The deadline for submitting applications was yesterday with the RIHF election meeting set to take place on April 12.

As reported by Russia's official state news agency TASS, Tretiak, who has been President of the RIHF since 2006 and has since won two elections, said: "I have submitted my candidacy to run in the election, no-one else did this, therefore I will be the sole candidate.

"About 13 to 14 regional federations have nominated me, almost all of them."

Tretiak was a highly-regarded goaltender for the Soviet Union national ice hockey team and won three Olympic gold medals at Sapporo 1972, Innsbruck 1976 and Sarajevo 1984.

The 65-year-old was also a ten-time world champion and was inducted into the National Hockey League Hall of Fame in 1989.

Since Tretiak became President of RIHF in 2006, the Russian men's national team have won four International Ice Hockey Federation World Championship titles - in 2008, 2009, 2012 and 2014.

The Olympic Athletes from Russia team also won gold at February's Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

They beat Germany 4-3 in overtime after a thrilling final but were forced to compete at the Games neutrally due to Russia's suspension by the International Olympic Committee.

This was due to the country's reported manipulation of the doping scheme at their home Sochi 2014 Games.