The 2025 IIHF World Championship runs from May 9 to 25 in Stockholm, Sweden, and Herning, Denmark. Team Kazakhstan will play its Group B games in Herning, facing off against Norway, Germany, Hungary, Denmark, Czechia, the United States, and Switzerland.
Kazakhstan’s Hockey Roots Go Deep
The roots of ice hockey in Kazakhstan date back to the 1950s, when the Soviet program began laying the foundations for a full-fledged hockey structure in the republic. Following the collapse of the USSR and Kazakhstan’s declaration of independence, the country joined the international hockey family in 1992 and made its IIHF World Championship debut in the C-Pool one year later.
🔎 Kazakhstan’s 2025 Worlds campaign is over
– CLICK HERE for the full analysis!
A Historic Breakthrough and Recent Stability
Kazakhstan made its top-division debut at the IIHF World Championship in 1998 – the same year they shocked the hockey world at the Nagano Olympics by reaching the quarterfinals, their greatest achievement to date.
Since 2021, the national team has finally found some consistency at the elite level, remaining in the top division for five consecutive years. Their best World Championship result came in 2021, finishing 10th under head coach Yuri Mikhailis – just one point shy of a historic playoff berth.
Undisputed Kings of Asian Ice Hockey
Kazakhstan has long stood as Asia’s top hockey contender. By consistently participating in continental tournaments, they elevate the level of competition and play a crucial role in developing the Asian ice hockey.
The Kazakhs have claimed gold at the Asian Winter Games five times (1996, 1999, 2011, 2017, 2025), and this season added another title by winning the inaugural IIHF Asia Championship. Back in 1995, they also captured the now-defunct IIHF Asian Cup, cementing their dominance on the continent.
New Coach, Busy Season, Strong Results
The final Asian Cup is still remembered by Kazakhstan’s current head coach, Oleg Bolyakin. The 59-year-old Karaganda native took over the team ahead of the 2024/25 season and has led it with success so far.
This uniquely packed campaign, featuring four international peaks, began in late August with Olympic Qualification action in Bratislava, Slovakia. Kazakhstan impressed with wins over Hungary and Austria, and gave host Slovakia a solid fight in a 1–3 loss.
They followed that up by reaffirming their status as Asia’s undisputed powerhouse, capturing gold at both major Asian tournaments – the IIHF Asia Championship and the Asian Winter Games.
Eyes on the Big Stage: Kazakhstan Gears Up for Worlds
The season’s biggest challenge now awaits Kazakhstan – the IIHF World Championship, where they’ll be aiming to punch above their weight. Their roster reflects the importance of the event, featuring the core of the country’s top talent.
While the IIHF Asia Championship saw a mostly domestic-based squad without KHL names, the Asian Winter Games featured a stronger mix – and for the Worlds, Kazakhstan is bringing out the big guns.
Kazakhstan will hit the ice at the World Championship with a full-strength A-team, led by a strong KHL core – 17 of the 25 players named to the roster suited up in the prestigious Russian league this season. The country’s three biggest stars answered the call: Nikita Mikhailis, Arkadi Shestakov, and Valeri Orekhov all impressed with top-tier KHL clubs and will be central to head coach Oleg Bolyakin’s game plan in Herning.
2025 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship – Kazakhstan Roster
| 2025 IIHF World Championship – Roster of Team Kazakhstan | ||
|---|---|---|
| NAME | AGE | CLUB |
| Goaltenders | ||
| Jelal-ad-Din Amirbekov | 22 | Magnitka Magnitogorsk (VHL) |
| Sergei Kudryavtsev | 30 | Arlan Kokshetau |
| Maxim Pavlenko | 22 | Ryazan-VDV (VHL) |
| Defensemen | ||
| Adil Beketayev | 27 | Barys Astana (KHL) |
| Dmitri Breus | 21 | Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod (KHL) |
| Samat Daniyar | 26 | Barys Astana (KHL) |
| Tamirlan Gaitamirov | 24 | Barys Astana (KHL) |
| Artyom Korolyov | 23 | Barys Astana (KHL) |
| Leonid Metalnikov | 35 | Admiral Vladivostok (KHL) |
| Eduard Mikhailov | 28 | Arlan Kokshetau |
| Valeri Orekhov | 25 | Metallurg Magnitogorsk (KHL) |
| Forwards | ||
| Alikhan Asetov | 28 | Barys Astana (KHL) |
| Dinmukhamed Kaiyrzhan | 21 | Barys Astana (KHL) |
| Vyacheslav Kolesnikov | 24 | Nomad Astana |
| Artyom Likhotnikov | 30 | Humo Tashkent (UZB) |
| Nikita Mikhailis | 29 | Metallurg Magnitogorsk (KHL) |
| Maxim Mukhametov | 26 | Barys Astana (KHL) |
| Batyrlan Muratov | 26 | Barys Astana (KHL) |
| Alikhan Omirbekov | 23 | Barys Astana (KHL) |
| Kirill Panyukov | 27 | Barys Astana (KHL) |
| Yevgeni Rymarev | 36 | Yunison-Moskva (VHL) |
| Kirill Savitsky | 30 | Barys Astana (KHL) |
| Arkadi Shestakov | 30 | Admiral Vladivostok (KHL) |
| Roman Starchenko | 38 | Barys Astana (KHL) |
| Vladimir Volkov | 28 | Arlan Kokshetau |
Goaltending Woes for Kazakhstan Ahead of IIHF World Championship
The goaltending position is shaping up to be head coach Oleg Bolyakin’s biggest headache ahead of the tournament. Injuries have sidelined Kazakhstan’s usual stalwarts, Andrei Shutov and Nikita Boyarkin, forcing the team to turn to less experienced options.
Most likely to get the starting nod is one of two 22-year-old goaltenders – Jelal-ad-Din Amirbekov and Maxim Pavlenko – both of whom play in Russia’s second-tier VHL. Rounding out the goaltending trio is 30-year-old Sergei Kudryavtsev, fresh off a championship-winning season with Arlan Kokshetau in the Kazakhstan Hockey Championship.
Barys Core Leads the Charge, Starchenko Still Going Strong
Once again, the heart of Team Kazakhstan is built around players from Barys Astana, with a dozen representatives making the final roster. Among them is veteran forward and Kazakh hockey icon Roman Starchenko, who recovered from injury just in time to join Bolyakin’s squad. His presence brings experience, leadership, and a sense of continuity to a team aiming to make noise on the world stage.
Tough Tests in Pre-Tournament Tune-Up
In preparation for the World Championship, Team Kazakhstan held a training camp that included participation in a home tournament featuring two strong – but currently suspended – teams: Russia and Belarus. Despite losing both matchups, the high-level competition served as valuable preparation ahead of the season’s biggest stage.
In their final warm-up game, played in Sweden, Kazakhstan fell just short against Slovenia, losing 2–3.
| Kazakhstan Men’s National Ice Hockey Team – 2024/2025 Season Results | ||
|---|---|---|
| GAME | RESULT | DATE |
| Olympic Qualifiers, Bratislava, Slovakia | ||
| Kazakhstan vs Hungary | 5-2 | 08/29/24 |
| Kazakhstan vs Austria | 2-1 | 08/30/24 |
| Kazakhstan vs Slovakia | 1-3 | 09/01/24 |
| IIHF Asia Championship, Almaty, Kazakhstan | ||
| Kazakhstan vs South Korea | 1-4 | 11/06/24 |
| Kazakhstan vs China | 6-1 | 11/08/24 |
| Kazakhstan vs Japan | 5-1 | 11/09/24 |
| Channel One Cup, St. Petersburg, Russia | ||
| Kazakhstan vs Belarus | 1-3 | 12/12/24 |
| Kazakhstan vs KHL World Stars | 1-3 | 12/14/24 |
| Kazakhstan vs Russia U25 | 1-3 | 12/15/24 |
| Asian Winter Games, Harbin, Chinia | ||
| Kazakhstan vs Thailand | 12-0 | 02/04/25 |
| Kazakhstan vs China | 6-1 | 02/05/25 |
| Kazakhstan vs Chinese Taipei | 17-0 | 02/07/25 |
| Kazakhstan vs Japan | 4-1 | 02/08/25 |
| Kazakhstan vs South Korea | 2-1 | 02/10/25 |
| Kazakhstan vs Hong Kong | 24-0 | 02/11/25 |
| Kazakhstan vs China | 3-1 | 02/13/25 |
| Kazakhstan vs Japan | 5-0 | 02/14/25 |
| Kazakhstan Hockey Open, Astana, Kazakhstan | ||
| Kazakhstan vs Russia | 1-4 | 05/01/25 |
| Kazakhstan vs Belarus | 0-2 | 05/03/25 |
| Friendly Game, Uppsala, Sweden | ||
| Kazakhstan vs Slovenia | 2-3 | 05/06/25 |
| IIHF World Championship, Herning, Denmark | ||
| Kazakhstan vs Norway | 2-1 | 05/10/25 |
| Kazakhstan vs Germany | 1-4 | 05/11/25 |
| Kazakhstan vs Hungary | 2-4 | 05/13/25 |
| Kazakhstan vs Denmark | 1-5 | 05/14/25 |
| Kazakhstan vs Czechia | 1-8 | 05/17/25 |
| Kazakhstan vs USA | 1-6 | 05/18/25 |
| Kazakhstan vs Switzerland | 1-4 | 05/20/25 |
Survival First – But Kazakhstan Could Stir Things Up
As in previous years, Kazakhstan’s primary goal at the IIHF World Championship will be to stay in the top division. Their biggest rival in that battle is likely to be a hungry Hungarian squad, though Norway could also find itself in the danger zone.
That said, Kazakhstan has a track record of shaking things up – over the past four tournaments, they’ve pulled off wins against the likes of Finland, Germany, Latvia, Slovakia, and Norway. The big question this year remains in goal, and Kazakhstan’s hopes may well hinge on whether one of their netminders can rise to the occasion.
Leave a Reply