Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree designating…

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree designating December 22 as the Day of Hockey.

Consensus

President Vladimir Putin signed an edict establishing December 22 as the Day of Hockey.
The holiday is intended to promote and develop hockey in Russia.
December 22 was chosen because it marks the start of the first Soviet Championship in ice hockey in 1946.
The day will not be a public holiday or a weekend.
The initiative originated from the Ministry of Sport of Russia.

Moscow Dynamo won the first Soviet Championship in ice hockey, with CSKA (then known as CDKA) taking silver and Spartak Moscow winning bronze. — kommersant
The Ministry of Sport developed the draft decree on behalf of the presidential administration. — fontanka
In 1946, the championship was referred to as 'Canadian' hockey at the time. — tg_sotavisionmedia
The Ministry of Sport proposed creating a list of sports with special development and funding mechanisms in early July. — vedomosti
Putin signed other new holidays around the same period, including the Day of Military Police (February 8), the Day of Memory of Victims of Genocide of the Soviet People (April 19), and two cultural days for indigenous peoples and languages. — vm