International hockey jerseys have been increasingly popular thanks to the help from the Utah-Russia Institute housed on campus in Utah.

Head Coach Matt Beaudry visited Moscow in the off-season to look at some players in international hockey jerseys and found several that he was interested in bringing over to Utah to play for the Wolverines. One of the players, left winger Nikita Malakhov, decided to jump at the chance to play hockey in the United States and is now figuring prominently in the Wolverines squad. 

"Very good perspective to understand for the future," Malakhov said. Malakhov has been playing hockey since he was five-years-old and looking to see how the North American style of the game is played. 

In comparison, European hockey including those in russion hockey jerseys  play more finesse-based and uses crisp passing and good positioning to set up their offense, while the North American style features more of a physical game that depends more on strength to score. 

Malakhov talents on the ice include his speed and his play-making ability. "He is a sniper," Beaudry said about Malakhov’s abilities. "He handles the puck well."  Fans in the stands wear his international hockey jersey to show their support for Malakhov