Oleg Valerievich Znarok (, ; born 2 January 1963) is a Soviet-Latvian professional ice hockey player. In 2022, he was the head coach of Ak Bars Kazan in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) and consultant of the Russia men's national ice hockey team. Internationally, he guided Russia to gold, silver, two bronze performances in the 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017 IIHF World Championships, respectively, and to a gold medal at the 2018 Winter Olympics. Znarok coached the Latvian national team at five IIHF World Championships, two IIHF World U-20 Championships and one IIHF World U-18 Championship. He had coached Dynamo Moscow to back to back Gagarin Cup championships, in the 2011–12 and 2012–13 seasons, and a Continental Cup in 2013–14 season. As well taking HC MVD to an appearance in the Gagarin Cup final of the 2009–10 season, losing in seven games. Early and personal life Oleg Znarok was born 2 January 1963 in Ust-Katav in the Soviet Union, presently in the Russian Federation. His father, Valeri Znarok, was a football (soccer) player at the time, who later had a long coaching career. A young Oleg was introduced to hockey, when his grandfather brought him and his younger brother to a local skating rink. Znarok had a successful and long career as a player before moving on to coaching. Playing for 23 years, across several leagues: Soviet, German, as well as several games in the Czech Extraliga and the AHL of North America. One of Znarok's youth teammates from Traktor Chelyabinsk was Vyachislav Bykov, who played for CSKA Moscow and the Soviet National Team. Bykov, after a successful playing career, coached the Russian National Team to back to back gold medals in 2008 and 2009 at the IIHF World Championships. He'd be replaced (after finishing 6th at the 2010 Winter Olympics and 4th at the 2011 IIHF WC) in favor of Zinetula Bilyaletdinov, a former star player of rival Dynamo Moscow, who coached the Russian team to a gold medal in 2012, posting an undefeated record of 10–0. In turn, he too was replaced (after finishing 5th at the 2014 Winter Olympics): this time in favor of Znarok himself. Znarok coached Russia to a gold medal in 2014, also going 10–0, winning silver in 2015 and two bronze medals in 2016 and 2017. He also led Russia to a 4th-place finish at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey. Oleg is