MOSCOW, November 6 (R-Sport) – Experienced Czech coach Vaclav Sykora is taking over at Lev Prague, the KHL team said Tuesday.
Lev has been without a coach since October 27, when Josef Jandac was fired due to poor results.
Lev started the season brightly leading in the Western Conference, but 10 defeats in its last 11 games sunk the team to 10th place.
“We were looking for a good coach for Lev who would have experience with leading KHL teams,” Lev general manager Normunds Sejejs said. “Mr. Sykora fits this criterion.”
Sykora leaves his post at Sparta Prague, which plays separately in the Czech league, joining Lev during a 10-day break in the KHL's regular season.
“Everything happened so fast, there was not much time,” Sykora said. “But we are lucky that there is now a break in the KHL and we can prepare.”
Sykora, 60, came to Russia in summer 2010 to become an assistant coach to Ivo Zanatta at SKA St. Petersburg, replacing him in October 2010 after the Canadian was fired.
Sykora was dismissed himself when he failed to get SKA past the second round of the playoffs, and eventually wound up back in his homeland.
Lev plays its next match at Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod on November 14.
