Longtime member of the Detroit Red Wings has officially signed moments ago

A few days after Igor Larionov was hired as the St. Petersburg SKA head coach, another Detroit Red Wings legend is joining a KHL team in similar functions.

Indeed, Vyacheslav Kozlov will be head coach of HC Sochi.

Kozlov, 53, will bring a lot of experience to the bench. He spent the last four seasons with Dynamo Moscow, serving as an assistant coach under Alexei Kudashov. Now, the two-time Stanley Cup champion will look to help Sochi bounce back after a disappointing season that saw the team end with only 16 wins through 62 games.

A native of the Moscow region, Kozlov enjoyed a glorious playing career. He took part in 1,182 NHL games over 18 seasons with the Detroit Red Wings, Buffalo Sabres, and Atlanta Thrashers. Known for his scoring skills, Kozlov tallied 356 goals and 497 assists, reaching the 20-goal mark in 11 different seasons. He notably was a part of the Red Wings during the team's consecutive Stanley Cups in 1997 and 1998.

After his NHL journey, Kozlov returned to Russia and played five seasons in the KHL for Salavat Yulaev Ufa, Dynamo, Spartak, and Atlant Mytishchi. He also won two Gagarin Cups, in 2011 and 2012.

Internationally, Kozlov represented both the Soviet Union and Russia in various tournaments, including the IIHF World Championships and the Canada Cup.

As a respected figure with a winning pedigree, Kozlov may be exactly what the struggling KHL team needs to bounce back.

Many Red Wings fans would've loved to see Kozlov, Larionov, and the other members of the Russian Five help their former team achieve its goals. However, they decided to remain in Russia, showing their priorities.