Former NHL defenseman Sergei Zubov was named an assistant coach of the Russian national team on Monday, according to the International Ice Hockey Federation website.

Zubov will be responsible for coaching the defensemen and help prepare the national team for the 2016 World Championship in Moscow and St. Petersburg, Russia. Zubov said he will remain an assistant coach of SKA St. Petersburg in the Kontinental Hockey League, in addition to helping head coach Oleg Znarok.

Zubov, who played in the NHL for 16 seasons with the New York Rangers, Pittsburgh Penguins and Dallas Stars, will also help prepare the national team for the 2016 World Cup and 2018 PyeongChang Olympics.

Zubov, 44, won the Stanley Cup with the Rangers in 1994 and the Stars in 1999. He played in 1,068 NHL games, including 12 seasons with the Stars. He had 152 goals and 619 assists in the regular season and 24 goals and 93 assists in 164 career games in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

He won a gold medal with the Unified Team at the 1992 Winter Games in Albertville, France. Zubov also represented the Soviet Union in three IIHF World Junior Championship tournaments and one Under-18 European Championship.