Yakushev... inducted HHOF(!)... NOT Mikhailov, Vasiliev, Firsov, Kasatonov,...

[Sentinel]

I'm not a fan of the decision. They should choose whether they want to be a North American hall of fame or an international one, but not go for some half-arsed variant in between where European players are inducted randomly.

Some people will bitch no matter what. I LOVE this inclusion!

 

[MaxV]

Speaking of it, does Bobrov have a chance to get in after all the other great soviet players from the later times?

I don’t think so. Clearly performance against NA pros is a factor which means that Bobrov, Firsov and others from 50s/60s are viewed as having an inferior case.

You can also forget about the Czech/Slovaks pre-90s stars, unfortunately. The Canada-USSR rivalry is at the forefront for the committee as far as pre-NHL Europeans.

I think players with the best chance are Mikhailov, Petrov and Maltsev. After that the maybe candidates of Kasatonov and Vasiliev.

 

[JackSlater]

I think that Mikhailov is the next Soviet in as his name in Canada is probably the biggest among the available players.

 

[VMBM]

Extending the scope beyond CSKA players and coaches.

Still, no, I can't see it. Unless the non-CSKA players should get some massive 'leveling' vs CSKA players for some reason. And even in that case, there are players like Valeri Vasiliev and Maltsev who are more deserving than Yakushev really. (Compare their whole careers.)

No, you misunderstood. I meant that now that Yakushev is in, the others will shortly follow.

I really hope you're right about that one.

But FWIW I like Yakushev more than all the others that I mentioned. There is more to life than offensive stats. Yakushev came through when needed most.

Yeah, I bet all the critical people are just staring at offensive stats on this one! I mean, who is the one who is not looking at the so called big picture here?

Also, that last sentence is fairly vague. Can you give some examples of Yakushev "coming through" (more than the others)? 1972 and...? And please don't tell me to "watch some games"... (I have, aplenty). Plus, while he was an excellent performer against North American teams, he seemed to be a lot less so against Czechoslovakia, their main rival in Europe.

 

[Sentinel]

Still, no, I can't see it. Unless the non-CSKA players should get some massive 'leveling' vs CSKA players for some reason. And even in that case, there are players like Valeri Vasiliev and Maltsev who are more deserving than Yakushev really. (Compare their whole careers.)

Maltsev's record in big games, including Canada and CSSR, is less than stellar. Vasiliev was great, but far from a star that Yakushev was.

Also, that last sentence is fairly vague. Can you give some examples of Yakushev "coming through" (more than the others)? 1972 and...? And please don't tell me to "watch some games"... (I have, aplenty). Plus, while he was an excellent performer against North American teams, he seemed to be a lot less so against Czechoslovakia, their main rival in Europe.

... and 1974.

His 64 goals in 90 international games is nothing to sneeze at and he didn't have the partners that the CSKA trio was.

Yakushev had the *it* factor that Petrov, for example, didn't. Call it "intangibles" if you will

 

[VMBM]

Maltsev's record in big games, including Canada and CSSR, is less than stellar. Vasiliev was great, but far from a star that Yakushev was.

Maybe you're looking at the stats too much?
Maltsev's reputation seems to be fine among both Canadian and Czechoslovak players, though. And I refuse to believe that it was just because they liked his style of play or something.

At least in Finland Vasiliev is better known than Yakushev, I think. Maybe that's also an indication of that the 1972 series isn't so well-remembered here. Maltsev is certainly much better-known than Yakushev.

... and 1974.

His 64 goals in 90 international games is nothing to sneeze at and he didn't have the partners that the CSKA trio was.

Yakushev had the *it* factor that Petrov, for example, didn't. Call it "intangibles" if you will

Well, I think Kharlamov and Mikhailov, for example, were a little better in those decisive games (5-7) in Moscow in 1974. And the 1974 series is what it is; a series against "WHA's best" - that's a team that is not even on the same level with Czechoslovakia imho.

 

[Sentinel]

Maybe you're looking at the stats too much?
Maltsev's reputation seems to be fine among both Canadian and Czechoslovak players, though. And I refuse to believe that it was just because they liked his style of play or something.

At least in Finland Vasiliev is better known than Yakushev, I think. Maybe that's also an indication of that the 1972 series isn't so well-remembered here. Maltsev is certainly much better-known than Yakushev.

Now you're going by reputation. Come on

Well, I think Kharlamov and Mikhailov, for example, were a little better in those decisive games (5-7) in Moscow in 1974. And the 1974 series is what it is; a series against "WHA's best" - that's a team that is not even on the same level with Czechoslovakia imho.

I think it's not just the quantity of goals, but the timeliness of them. Maltsev scored in oodles against Finns and Germans, but against tougher opponents he often vanished.

In 1976 OG Yakushev's trio (Shalimov - Shadrin - Yak) scored in every game, including twice against the Czechs (the decisive game of the tournament) when down 2-3. Yakushev lead all tournament in assists. Later that year Yakushev's Spartak won the Soviet championship.

Yakushev's tying goal:

 

[VMBM]

Now you're going by reputation. Come on

Well, this Maltsev's supposed 'vanishing in big games' is something that is mostly milked by a couple of posters here rather than by his opponents or teammates or contemporary sources. Why didn't this 'choking' have an effect e.g. on Maltsev's SPOTY voting or his WHC record (awards/all-stars) that are far superior to Yakushev's?

Don't get me wrong, I don't think it's a total myth, and I rank Mikhailov somewhat higher than Maltsev (even though comparing their careers, Maltsev could very easily be favoured too) because in the big games I've seen Mikhailov has usually been a better performer. But the difference between Yakushev and Maltsev in this area is hardly so big that it could compensate the obvious difference in their overall careers (in Maltsev's favour).

I think it's not just the quantity of goals, but the timeliness of them. Maltsev scored in oodles against Finns and Germans, but against tougher opponents he often vanished.

In 1976 OG Yakushev's trio (Shalimov - Shadrin - Yak) scored in every game, including twice against the Czechs (the decisive game of the tournament) when down 2-3. Yakushev lead all tournament in assists. Later that year Yakushev's Spartak won the Soviet championship.

Yakushev's tying goal:

I'm glad you brought that game up. Namely, that's the one big Czechoslovakia game that I've seen where Yakushev - or rather his line - was a big factor. But imo Shalimov was the best player on the line in the game. And Kharlamov and Petrov were terrific too (two goals).
However, it doesn't matter to me one bit that they scored "in every game" at the 1976 OG. Look at the teams they were facing; weak USA, West Germany, Finland... no Sweden, no Canada whatsoever... the 'flu-ridden' Czechoslovakia was the only true test for USSR in the tournament. And Shadrin was the top scorer in any case.

 

[VanIslander]

I think that Mikhailov is the next Soviet in as his name in Canada is probably the biggest among the available players.

If not Tikhonov or Krutov, yeah.

 

[MaxV]

Larionov being on committee won’t necessarily help Tikhonov’s case.

 

[Sentinel]

Sorry to be raising this thread but I didn't find Yakushev in the ATD reference thread. Is he there?

 

[Theokritos]

Sorry to be raising this thread but I didn't find Yakushev in the ATD reference thread. Is he there?

Looks like no ATD bio has ever been compiled. But there are two posts on him in the Twenty Years of Soviet Hockey thread.

Twenty years of Soviet Hockey: 1962 - 1982 (Index of player profiles in OP)

Here is the pack of files: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/28241305/soviets.zip I really hope someone takes the time to get this stuff typed out. Go in chronological order. Some of the pics are part of 2, 3, or 4 part series of pictures. It should be easy to tell when, as long as you...

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Twenty years of Soviet Hockey: 1962 - 1982 (Index of player profiles in OP)

Gennady Radayev (D, *1937) 1961-62: top 10 defenceman Hockey handbook: "One of the strongest defencemen of Novosibirsk ever. Reliable and steady, good in the physical game, backed up his partners properly." Один из сильнейших защитников Новосибирска всех лет. Отличался надежной, уверенной...

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