Detroit Red Wings
Red Wings Russian Five Icon Handed Full-Time KHL Coaching Reins
Kozlov no longer interim coach at Dynamo Moscow
Former Detroit Red Wings star Vyacheslav Kozlov was on trial as coach with Dynamo Moscow of the KHL.
You could say that he’s passed the audition. With flying colors, in fact.
The interim tag was recently removed from his name. The one-time member of Detroit’s famous Russian Five is now the full-time coach of the club.
Kozlov, 53, has gone 9-3 over his last 12 games in charge of the club. He was elevated from assistant coach to interim head coach when Alexey Kudashov was fired last month. Dynamo Moscow sits fourth in the Western Conference standings, but is just three points out of first place.
From now on it's head coach Slava Kozlov. pic.twitter.com/W81jhtvO2F
— KHL (@khl_eng) December 17, 2025
He was hired last summer to coach HC Sochi of the KHL. However, following a change at GM, Kozlov was let go later in the summer without ever coaching a game. This is his first opportunity to be a KHL head coach.
Kozlov won back-to-back Stanley Cups with Detroit in 1997 and 1998. Later, he was part of KHL Gagarin Cup-winning rosters in successive seasons with Salavat Yulaev (2011) and Dynamo (2012).
Mixed Results For Former Red Wings Behind KHL Benches
After a slow start with SKA St. Petersburg of the KHL, Igor Larionov, another former member of Detroit’s famed Russian Five, has his club on the move. The Hockey Hall of Famer has posted a 12-5 slate over the past 17 games to move SKA into a tie for sixth place in the West. It’s Larionov’s first season in charge of the team.
Former Red Wings forward Gerard Gallant is also working his first year as a KHL coach with the Shanghai Dragons. They broke from the gate impressively, but lately have run out of steam.
Gerard Gallant (PEISHOF 2001) has been named head coach for the World Stars in the KHL All-Star Game.
Turk coaches the Shanghai Dragons along with fellow Islander Mike Kelly. pic.twitter.com/qMHeP7waU7— PEISportsHall (@PEISportsHall) December 18, 2025
With a 2-6-3 mark over the past 11 games, the Dragons have fallen to 10th in the West, out of a postseason position. Still, Gallant did enough early in the season to be selected as one of the coaches for the Feb. 7-8 KHL All-Star Weekend.
Gallant will be coaching the KHL World Stars. Among the players on his bench will be former Red Wings forward Daniel Sprong (CSKA Moscow) and former Grand Rapids Griffins forward Riley Sawchuk (Lada).
