Sens Rule
Registered User
- Sep 22, 2005
- 21,251
- 74
I think the great 1980's Soviet players had relatively disappointing careers.....
Larionov turned 30 his first NHL year. And he played 15 seasons. Yet he NEVER was an elite player in the NHL. He has ONE PPG season and ONE PPG playoffs. His highs are 50 assists, 71 points and 21 goals in his entire NHL career.
Oates, Francis had far superior careers AFTER they turned 30 than Larionov did. In fact almost every great NHL player had a far better career past 30 than Larionov did. I know Larionov had his prime in Russia. And he would have needed to adjust for a year or 2 to the NHL game. But that leaves 6 or 7 seasons when he should have been able to put up significant seasons. From age 31/32 through 37/38.
I would probably induct Larionov but his resume would be better IMO if he NEVER played in the NHL. His career in the NHL was very good and he was a very effective veteran for a long, long time but not at a HHOF level or even the level of a declining HHOFer. He simply was not an elite star in the NHL - he was an elite secondary player.
All of the Russian greats of the 80's that came to the NHL were somewhat disappointing in my opinion. Fetisov, Makarov, Larionov, Kasatonov, Krutov all failed to impress in the NHL. None ever were truly elite players. Makarov, Larionov and Fetisov did have some good years but their peers from North America or the rest of Europe had far, far, better seasons in the NHL in their early, mid and late 30's than did those great Russian players.
IMO all would have better HHOF chances had they been like Tretiak and never played in the NHL.
Larionov turned 30 his first NHL year. And he played 15 seasons. Yet he NEVER was an elite player in the NHL. He has ONE PPG season and ONE PPG playoffs. His highs are 50 assists, 71 points and 21 goals in his entire NHL career.
Oates, Francis had far superior careers AFTER they turned 30 than Larionov did. In fact almost every great NHL player had a far better career past 30 than Larionov did. I know Larionov had his prime in Russia. And he would have needed to adjust for a year or 2 to the NHL game. But that leaves 6 or 7 seasons when he should have been able to put up significant seasons. From age 31/32 through 37/38.
I would probably induct Larionov but his resume would be better IMO if he NEVER played in the NHL. His career in the NHL was very good and he was a very effective veteran for a long, long time but not at a HHOF level or even the level of a declining HHOFer. He simply was not an elite star in the NHL - he was an elite secondary player.
All of the Russian greats of the 80's that came to the NHL were somewhat disappointing in my opinion. Fetisov, Makarov, Larionov, Kasatonov, Krutov all failed to impress in the NHL. None ever were truly elite players. Makarov, Larionov and Fetisov did have some good years but their peers from North America or the rest of Europe had far, far, better seasons in the NHL in their early, mid and late 30's than did those great Russian players.
IMO all would have better HHOF chances had they been like Tretiak and never played in the NHL.