Former Red Wings Stars Land KHL Coaching Jobs

Former Detroit Red Wings star Gerard Gallant is getting back in the coaching business. So is Russian Five icon Vyacheslav Kozlov.

On Sunday, word was leaking that Gallant will be named head coach of Kunlun Red Star of the Russian KHL. It was also being reported that among his staff will be Kozlov.

It’s the first coaching position for Gallant since the New York Rangers were giving him his walking papers after the 2022-23 NHL season. It’s the first coaching position for Kozlov since Sochi of the KHL was letting him go on Saturday.

Gerard Gallant To Coach KHL's Kunlun Red Starshttps://t.co/7GlCSD5ISX

— Pro Hockey Rumors (@prohockeyrumors) July 18, 2025

Gallant brings an impressive resume to his first European coaching position. He won a Memorial Cup with the Saint John Sea Dogs. In the NHL, Gallant guided the Vegas Golden Knights to the Stanley Cup final during 2017-18, the club’s first season as an NHL expansion franchise. He won the Jack Adams Award as the NHL’s best coach that season.

Gallant played for the Red Wings from 1984-93. He would produce four straight 30+ goal seasons skating as Steve Yzerman’s linemate.

Former Red Wings Forward Discusses Shocking Sochi Departure

Kozlov was to get his first KHL head coaching assignment this season with Sochi. A June hire, issuing Kozlov’s dismissal was new GM Igor Grigorenko. A 2001 Red Wings draft pick and former Grand Rapids Griffins player, Grigorenko, took over as Sochi GM earlier this month. He immediately began cleaning house.

At first, they told us that everyone would stay, but then they started to remove people one by one,” Kozlov told Russian website Sport-Express. “The news came to us gradually. People were being fired one by one.

Less after a month since the appointment, @HCSOCHI fired coach Vyacheslav Kozlov and assistant Alexander Savchenkov
"We have made a balanced decision and are heading into the new season with new tasks and ambitious goals" said GM Igor Grigorenko@hcsochiru #ХКСочи #HCSochi #KHL pic.twitter.com/E0aqoSyc4d

— Eurohockey com (@eurohockey) July 19, 2025

As is the way of life in the coaching profession, Kozlov is only thinking forward, looking toward his next job.

“I am not interested now in where Sochi will go,” Kozlov said. “I want to receive compensation and then move on myself.”

He is expecting some form of payment for his 46 days of work with the club.

“It’s written in my contract,” Kozlov said. “I don’t claim anything extra, but I will demand what is written in my regulations.”

With the Red Wings from 1991 to 2001, Kozlov won two Stanley Cups. He was a two-time 30-goal scorer and went over the 20-goal plateau in four other seasons.