MOSCOW, July 4 2014 world champion in the Russian national ice hockey team Viktor Tikhonov Jr. decided to end his career as a player at the age of 34, the hockey player’s statement was published by his wife Evgenia on Instagram *. Viktor Tikhonov Jr. is the grandson and full namesake of coach Viktor Vasilievich Tikhonov, who three times led the USSR national hockey team to victory at the Olympic games.» When I was 3 years old, my grandfather gave me my first skates. From that moment on, I just fell in love with hockey. Since then, I have lived and breathed the game. Even now, my love for the game has remained unchanged, but after 17 years of a career in hockey my body can no longer cope with the stress and stress that professional sports require. In the life of every athlete, there comes a moment when you need to make a difficult decision to end your career. And for me, this moment has come too, the time to hang up the skates, «wrote Tikhonov.» it it was an incredible journey. It certainly would not have been possible without the help and support of my family. Special thanks to everyone who helped to recover from numerous injuries. I was lucky to have wonderful coaches and teammates. Also a huge thank you to the hockey community and fans. Most of all in my life I will miss the «feeling of the elbow» of my comrades, with whom we shared the joys of our victories and the sorrows of defeats. I can’t imagine my life outside of a close-knit hockey family,» Tikhonov said. Last season, Tikhonov played in Ufa's Salavat Yulaev, he played 25 games in the regular season of the Continental Hockey League, scoring 15 points (5 goals + 10 assists), in the playoffs in 11 games on account of his 6 points (3 goals + 3 assists).The player's contract with the club was calculated until April 2023.
