Chistyakov will take over from Mikhail Chekanov, who was coaching the team for the last four years.

Chekanov led the team to two of the three bronze medal finishes the country has ever had in the Women’s World Championship in 2013 and most recently in 2016. He was named advisor to the President for women’s hockey matters.

Alexei Chistyakov was named his successor. The 48-year-old, who played top-level hockey in Cherepovets and Penza in the ‘90s, has recently been the most successful coach in Russian women’s club hockey. Since joining in 2007 he led Tornado Moscow Region to six national championships in nine years and to four European Women’s Champions Cup titles.

Chistyakov, who signed a one-year contract, was an assistant coach to Valentin Gureyev at the women’s national team from 2009 to 2012 and served as an assistant coach for the U18 women’s national team in the past three years.

Russia will play defending champion and host USA, Canada and Finland at the 2017 IIHF Ice Hockey Women’s World Championship that will take place 1-8 April 2017 in Plymouth.