Alright let's compare top lines
Don Lever - Harry Trihey (A) - Yevgeny Babich
Don Lever looks to be an excellent glue guy and good defensively to at least baby sit for your top line. It's impossible to get a read on how Trihey stands up amongst the other players in this format. Vanislander seems to believe is worthy of a being a top line center here so I'll go with that. Now Babich, was someone I was heavily considering, his accolades are definitely MLD top line/ ATD spare material. But my big concern with him is even though he had over a goal per game in the Soviet League his international scoring is very disappointing at only 19 Goals in 60 Games Played. Based on reports he'd fit this line well by chemistry wise.
Thomas Vanek - Claude Giroux - Keith Crowder
Comparing glue guy to glue guy, Crowder is probably a little worse than Lever hard for me to tell maybe a more experienced ATDer could advise there, but they will both fill there roles adequately in protecting the skill players. Giroux compared to Trihey, I have to consider a win for Giroux, they both play a similar style and will mesh well with the lines created. I strongly believe that this may be the last year Giroux falls to MLD, his record at the highest level of hockey is one of the best in the entire draft, even if he's only part the way through his career. Now Vanek is a ridiculously consistent scorer who would mesh extremely well with this line.
I think with the question marks surrounding Babich and the difference between Trihey and Giroux makes this a clear advantage for The Golden Bears.
For the second lines comparing each player directly.
Shuvalov < Almetov
Almetov has a similar trophy case in a more competitive era of soviet hockey (60s) compared to Shuvalovs in the 50s. Both have nearly equal goal scoring records despite the 10 year gap, showing an advantage towards Almetov.
Old bios indicate that Almetov was a more explosive offensive force, compared to Shuvalov who was a more conscious defensive presence. Clear victory Almetov
Fred Scanlan =< Konstantin Loktev
Hard to compare the two but I feel Loktev is most likely better than Scanlan. Both are sort of the glue guys on these lines providing a little physicality if required. But based on what I've read from the Bios I feel Loktev has an advantage since he will be providing more offence.
Carson Cooper = Venjamin Alexandrov
At best I think the offense these two will provide to there respective teams are fairly equal. Cooper had 3 years of note offensively where he was an offensive force. Alexandrov won his first USSR All Star in 1958 and his last ten years later showing that as the soviet game matured Alexandrov managed to adapt being relevent in Soviet hockey for that entire time.
Alexandrov has a excellent international record 161 GP 119 Goals against hockey powers of Sweden, Canada, Czechoslovakia, Finland and the USA Alexandrov's record switches to 119 GP and 71 Goals.
Against Everyone 0.739 GPG
Against Hockey Countries 0.596 GPG
Which is a noticeable difference but not damning, still showing he was an offensive presence against tougher opponents.
I think my second line is better even though my ratings end up in a tie on the basis of chemistry. Sources indicate how strong the historical line of Alexandrov - Almetov - Loktev was and I did my best to recreate some of the chemistry present in that line. As mentioned before Shuvalov was not the offensive Dynamo that Almetov was but I believe he'd serve the line a similar purpose.
