ST. PETERSBURG, Russia – New hall of famer Igor Larionov will return to hockey after being named the director of hockey operations of SKA St. Petersburg.

The club announced that Larionov signed a one-year contract with the possibility of extension. The 47-year-old, who most recently was working as a wine merchant is expected to arrive in St. Petersburg on Sunday.

The Russian centre finished his 27-year professional career winning two Olympic gold medals (1984, 88), four IIHF World Championship gold medals, one Canada Cup title (1981), one IIHF World U20 Championship gold medal (1980), three Stanley Cups with Detroit and eight Soviet Championships with CSKA Moscow. He was inducted in the IIHF Hall of Fame in May 2008 and he will also be inducted in the Hockey Hall of Fame in November 2008.