Oleg Kvasha is a hockey player, known both in Russia and abroad. Managed to play in the most prestigious leagues on the planet, including the NHL and KHL. Bronze medalist of the Olympic Games as part of the Russian team.
Athlete Biography
Kvasha Oleg Vladimirovich was born in July 1978 in Moscow. At the age of five, he began to skate, and a little later he began to seriously engage in hockey in the Sports School of CSKA, named after the legendary Valery Kharlamov.
Like the other guys from the section, he began to defend the colors of the army from the children's leagues, every year turning into more age-related competitions. Starting from the 1995/96 championship, 17-year-old Oleg Kvasha is the hockey player of the main team.
In his debut season, the young striker received little playing time. In 38 games played, he scored two goals and three times assisted teammates.
The next season, Kvasha proved himself as a real sniper. In 44 matches, he scored 42 (20 + 22) points. Such indicators not only helped him to be invited to the youth team of Russia, but also attracted the attention of overseas specialists to Oleg.
NHL appearances
In 1996, the Florida Panthers team selected Kwash for the NHL draft . But the first season in North America, the Russian striker spent in the AHL, playing for the “New Haven Bist”. In 57 games played, he scored 13 goals and gave 16 assists.
In October 1998, Oleg Kvasha made his debut in the NHL. For two seasons spent in the “Panther”, the striker had 144 fights, in which he scored 50 (17 + 33) points.
Since the 2000/01 season, Oleg Kvasha is a hockey player for the New York Islanders club. Here, “Basha”, as the Russian striker was nicknamed the fans, spent 4 years. During the next lockout in the NHL, he returned to Russia, where he played for Severstal (Cherepovets) and CSKA (Moscow).
In 2006, Kvasha for the exchange falls into the Phoenix Coyotes team, for which he played only 15 fights. At the end of the season Oleg decided to return to his homeland.
Performances in the KHL
After returning to Russia, Kvasha replenished the ranks of Podolsk “Vityaz”. For two seasons Oleg played in 82 fights and scored 53 (26 + 27) points. In 2008, he transferred to Tractor. Kvasha played one season for the Chelyabinsk team and scored 35 (17 + 18) points in 55 matches.
The following year, Oleg signs a one-year contract with Atlant from Mytishchi. Then, for one season, he first plays for Metallurg Magnitogorsk, and then for Neftekhimik from Nizhnekamsk.
In 2012, Oleg Kvasha signed a contract with his native capital, CSKA. The agreement was designed for two years, but spent only one season. After leaving the “army” Kvasha was in the Omsk “Vanguard”, where he spent 20 fights, in which he scored 1 goal and gave 3 assists.
Due to poor performance, he was put up for draft rejection, so the end of the season played out for Moscow “Spartak”. Then he played a little in Sofia CSKA and Kazakh “Barys”. Now Oleg Kvasha is a free agent.
International career
Oleg Kvasha began his appearances for the Russian national team with a youth team. Together with her, the striker won bronze medals at the World Championships in 1997, and a year later reached the finals of this tournament.
Since 2001, Oleg Kvasha is a hockey player of the Russian national team. At the Olympic Games in Salt Lake City, he played in 5 fights. Despite the fact that the striker was unable to earn a single point in these games, he won a bronze medal with the Russian team.