There is just one puzzling, very puzzling thing to me,
and that was the three Soviet skaters drafted into the NY line-up all seem like lesser quality choices compared to the Oxford three Soviet skaters. It puzzled me when the picks were made and it surprises me still. Seriously. I don't get it.
I certainly had Yuri Fedorov ranked lower than Zin Bilyaletdinov in terms of great Soviet blueliners. Yuri played in just two World Championships (1975 and 1978) and only one of the eight games in the 1974 USSR vs. WHA series. Why draft him? Why put him on the second pairing and as alternate captain? *shrug* I really would like to know pitseleh. Bilyaletdinov seems a better pick in every way: tons more experience, wins against top level competition, accolades, etc. I research Soviet hockey often. What am I missing pitseleh? because it sure looks to me like you took a lesser Soviet blueliner early just because he was on one Canada Cup team in 1976? And why make him an alternate captain? Was he a leader in Soviet hockey? Please inform with references or links.
Next is the 11th round pick of Viktor Shalimov over the later Oxford nabbing of Konstantin Loktev, both right wingers.
Loktev was the only Soviet skater IIHHOF inductee who was not drafted in the main ATD10 (Oxford coach Tikhonov and Americans netminder Konovalenko are also in, nonskaters per se). Loktev had scored more goals in international play than Shalimov and won more world championships, though Shalimov played in the Canada Cups and so does have that advantage to offset things; both players were on renowned Soviet lines, Shalimov with Yakushev (and sometimes with Kapustin) in the late 70's, Loktev with Alexandrov in the mid-'60s.
Loktev scored 83 goals in 113 international games
Shalimov scored 66 goals in 126 international games
Loktev is a two-time WC all-star, once best forward, twice top scorer in Soviet league, 5-time USSR all-star
Shalimov is a two-time WC top scorer, once best forward, once top scorer in Soviet league, 2-time USSR all-star
Loktev was known to be 'tough', the physical presence and scoring winger on one of the best lines in Soviet history; Shalimov was known to be 'free wheeling', the flashy scorer on one of the best lines of the 70's. (but these are chidlovski's characterizations)
They seem comparable I guess... I'd like to hear more about Shalimov if pits has anything more, to increase my knowledge base on the guy... not a lopsided comparison like the blueline choice made of Fedorov over Bilyaletdinov (which I really think needs explaining!). I don't get Fedorov as a good pick. I must be missing something major in my research or else pits pulled bronze instead of gold out from under his cap, so to speak.
Lastly, the Americans chose center Anisin (in the 19th round) over later round Oxford steal of Zhluktov and the reason isn't obvious. Shalimov thrived with a two-way center in Shadrin so putting him with big, battering ram forward Zhluktov would make more sense than with wiry offensive-only Anisin: "his defensive play was never at an elite enough level to allow him to become a dominant Soviet player"
http://internationalhockeylegends.blogspot.com/2008/07/vyacheslav-anisin.html
So Anisin is like Anakin and Aniston rolled into one: as a youngum he impressed (in the '72 Summit Series) but he became girly (defensively in his career).
Seriously, he pales in comparison to Zhluktov: if you wanna contest it, make your case for Anisin and I'll make mine for Zhluktov, detailing exactly how and when the Oxford pick was a clutch performer numerous times on the national team between 1975-1985, not only as part of four world championship gold medal teams and 1976 Olympic gold but also in terms of individual key contributions against the best (as I detailed in my post when he was drafted).
Anisin looks like the weakest second line pivot in the entire draft. He certainly doesn't make the all-Euro Americans second line anything of a competitive advantage in this series, no matter how you think of the Dark Blues HHOFers, at the very most, you could argue the second lines are a wash.
So, if the goaltending, defense and second lines are comparable, then the first, third and fourth lines, coaching, clutch championship experience and performances, leadership and intangibles will have to come into play.
This will be a loooooong series...