Peter25
Registered User
I feel Tatarinov was the most talented from the group of young Soviet defensemen who came after Fetisov and Kasatonov. In this club I include Tatarinov, Igor Stelnov, Alexei Gusarov, Ilya Byakin, Igor Kravchuk, Valeri Shiryayev, Vladimir Tyurikov, Vladimir Konstantinov and Vladimir Malakhov.
Tatarinov was born in 1966 and was a big junior star defenseman who already made his debut in the men's national team in 1984 as a 18 year old. It was almost unheard of that a 18 year defenseman made the Soviet national team. The previous one had to be Fetisov in the 1976-1977 season.
But when all was said and done Tatarinov only played in two international tournaments: the 1990 World Championships and the 1991 Canada Cup. He also played in the 1987 Rendez Vous and would have played in the 1988 Olympics had he not been injured.
In 1990 he moved to the NHL and after a couple of pretty good seasons there his career just faded away and he quit hockey in 1994.
I have read that he suffered from mental problems throughout his career and that was the reason he didn't became that superstar defenseman he had the talent to become.
I have seen Tatarinov play (Youtube videos) in both 1987 Rendez Vous and 1990 World Championships. He was brilliant in both. In Rendez Vous the 20-year old Tatarinov and he played with a veteran Vasili Pervukhin. In the 1990 World Championships he first played with Byakin and then with Fetisov when he arrived from the NHL.
Tatarinov was a fluid skater who excelled in outlet passes. He was pretty consistent defensively too. But what made him special was his shot. He has one of the best shots I have ever seen in a hockey player. He could fire an accurate slapper or wrister from the slot or blueline faster than just about anyone.
Here is a typical Tatarinov play in the 1990 World Championships final round game against Canada. Just insane shot from the slot:
In spite of his talents Tikhonov didn't fully trust Tatarinov because of his mental problems, which sometimes showed on the ice too. He would occasionally cheapshot opposing players, which as a big no-no in the Soviet Union hockey. And his level of play suffered too.
But there is no denying how talented this guy was. I say he was more talented and at his best better than Konstantinov, Malakhov or Sergei Zubov were. If he had a different state of mind he could have been one of the greatest.
Tatarinov was born in 1966 and was a big junior star defenseman who already made his debut in the men's national team in 1984 as a 18 year old. It was almost unheard of that a 18 year defenseman made the Soviet national team. The previous one had to be Fetisov in the 1976-1977 season.
But when all was said and done Tatarinov only played in two international tournaments: the 1990 World Championships and the 1991 Canada Cup. He also played in the 1987 Rendez Vous and would have played in the 1988 Olympics had he not been injured.
In 1990 he moved to the NHL and after a couple of pretty good seasons there his career just faded away and he quit hockey in 1994.
I have read that he suffered from mental problems throughout his career and that was the reason he didn't became that superstar defenseman he had the talent to become.
I have seen Tatarinov play (Youtube videos) in both 1987 Rendez Vous and 1990 World Championships. He was brilliant in both. In Rendez Vous the 20-year old Tatarinov and he played with a veteran Vasili Pervukhin. In the 1990 World Championships he first played with Byakin and then with Fetisov when he arrived from the NHL.
Tatarinov was a fluid skater who excelled in outlet passes. He was pretty consistent defensively too. But what made him special was his shot. He has one of the best shots I have ever seen in a hockey player. He could fire an accurate slapper or wrister from the slot or blueline faster than just about anyone.
Here is a typical Tatarinov play in the 1990 World Championships final round game against Canada. Just insane shot from the slot:
In spite of his talents Tikhonov didn't fully trust Tatarinov because of his mental problems, which sometimes showed on the ice too. He would occasionally cheapshot opposing players, which as a big no-no in the Soviet Union hockey. And his level of play suffered too.
But there is no denying how talented this guy was. I say he was more talented and at his best better than Konstantinov, Malakhov or Sergei Zubov were. If he had a different state of mind he could have been one of the greatest.
