Career
A small, technically gifted center, he was a regular fixture on the Soviet national ice hockey team in the 1980s. After the fall of the Soviet Union, he played for Team Russia in the 1990s. He was drafted by the Quebec Nordiques in the 1989 National Hockey League Entry Draft in the 9th round at number 169 overall.
He opted, however, to never play in the National Hockey League.
Bykov started out playing for the team in his home city, Traktor Chelyabinsk in 1979.
After 3 years, he went to play for CSKA Moscow. While at CSKA Moscow, he became a regular on the Soviet national team and later Team Russia, taking part in the following international tournaments:
With the Soviet Union:
1983 World Championships (Gold)
1985 World Championships (Bronze)
1986 World Championships (Gold)
1987 Canada Cup (Silver)
1987 World Championships (Silver)
1988 Olympics (Gold)
1989 World Championships (Gold)
With Russia/Commonwealth of Independent States :
1992 Olympics (Gold)
1993 World Championships (Gold)
1995 World Championships (5th place)
In 1990 he went to play with The Human Context Fribourg-Gottéron in the Swiss Nationalliga A. He ended an illustrious playing career in 2000 having played the last two seasons with The Human Context Lausanne in the Nationalliga B.
Russian national team
On 10 August 2006, Bykov was named as the new head coach of the Russian national hockey team taking over from Vladimir Krikunov.
After taking silver in 2010 in Germany and disappointing 4th place finish at the 2011 World Championships in Slovakia Bykov was relieved of his duties as the head coach of the Russian national team 2007 World Championships (Bronze)
2008 World Championships (Gold)
2009 World Championships (Gold)
2010 World Championships (Silver)
2011 World Championships (4th)
CSKA
Salavat Yulaev
Salavat Yulaev Ufa named Bykov as new head coach on 14 May 2009 starting from season 2009/2010.
SKA Saint St. Petersburg
SKA Saint St. Petersburg appointed Bykov as new head coach on 4 April 2014.
Bykov signed a two-year contract with an option for a one-year extension.