American coach Barry Smith, 74, has joined the coaching staff of Ukraine’s national ice hockey team as a coaching consultant under head coach Oleksandr Bobkin, as announced by the Ice Hockey Federation of Ukraine.
Smith brings extensive international and club-level experience to the team, having previously worked with national squads from Norway, Italy, the United States, and Sweden, alongside various clubs in North America and Europe. He is most renowned for his achievements in the National Hockey League, capturing seven Stanley Cup titles over the course of his career. He won five of these championships as an assistant head coach—twice with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1991 and 1992, and three times with the Detroit Red Wings in 1997, 1998, and 2002. He secured his remaining two titles in 2013 and 2015 while working as the director of player development for the Chicago Blackhawks.
The Ukrainian national team is currently training in Poland in preparation for upcoming European Cup of Nations matches, where they are scheduled to compete against Poland, Great Britain, and Italy during the November tournament. Looking ahead, the team is also preparing to participate in the top division of the World Ice Hockey Championship, which is set to be held in Germany in May 2027.
