that Dave King describes. I read this book years ago, and after the Lokomotiv plane crash, Dave King without coming right out and saying predicts a tragedy like this.
It was interesting to see the interference from management with him. It must very tough when you are a coach, who has a stellar resume like Dave King does, to not speak the language and to try and navigate the labyrinth of management and trainers trying to undermine your strategy.
I am actually surprised, he didn't tell the team I can't work like this and quit. Of course, knowing what I do about Dave King through many articles and interviews I have seen with him, he isn't that sort of person. He signed the contract and unless they fire him, he will see it through.
It was interesting to see the interference from management with him. It must very tough when you are a coach, who has a stellar resume like Dave King does, to not speak the language and to try and navigate the labyrinth of management and trainers trying to undermine your strategy.
I am actually surprised, he didn't tell the team I can't work like this and quit. Of course, knowing what I do about Dave King through many articles and interviews I have seen with him, he isn't that sort of person. He signed the contract and unless they fire him, he will see it through.
January 14, 2008
This book was much more than just a hockey book. Sure, it had the differences that Coach King encountered from the North American and other European nations coaching styles compared to the Russia style; but it was much deeper than that.
The book also showed how King adapted to the lifestyle in Russia and how he realized that he was very blessed to live in a developed nation like Canada. The human aspect that this book has really puts things into perspective for those who have never experienced such a thing.
The book also showed how King adapted to the lifestyle in Russia and how he realized that he was very blessed to live in a developed nation like Canada. The human aspect that this book has really puts things into perspective for those who have never experienced such a thing.
July 8, 2015
This book needed a stronger and more thorough edit (and probably a better co-writer). The journal format didn't work - there was so much repetition and so many bland anecdotes. There were some interesting tidbits here and there, and the last section, with King's overall thoughts and conclusions, was the strongest part of the book. Also be prepared for hockey-Canada parochialism and the aforementioned blandness.
March 16, 2011
A little dry in some parts, Dave King pulls a LOT of punches in this not-so-tell-all about his time coaching the Russian Super League. Still, its a good look into a world of hockey most people don't know about.
January 10, 2016
Dave King highlights the cultural and developmental differences between the hockey played in Russia compared to his native Canada. Not only on the ice, but off the ice, King describes the difference in living circumstances in a former communist country adjusting to life with democracy.
April 28, 2011
Awesome book! Easy read! If you like hockey, sports or coaching in general you will love this book. Written like a daily journal/diary entry.
August 5, 2011
Quick read--more of a travelogue than a well-written book, but there were a few cool nuggets and facets of Russia that I remember from my time there. Definitely more interesting if you like hockey.
February 17, 2012
I'm really interested in the KHL and other European leagues but this book/diary was extremely dry.
September 12, 2012
Very nice insight on Russian Hockey.
February 11, 2025
Review for King of Russia can be found on Hockey Blog In Canada.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews