Sergey Starikov began playing hockey with Traktor Chelyabinsk in 1976, joining CSKA Moskva in 1979 and playing there until 1989. With CSKA Moskva he won 10 Soviet and European Champions Cup titles (1980-89). In 1989-90 Starikov played one season in the NHL with New Jersey Devils, before finishing his career by playing one season with the Utica Devils of the AHL, and two seasons with the San Diego Gulls of the IHL. Internationally besides his three Olympic medals, Starikov was World champion three times (1979, 1983, 1986), European champion five times (1979, 1983, 1985-87), and also won silver (1987) and bronze (1985) medals at Worlds. In 1979 Starikov played on the winning Soviet Union team in the Challenge Cup between the Soviet Union and NHL All-Stars, and in 1984 he added a bronze at the Canada Cup.