Victor Nechayev

Victor Nechayev (born January 28, 1955) is a Russian former professional ice hockey player who played three games for the Los Angeles Kings in the National Hockey League. He was the first player from the Soviet Union to play in the NHL, as well as the first to score a goal.

A native of Siberia, Nechayev met Cheryl Haigler, an American citizen, in Switzerland in 1976, while he was playing for the Red Army team. They married in 1980 in Leningrad. In April 1982, Nechayev was granted permission to join his wife in the United States.

In the 1982 NHL entry draft, Nechayev was picked 132nd overall by the Kings. Unlike other Soviet players, Nechayev was able to join the team immediately, since he was already living in North America at the time he was drafted. He scored his only NHL goal against the New York Rangers on October 17, 1982.

Career statistics Regular season and playoffs Regular seasonPlayoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 1972–73 Sibir Novosibirsk USSR-2 34 10 4 14 16 — — — — — 1973–74 Sibir Novosibirsk USSR-2 13 1 1 2 0 — — — — — 1974–75 Sibir Novosibirsk USSR-2 47 6 4 10 35 — — — — — 1975–76 SKA Leningrad USSR 12 2 0 2 6 — — — — — 1976–77 Sudostroitel Leningrad USSR-3 28 11 2 13 8 — — — — — 1977–78 SKA Leningrad USSR 22 5 1 6 10 — — — — — 1978–79 SKA Leningrad USSR 24 4 4 8 12 — — — — — 1979–80 Severstal Cherepovets USSR-3 — 3 — — — — — — — — 1979–80 Binokor Tashkent USSR-2 6 1 1 2 2 — — — — — 1980–81 Izhorets Leningrad USSR-3 16 5 0 5 12 — — — — — 1982–83 Los Angeles Kings NHL 3 1 0 1 0 — — — — — 1982–83 New Haven Nighthawks AHL 28 4 7 11 6 — — — — — 1982–83 Saginaw Gears IHL 10 1 4 5 0 — — — — — 1983–84 Düsseldorfer EG GER 38 7 9 16 30 — — — — — USSR totals 58 11 5 16 28 — — — — — NHL totals 3 1 0 1 0 — — — — —