Vladislav Tretiak

Although Tretiak never fulfilled his dream of playing in the National Hockey League, in 1989 he was elected to the Canadian Hockey Hall of Fame. Tretiak stated, "To be elected was like a present." Since Tretiak's retirement in 1984, he has split his time between Russia and the United States, providing training for goalies from young children all the way up to the NHL. In 1990 he was offered a contract with the Chicago Blackhawks. In his work with the Blackhawks he met Ed Belfour, who is one of the notable students of his tutelage. Tretiak stated on the Web site for his goaltending school, "My knowledge and experience are passed on to these goaltenders with the hope of making them not only better goaltenders but also better people." Belfour said of Tretiak in an interview with the Dallas Morning News, "He helped my work ethic and practice habits. He is a great leader who has won so many championships." Tretiak coached the Russians during the 2002 Winter Olympics and now has largely focused his consulting on Canada and the United States while continuing to coach for the Blackhawks. He was honored recently as the 8th greatest Olympian of all-time.