Fans of Peterborough Phantoms were delighted that their current coach Slava Koulikov has signed a new contract with the club. He had a year left on his current contract, but his 2-year extension means that he will be in charge at the club for the next 3 seasons.
Slava Koulikov led Peterborough Phantoms to many successes last-term, winning the NIHL Autumn Cup, NIHL South Cup, and NIHL South play-offs glory. In December, Peterborough Phantoms won the second leg against Sheffield Steeldogs by 4-3, hence landing the NIHL Autumn Cup by an aggregate 6-5 victory. They then made it a trophy double in March by lifting final opponents Basingstoke 6-5 on aggregate. In April, they added the NIHL Division One South play-offs final prize too after beating Bracknell Bees with a 13-8 aggregate victory.
The new season will start in September and Slava Koulikov will try once again to land more successes this year. Their roster is expected to see a single change from last season with Conor Pollard likely to be featured this year.
It doesn’t look like a bad idea to bet that the Phantoms would win at least one cup by the end of the season. Their team looks just as strong as they were last season, while their coach seems just as committed. In fact, it wouldn’t be a big surprise if they win 2 or more cups by the end of their campaign.
Therefore, you would be wise to avail the best free bets and wager your money on Peterborough Phantoms. You would be likely to win your bet, plus the free bets will ensure that you get the best betting experience. Bet365, Betfair, Coral and Paddy Power are some of the biggest names and they always offer very lucrative bonuses, however, you should read the terms and conditions before you avail any offer.
Slava Koulikov has also taken on extra responsibilities this year and will now be serving as hockey operations manager along with his head coach duties. Due to these extra responsibilities, he has left the coaching position with GB under-20s.
Commenting on his contract extension, he said: “Over the last 6 years the team has gone from strength to strength, with every year the team progressing in success on and off the ice.
“I’ve always wanted to work with a club with stability and always have the chance to compete, the Phantoms have delivered this, and with future aims to get even better. I have built a great relationship with Dave and Jo Lane, the owners of the Phantoms, so it made the decision to commit to the organization for an additional two years an easy one.
“My family are settled here in Peterborough and that is very important to me, so along with the opportunities to be involved off-ice within my new role, it’s really exciting times ahead.”
Slava joined Peterborough Phantoms as a player/coach in 2013 and took the club to the next level in a few years. On his arrival, he was tasked to make the Phantoms team competitive and develop their youth academy. He more than exceeded expectations in fulfilling those goals over the last 6 years. So far, he has won four trophies for the Phantoms over the last 6 years, which include 3 runners-up league finishes and 2 other cup finals.
