Soviet best player voting: full voting record

MaxV

Registered User
Nov 6, 2006
4,888
590
New York, NY
On the other hand, maybe he played on the CC team only because Kharlamov was injured and Mikhailov, Petrov, Yakushev and Shadrin were left home?

Considering the previous few years, that was probably a big factor.

1972 SS changed a lot. Maltsev was playing as a Center for NT also. You guys know more then me, but I think he was pretty much exclusively a wing for NT after.
 

Theokritos

Global Moderator
Apr 6, 2010
12,537
4,905
1983-1984 (87 voters)
#Player:Pos:Team:Pts:1st:2nd:3rd:
1.Nikolai DrozdetskyRWCSKA13229197
2.Vladislav TretyakGCSKA114221518
3.Vyacheslav FetisovDCSKA82131611
4.Sergei MakarovRWCSKA7816118
5.Vladimir KovinCGorky341815
6.Alexander KozhevnikovLWSpartak331716
7. Alexei KasatonovDCSKA20165
8.Vladimir KrutovLWCSKA18325
9.Igor LarionovCCSKA7120
10.Alexander GerasimovRWCSKA3011
11.Viktor TyumenevCSpartak1001
[TBODY] [/TBODY]
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A career year for Nikolai Drozdetsky who wasn't even top 5 in any other year. He's one of those 80s Soviet players (like #5 Vladimir Kovin and #6 Alexander Kozhevnikov) who aren't remembered very well. Tretyak still finished 2nd in his last active season. Among the Green Unit, Fetisov and Makarov were considered the clear leaders that season.
 

Theokritos

Global Moderator
Apr 6, 2010
12,537
4,905
1984-1985 (88 voters)
#Player:Pos:Team:Pts:1st:2nd:3rd:
1.Sergei MakarovRWCSKA23067125
2.Vyacheslav FetisovDCSKA12216362
3.Yuri LeonovLWDinamo260418
4.Vladimir MyshkinGDinamo251512
5.Vasili PervukhinDDinamo22264
6.Alexei KasatonovDCSKA19067
7.Vladimir KrutovLWCSKA18058
8.Mikhail VarnakovLWGorky11035
8.Yuri ShundrovGKiev11027
10.Helmuts BalderisRWRiga10131
11.Igor LarionovCCSKA10034
12.Vladimir ZubriltchevRWDinamo6111
13.Anatoli SemyonovCDinamo5013
13.Vyacheslav BykovCCSKA5005
15.Nikolai DrozdetskyRWCSKA2010
15.Andrei KhomutovLWCSKA2002
15.Viktor TyumenevCCSKA2002
18.Yuri FyodorovDGorky1001
18.Alexander SkvortsovRWGorky1001
[TBODY] [/TBODY]
[TBODY] [/TBODY]
A landslide victory for Sergei Makarov who had a stellar season: Canada Cup all-star, top scorer in the Soviet league (once again) and a standout at the 1985 World Championship. Fetisov was hurt by missing the Canada Cup, other than that he also had a great season. No-one else came close to those two.
 

Theokritos

Global Moderator
Apr 6, 2010
12,537
4,905
1985-1986 (94 voters)
#Player:Pos:Team:Pts:1st:2nd:3rd:
1.Vyacheslav FetisovDCSKA184333613
2.Sergei MakarovRWCSKA169381819
3.Vladimir KrutovLWCSKA126202516
4.Igor LarionovCCSKA35398
5.Vyacheslav BykovCCSKA140210
6.Yevgeni BelosheykinGCSKA120110
7.Mikhail VarnakovLWGorky9017
8.Sergei KapustinLWSpartak4012
8.Sergei MylnikovGChelyabinsk4012
10.Alexei KasatonovDCSKA3003
11.Vasili PervukhinDDinamo2002
12.Andrei KhomutovRWCSKA1001
12.Mikhail TatarinovDKiev1001
[TBODY] [/TBODY]
[TBODY] [/TBODY]
Fetisov (outstanding World Championship again) tops the survey ahead of Makarov (top scorer in the league once more). Krutov had a strong World Championship too (named Best Forward) and isn't too far behind this time. The gap to the rest (led by Larionov and then there is everyone else) is considerable.
 
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Theokritos

Global Moderator
Apr 6, 2010
12,537
4,905
1986-1987 (89 voters)
#Player:Pos:Team:Pts:1st:2nd:3rd:
1.Vladimir KrutovLWCSKA2638540
2.Yevgeni BelosheykinGCSKA8002628
3.Sergei MakarovRWCSKA6932510
4.Igor LarionovCCSKA280108
5.Vyacheslav FetisovDCSKA27099
6.Alexei KasatonovDCSKA16145
7.Vasili PervukhinDDinamo11043
8.Nikolai DrozdetskyRWCSKA, Leningrad6014
9.Sergei CherkasGLeningrad6006
10.Valeri KamenskyLWCSKA5013
11.Vyacheslav BykovCCSKA4012
11.Mikhail VarnakovLWGorky4004
13.Sergei MylnikovGGorky3011
13.Mikhail TatarinovDDinamo3003
15.Andrei KhomutovLWCSKA2010
15.Anatoli SemyonovCDinamo2010
15.Igor StelnovDCSKA2010
15.Sergei StarikovDCSKA2002
19.Vyacheslav LavrovLWLeningrad1001
[TBODY] [/TBODY]
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Krutov's biggest year, he dominated the voting completely. Scoring-wise (goals+assists) Makarov was on par with him, but Krutov got the goals at the 1987 Word Championship and was named Best Forward. Belosheykin finished 2nd in his second and last strong season, Makarov third. The rest of the Green Unit followed.
 

Sentinel

Registered User
May 26, 2009
12,745
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New Jersey
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A career year for Nikolai Drozdetsky who wasn't even top 5 in any other year. He's one of those 80s Soviet players (like #5 Vladimir Kovin and #6 Alexander Kozhevnikov) who aren't remembered very well. Tretyak still finished 2nd in his last active season. Among the Green Unit, Fetisov and Makarov were considered the clear leaders that season.
Drozdetsky was a Leningrad native (oddly enough, he started on defense and in 1975 World Juniors Cup he was paired up with Fetisov). He did pretty well in his hometown club SKA Leningrad before being poached for CSKA by Tikhonov. In 1987 he had a rift with Tikhonov and returned to SKA. He then brought that team to 3rd place, matching its best result ever. Played both PP and PK (using his experience of defense). In 1989 he moved to Sweden and played there. In 1995 he died of diabetes complications. He is very fondly remembered in St. Petersburg.
 

Theokritos

Global Moderator
Apr 6, 2010
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4,905
Drozdetsky was a Leningrad native (oddly enough, he started on defense and in 1975 World Juniors Cup he was paired up with Fetisov). He did pretty well in his hometown club SKA Leningrad before being poached for CSKA by Tikhonov. In 1987 he had a rift with Tikhonov and returned to SKA. He then brought that team to 3rd place, matching its best result ever. Played both PP and PK (using his experience of defense). In 1989 he moved to Sweden and played there. In 1995 he died of diabetes complications. He is very fondly remembered in St. Petersburg.

Nice info. You really wonder how things would have developed if Tikhonov/CSKA weren't almost all-powerful.
 

Theokritos

Global Moderator
Apr 6, 2010
12,537
4,905
1987-1988 (86 voters)
#Player:Pos:Team:Pts:1st:2nd:3rd:
1.Igor LarionovCCSKA14233179
2.Vyacheslav FetisovDCSKA129252112
3.Vladimir KrutovLWCSKA94161712
4.Sergei MakarovRWCSKA41776
5.Artūrs IrbeDRiga392915
6.Andrei KhomutovRWCSKA19245
7.Sergei MylnikovGChelyabinsk14135
8.Sergei NemchinovCKrylya Sovietov11035
9.Alexei KasatonovDCSKA7031
10.Alexander KozhevnikovLWKrylya Sovietov4012
11.Vyacheslav BykovCCSKA3011
11.Anatoli StepanishchevRWKiev3003
13.Sergei YashinLWDinamo2002
14.Alexei ChervyakovGCSKA1001
14.Alexei FrolikovLWRiga1001
14.Sergei GoloshumovGSpartak1001
14.Andrei LomakinLWDinamo1001
14.Alexander MogilnyRWCSKA1001
14.Vladimir MyshkinGDinamo1001
14.Anatoli NaydaCKiev1001
14.Yevgeni ShastinLWKiev1001
[TBODY] [/TBODY]
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A year that asks for a closer look. It doesn't help that we don't have individual awards from the 1988 Olympics. (The Olympic Games didn't have any until 1992.) Larionov seems to have had a career year, but the domestic scoring numbers don't really show it. Fetisov and Krutov were #2 and #3, both were named all-stars of the 1987 Canada Cup tournament. Makarov, the annual domestic top scorer, is fourth and Artūrs Irbe (21) makes his first appearance. I guess he was the backbone of Dinamo Riga in their spectacular campaign in spring 1988 (from 10th in the Soviet league to 3rd and then they knocked out Dinamo Moscow in the newly introduced playoffs)?
 

VMBM

And it didn't even bring me down
Sep 24, 2008
3,788
751
Helsinki, Finland
1987-1988 (86 voters)
#Player:Pos:Team:Pts:1st:2nd:3rd:
1.Igor LarionovCCSKA14233179
2.Vyacheslav FetisovDCSKA129252112
3.Vladimir KrutovLWCSKA94161712
4.Sergei MakarovRWCSKA41776
5.Artūrs IrbeDRiga392915
6.Andrei KhomutovRWCSKA19245
7.Sergei MylnikovGChelyabinsk14135
8.Sergei NemchinovCKrylya Sovietov11035
9.Alexei KasatonovDCSKA7031
10.Alexander KozhevnikovLWKrylya Sovietov4012
11.Vyacheslav BykovCCSKA3011
11.Anatoli StepanishchevRWKiev3003
13.Sergei YashinLWDinamo2002
14.Alexei ChervyakovGCSKA1001
14.Alexei FrolikovLWRiga1001
14.Sergei GoloshumovGSpartak1001
14.Andrei LomakinLWDinamo1001
14.Alexander MogilnyRWCSKA1001
14.Vladimir MyshkinGDinamo1001
14.Anatoli NaydaCKiev1001
14.Yevgeni ShastinLWKiev1001
[TBODY] [/TBODY]
[TBODY] [/TBODY]
A year that asks for a closer look. It doesn't help that we don't have individual awards from the 1988 Olympics. (The Olympic Games didn't have any until 1992.) Larionov seems to have had a career year, but the domestic scoring numbers don't really show it. Fetisov and Krutov were #2 and #3, both were named all-stars of the 1987 Canada Cup tournament. Makarov, the annual domestic top scorer, is fourth and Artūrs Irbe (21) makes his first appearance. I guess he was the backbone of Dinamo Riga in their spectacular campaign in spring 1988 (from 10th in the Soviet league to 3rd and then they knocked out Dinamo Moscow in the newly introduced playoffs)?

Yes, it would be interesting to know what tipped the scale in Larionov's favour. I've understood that he played an excellent Olympics, but so did Krutov and Fetisov, and, like you said, were all-stars in the Canada Cup, where Larionov was poor.
 

Theokritos

Global Moderator
Apr 6, 2010
12,537
4,905
1988-1989 (79 voters)
#Player:Pos:Team:Pts:1st:2nd:3rd:
1.Sergei MakarovCCSKA145312012
2.Vyacheslav BykovCCSKA130212713
3.Vyacheslav FetisovDCSKA110241312
4.Sergei MylnikovGChelyabinsk301713
5.Vladimir KrutovLWCSKA11124
6.Igor LarionovCCSKA9041
6.Artūrs IrbeGRiga9025
8.Andrei KhomutovRWCSKA6022
8.Valeri ShiryayevDKiev6006
10.Alexei KasatonovDCSKA5102
10.Valeri KamenskyLWCSKA5021
12.Ilya ByakinDSverdlovsk2002
13.Alexander ChernykhCVoskresensk1001
13.Sergei FyodorovCCSKA1001
13.Svyatoslav KhalizovDLeningrad1001
13.Dmitri KvartalnovRWVoskresensk1001
13.Vladimir MyshkinGDinamo1001
13.Sergei NemchinovCKrylya Sovietov1001
[TBODY] [/TBODY]
[TBODY] [/TBODY]
A tumultuous season in which the tensions between Tikhonov and the players led to the famous confrontation. Larionov didn't play much because of it and his voting result reflects that. The three players deemed outstanding were Makarov (top scorer in the league), Bykov (Soviet top scorer at the World Championship) and Fetisov (named Best Defenceman at the World Championship). Krutov's result is quite underwhelming, but once again you wouldn't really guess it when you look at the scoring numbers.
 

Theokritos

Global Moderator
Apr 6, 2010
12,537
4,905
1989-1990 (84 voters)
#Player:Pos:Team:Pts:1st:2nd:3rd:
1.Andrei KhomutovRWCSKA15534237
2.Artūrs IrbeGRiga140262120
3.Vyacheslav BykovCCSKA78131313
4.Mikhail TatarinovDDinamo5361211
5.Valeri KamenskyLWCSKA16226
6.Dmitri KhristichCKiev15136
7.Pavel BureRWCSKA9122
7.Vladimir MyshkinGDinamo9033
7.Dmitri KvartalnovRWVoskresensk9025
10.Anatoli StepanishchevRWKiev4101
10.Vyacheslav KozlovCVoskresensk4004
12.Alexei ChervyakovGVoskresensk2010
12.Sergei DrozdovGGorky2010
12.Sergei FyodorovCCSKA2010
12.Ilya ByakinDSverdlovsk2002
16.Anatoli AntipovCDinamo1001
16.Sergei NemchinovCKrylya Sovietov1001
16.Anatoli SemyonovCDinamo1001
16.Pavel TorgayevLWGorky1001
[TBODY] [/TBODY]
[TBODY] [/TBODY]
The first year of the new era: Krutov, Larionov, Makarov, Fetisov, Mylnikov and Mogilny had jumped to North America and Alexei Kasatonov followed them halfway through the season. Six of them were CSKA players. All of a sudden, the Army team didn't dominate the league anymore. Dinamo Moscow won the championship, but their top players Tatarinov (named Best Defenceman at the 1990 World Championship, ahead of Fetisov) and Myshkin were only 4th and 7th in the poll. Khimik Voskresensk had a big season too, but their players received even less recognition. The strongest players were judged to be Khomutov (World Championship All-star) and Irbe (named Best Goaltender at the World Championship), followed by Bykov.
 

Staniowski

Registered User
Jan 13, 2018
3,506
3,055
The Maritimes
1989-1990 (84 voters)
#Player:Pos:Team:Pts:1st:2nd:3rd:
1.Andrei KhomutovRWCSKA15534237
2.Artūrs IrbeGRiga140262120
3.Vyacheslav BykovCCSKA78131313
4.Mikhail TatarinovDDinamo5361211
5.Valeri KamenskyLWCSKA16226
6.Dmitri KhristichCKiev15136
7.Pavel BureRWCSKA9122
7.Vladimir MyshkinGDinamo9033
7.Dmitri KvartalnovRWVoskresensk9025
10.Anatoli StepanishchevRWKiev4101
10.Vyacheslav KozlovCVoskresensk4004
12.Alexei ChervyakovGVoskresensk2010
12.Sergei DrozdovGGorky2010
12.Sergei FyodorovCCSKA2010
12.Ilya ByakinDSverdlovsk2002
16.Anatoli AntipovCDinamo1001
16.Sergei NemchinovCKrylya Sovietov1001
16.Anatoli SemyonovCDinamo1001
16.Pavel TorgayevLWGorky1001
[TBODY] [/TBODY]
[TBODY] [/TBODY]
The first year of the new era: Krutov, Larionov, Makarov, Fetisov, Mylnikov and Mogilny had jumped to North America and Alexei Kasatonov followed them halfway through the season. Six of them were CSKA players. All of a sudden, the Army team didn't dominate the league anymore. Dinamo Moscow won the championship, but their top players Tatarinov (named Best Defenceman at the 1990 World Championship, ahead of Fetisov) and Myshkin were only 4th and 7th in the poll. Khimik Voskresensk had a big season too, but their players received even less recognition. The strongest players were judged to be Khomutov (World Championship All-star) and Irbe (named Best Goaltender at the World Championship), followed by Bykov.
I wonder if Kozlov is the only 17 year old to ever appear in the top-10 in voting?

Of course, that likely wouldn't have happened if several of the top guys didn't leave for the NHL.
 

Theokritos

Global Moderator
Apr 6, 2010
12,537
4,905
1990-1991 (67 voters)
#Player:Pos:Team:Pts:1st:2nd:3rd:
1.Valeri KamenskyLWCSKA16647113
2.Pavel BureRWCSKA537128
3.Alexander SemakCDinamo4551010
4.Andrei TrefilovGDinamo403127
5.Alexei MarinGSpartak26098
6.Alexei ZhamnovCDinamo21247
7.Valeri ShiryayevDKiev11051
8.Ramil YuldashevRWKiev1063
9.Artūrs IrbeGRiga7103
10.Oleg ZnarokLWRiga6111
11.Ilya ByakinDCSKA5013
12.Sergei NemchinovCKrylya Sovietov4012
13.Vladimir KonstantinovDCSKA3011
14.Vyacheslav KozlovCVoskresensk3003
14.Vitali ProkhorovLWSpartak3003
16.Dmitri MironovDCSKA1001
[TBODY] [/TBODY]
[TBODY] [/TBODY]
The last season of the voting. The Soviet league was becoming seriously deprived with more and more players going abroad: Khomutov, Bykov, Tatarinov, Khristich, Semyonov, Fyodorov etc. Dinamo won the championship again, ahead of Spartak and Krylya Sovietov. Still, two CSKA players topped the poll. Kamensky (who had a great World Championship) was the landslide winner.
 

Theokritos

Global Moderator
Apr 6, 2010
12,537
4,905
I wonder if Kozlov is the only 17 year old to ever appear in the top-10 in voting?

Of course, that likely wouldn't have happened if several of the top guys didn't leave for the NHL.

Both good points. I'd have to look into it to be sure, but I really guess he was the youngest.
 

Talisman

Registered User
Nov 7, 2015
465
57
Watching some highlights of the 1976 Canada Cup and 1975-76 Super series, there is a 20-21 year old player that really stands out BORIS ALEXSANDROV. im surprised that he dont appear in any 1970s top 10 voting what ive look in your posts Theokritos??
 

Theokritos

Global Moderator
Apr 6, 2010
12,537
4,905
Watching some highlights of the 1976 Canada Cup and 1975-76 Super series, there is a 20-21 year old player that really stands out BORIS ALEXSANDROV. im surprised that he dont appear in any 1970s top 10 voting what ive look in your posts Theokritos??

He appears on one ballot in 1975-1976 and, as Tretyak says in Boris Alexandrov's Wikipedia entry, was touted as a possible successor of Valeri Kharlamov for some time. But Tretyak also says that he "constantly violated the discipline". On top of it, in 1976-1977 he had to serve a 3-month-suspension for his rough play. And in the next season Viktor Tikhonov took over who Boris Alexandrov did indeed clash with, as Albatros has said.
 

Theokritos

Global Moderator
Apr 6, 2010
12,537
4,905
I'd like to continue this thread by presenting some of the articles about & interviews with the winners courtesy of "Football-Hockey".

In 1968, an interview with the winner Anatoli Firsov was conducted by Gennadi Larchikov. The information value of the talk suffers a bit from Firsov's politeness and reluctance to claim any credit for himself. Asked who he would have picked as the best player, Firsov says he couldn't pick one single player. Instead he names four players (he himself is not among them), albeit refusing to rank them: Viktor Konovalenko, Alexander Ragulin, Vyacheslav Starshinov and Veniamin Alexandrov. He laments that defencemen are underappreciated because they're not as much in the spotlight during the game as the forwards and the goaltender:

"If such a poll was conducted among the players themselves, then I'm sure that almost everyone of us would have a defenceman on his ballot. What matters for us is not an attractive but a reliable game. Forwards and defencemen have different responsibilities, but we solve the task together and therefore, not only the accurate shots of the forwards on the opposing goal have to be appreciated, but, for example, the bodychecks of the defencemen too."
Но если бы подобные опросы проводились среди хоккеистов, то уверен, что почти каждый из нас обязательно назвал бы защитника. Для нас прежде всего важна не красивая, а надежная игра. У нападающих и защитников разные обязанности, но задачу-то мы решаем общую, следовательно, оцениваются не только точные броски нападающих по чужим воротам, но, скажем, и силовые приемы защитников.
Let's see what Firsov had to say about the four players he named:

On Viktor Konovalenko: "Sometimes they say (most often those who didn't see it with their own eyes) that the goaltenders in Canada aren't goaltenders but wizards. Here's my response: That's not true. Don't get me wrong. I don't deny the Canadians have strong goaltenders. I have seen Hall, Sawchuk and Plante and I know Martin very well. They all play great, but in my opinion they're not much stronger at all. You approach Viktor and ask him: 'Does it hurt?'. And he will just answer: 'It's fine.' The fact he was never recognized best goaltender at any World Championship doesn't mean anything. Apparently, not even all of you journalists named him on your ballots?"
Иногда говорят (чаще те, кто не мог этого видеть), что, мол, в Канаде не вратари, а какие-то волшебники. Вот нашим бы у них почиться. Неправда это, олько поймите меня правильно. Я не отрицаю; что у канадцев сильные вратари. Я видел и Холла, и Савчука, и Планта, хорошо знаком с Мартином. Все они играют здорово, но, по-моему, не сильнее ничего. Подъедешь к нему: «Больно, Витёк?». «Нормально». А то, что его ни на одном чемпионате мира не признавали лучшим вратарем, еще ни о чем не говорит. Не все журналисты, видимо, назвали его и в вашей анкете?
Now that's an opinion we won't realistically be able to agree with and where we're going to have to call Firsov biased in favour of his own teammate. Seth Martin was almost universally considered a better goaltender than Viktor Konovalenko, and of course Glenn Hall, Terry Sawchuk and Jacques Plante on their part were considerably better than Seth Martin.

On Alexander Ragulin: "I consider Ragulin the strongest defenceman in the world. I fancy him for his rugged defensive game, his proficiency to support the forwards and his fearlessness. He has very strong shots."
Рагулина я считаю сильнейшим защитником мира. Мне он нравится строгой игрой в обороне, умением поддержать нападающих, бесстрашием. У него очень сильные броски.
The first sentence is one that we, again, will have a hard time to agree with if Firsov didn't strictly talk about physical strength. Even in Europe, two defencemen (Jan Suchý and Lennart Svedberg) were already considered a tier above Ragulin. But it's at least somewhat conceivable that a minority opinion could prefer a more defensively oriented guy who happened to be physically extraordinary like Ragulin. Still, we're not yet considering NHL players here.

On Vyacheslav Starshinov: "Slava has work ethic and courage in spades. In difficult times he has more than once infected us with his enthusiam."
У Славы трудолюбия и мужества хоть отбавляй. В трудные минуты он не раз заражал нас своим энтузиазмом.

On Veniamin Alexandrov: "He's experiencing a second youth now. It's ridiculous: he has played in 11 World Championships and not just as a participant but a leading player. In Grenoble [at the 1968 Olympics], he was unlucky: he injured his hand and didn't play against the Czechs and Canadians. Of course Veniamin was very upset, but he coped well with it: he was always joking and encouraging us."
Сейчас он переживает вторую молодость в спорте. Шутка ли — участник 11 чемпионатов мира, и не просто участник, а ведущий игрок. В Гренобле с ним случилось несчастье — повредил руку, поэтому не играл с чехами и канадцами. Вениамин, естествевно, очень переживал, однако держался молодцом: всегда шутил, нас подбадривал.

The interview finally turns to dealing with Firsov himself:

Firsov: "I'm sure that if I played for a weaker team, I would hardly have been recognized as the best player because there would be much less chance to prove myself. I think that if I have achieved anything in my sports life, it was only thanks to the guys and coaches of CSKA."

Larchikov: "But you were already a renowned player when you joined the Army team."

Firsov: "I think at that time I was just one out of many people whom it is customary to talk about. There have always been such guys and there are now, but not everyone of them finds his place in big hockey. Anatoli Vladimirovich Tarasov helped me find this place."

Larchikov: "Wherein did that help specifically manifest itself?"

Firsov: "Even before I joined CSKA in 1961 I did know something and and was capable of something. But it was the knowledge of the graduate of a school who was now entering a university. And I also had a significant weakness: my poor physical fitness. Of course I got tired quickly in the first classes, but Tarasov gradually accustomed me to frequent and intense training. Today I feel disgusting if I don't work out for one day. (...) In addition, Tarasov early envisioned and suggested my position on the team: before that, I used to play as a center forward. He spent a lot of time teaching me various techniques. In particular, he work on the so-called stealth shots with me for hours. And how many hours did Tarasov separately devote to our forward trio! After all, it was his idea to put me on a line with Vladimir Vikulov and Viktor Polupanov. And I repeat that without them, I would hardly have been recognized as the best."

Larchikov: "But many say that Polupanov and Vikulov wouldn't have grown without Firsov."

Firsov: "Don't believe them. At first I did perhaps help Vikulov and Polupanov in some ways, but not so much as to attribute all their merits to me. They are talented guys, they're fast to catch on to everything and therefore they would have become classy players with any partner. Just look at the game of Vikulov. He picks his position on the ice perfectly well. Previously his attempts to finish were rather poor, but he nevertheless found his spot and this season he has become one of the most successful scorers. So those people who believe Polupanov and Vikulov would play worse without me are mistaken. If fate should ever part us, then I think I'll lose more than any of them."
—Я уверен, что если бы я играл за более слабую команду, то меня вряд ли признали бы лучшим игроком, потому что было бы гораздо меньше шансов проявить себя. Считаю, что если я и добился чего-нибудь в своей спортивной жизни, то только благодаря ребятам и тренерам ЦСКА.
— Но ведь вы и до прихода в армейскую команду были уже известным хоккеистом...
—Думаю, что я был тогда всего лишь одним из многих, о которых принято говорить како подающих надежды. Такие ребята всегда были и есть, вот только далеко не каждый находит свое место в большом хоккее. Мне помог найти такое место Анатолий Владимирович Тарасов.
— В чем конкретно проявилась эта помощь?
— Полагаю, что и до прихода в ЦСКА (в 1961 году) я кое-что знал и умел делать. Но это были знания выпускника школы, поступающего в институт. Н тому же у меня был существенный недостаток — слабая физическая подготовка. Разумеется, на первых занятиях быстро уставал, но постепенно Анатолий Владимирович так. приучил меня к частым и интенсивным тренировкам, что если теперь я не покатаюсь одиндва дня, то чувствую себя отвратительно. (...) Кроме того, Тарасов вовремя увидел и подсказал мое место в команде: рачьше я играл центральным нападающим. Много времени учил меня выполнять различные технические приемы. В частности, так называемый скрытый бросок он отрабатывал со мной часами. А сколько Тарасов отдельно занимался с нашей тройкой! Ведь это была его идея подключить меня к Владимиру Викулову и Виктору Полупанову. А без них, повторяю, вряд ли меня признали бы лучшим.
— Но многие считают, что без Фирсова не выросли бы Полупанов и Викулов.
— Не верьте им. Возможно, на первых порах я в чем-то и помог Викулову и Полупанову, но не настолько, чтобы все их заслуги приписывать мне. Ребята они талантливые, всё, как говорится, схватывают на лету, поэтому с любым партнером стали бы классными хоккеистами. Вы присмотритесь к игре Викулова. Он отлично выбирает месте на площадке. Раньше у него неважно было с завершающими бросками, а он всетаки нашел «свою точку» и в этом сезоне стал одним из результативнейших игроков. Так что ошибаются те люди, которые считают, что без меня Полупанов и Викулов играли бы хуже. Если судьба и разлучит нас когда-нибудь, то, думаю, я потеряю больше, чем любой из них.
Some interesting comments, although it's hard to believe Firsov really owed more to Vikulov and Polupanov than vice versa.
 
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Theokritos

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In 1969, instead of interviewing Firsov again, Футбол Хоккей simply asked some of his CSKA teammates for short comments on him.


Oleg Zaitsev (D, *1939): "For him, the interests of the collective, of our club, are above everything. When a match starts unsuccessfully for us, the turnaround almost always comes thanks to Anatoli."
Интересы коллектива, нашего клуба для него выше всего. Когда матч поначалу неудачно складывается для нас, перелом наступает почти всегда благодаря Толе.

Igor Romishevsky (D, *1940): "Few people know that he spent about a month in hospital in the midst of the season. As soon as he signed out, he was back with CSKA."
Мало кто знает о том, что в разгар сезона он около месяца провел в госпитале. Вымисался — и тотчас в ЦСКА.

Vladimir Brezhnev (D, *1935): "I don't envy the defenders who have to play against Firsov!"
Не завидую защитникам, которым приходится играть против Фирсова!

Viktor Kuzkin (D, 1940): "Since Alexandrov has retired, we haven't had a forward as versatile as Firsov. I find it difficult to define which his greatest strength is. And what a bright head! He's so clever in the attack!"
После ухода из большого хоккея Александрова у нас не осталось другого столь разностороннего нападающего, как Фирсов. Затрудняюсь сказать, в-чем-он больше силен. А какая у него светлая голова! Умен в атаке!

Viktor Polupanov (F, *1946): "Firsov does everything on the ice with incredible ease. And all because he trains for hours. It's nice to play with him on the top line – he understands his partners with half a word, as if each move was already agreed on before the match."
Фирсов на льду все выполняет удивительно легко. А все потому, что он часами тренируется. С овим хорошю играть в одной тройке — партнеров понимает с полуслова, словно о каждом ходе м договорились до матча.

Valeri Kharlamov (F, *1948): "He has helped me a lot. In training, he shows us how to master this or that technique, and learns combinations with us youngsters. He never gets angry if anything goes wrong. When you train with him, you forget that next to you is a great master."
А он и мне крепко помог. На тренировках показывает, как освоить тот или иноя прием, разучивает с нами, молодыми, комбинации. Никогда не рассердится, если что не так.

Yuri Blinov (F, *1949): "I would like to comprehend the game like Firsov. My dream is to master his stealth shot!"
Мне бы тан понимать игру; как Фирсов. Мечтаю овладеть фирсовским скрытым броском!
 
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Theokritos

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In 1970, Футбол Хоккей ran an article on winner Viktor Konovalenko that isn't really interesting throughout. What's interesting though is that Konovalenko wasn't all that happy about his own performance in the 1969-1970 season and repeatedly labeled it as "weak" in his conversations with journalist Mikhail Marin.

Mikhail Marin: "In Stockholm [at the 1970 World Championship] your performance was excellent."

Viktor Konovalenko: "No, I played worse than in Vienna [at the 1967 World Championship], for example. I was bad in both matches against the Swedes. There were two blunders. But in the match against Czechoslovakia we won 3-1, everything was well throughout. It was the best match in my career."
Other than Konovalenko, pretty much everyone though the goaltender had a career season and his best performance yet at the 1970 World Championship, but Konovalenko himself thought he didn't deserve to be in the top 3. Asked who he would pick, he answered: Starshinov, Ragulin, Firsov. But he wouldn't commit himself to a ranking of the three.
 
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Jeff McVay

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In 1970, Футбол Хоккей run an article on winner Viktor Konovalenko that isn't really interesting throughout. What's interesting though is that Konovalenko wasn't all that happy about his own performance in the 1969-1970 season and repeatedly labeled it as "weak" in his conversations with journalist Mikhail Marin.

Mikhail Marin: "In Stockholm [at the 1970 World Championship] your performance was excellent."

Viktor Konovalenko: "No, I played worse than in Vienna [at the 1967 World Championship], for example. I was bad in both matches against the Swedes. There were two blunders. But in the match against Czechoslovakia we won 3-1, everything was well throughout. It was the best match in my career."
Other than Konovalenko, pretty much everyone though the goaltender had a career season and his best performance yet at the 1970 World Championship, but Konovalenko himself thought he didn't deserve to be in the top 3. Asked who he would pick, he answered: Starshinov, Ragulin, Firsov. But he wouldn't commit himself to a ranking of the three.
Thank you so much for this whole thread. Awesome information that I know you put a lot of time into it just translating and formulating. Thanks again!!
 

Theokritos

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In 1971, Футбол Хоккей honoured third-time winner Firsov by printing an extract from the manuscript of the autobiography he was working on. The book would be published in its entirety in 1973 under the title Зажечь победы свет ("To spark the light of victory") and has been quoted extensively in my two ATD posts about Firsov: his game and his career.

Thank you so much for this whole thread. Awesome information that I know you put a lot of time into it just translating and formulating. Thanks again!!
Thank you.
 

Theokritos

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In 1972, Футбол Хоккей featured a lengthy article by hockey writer Yevgeni Rubin on Alexander Maltsev and Valeri Kharlamov. IMO it's the most interesting piece so far. It gives a comparison of the two players.

"Maltsev is primarily a soloist. While he's also extremely strong in the team game (like all great masters) and proved this in the World Championship, what he knows the best and loves the most is to perform solo: to score goals, get past opponents and make long raids with the puck. When Maltsev is on the ice, with everything he does – choosing a position, sprinting, moving – he seem to demand from his partner: 'Give me the puck!' And, mind you, he makes the partner find him and comply with his demand.
Kharlamov is also a brilliant soloist (and this too is a quality required of an outstanding player). However, his preference is interplay with his partners. It's hard to find an equal to him in the skill of solving tactical tasks with a pass and the game without the puck. He scores a lot, but more often by finishing a combination play or finding a way to go one-against-one with the goaltender.
Both of them have masterly command of the techniques: stickhandling, skating and bodychecking. But when you observe both, this is the appearance you get: Kharlamov has trained and perfected all these skills in himself, while for Maltsev having skates on his feet and a stick in his hand is as natural as is having fins for the fish. It's impossible to even catch the moment when he accelerates his run, it just seems that everyone else is slowing down. (I might add that the impression that Maltsev is doing everything on talent alone is false, although nature wasn't stingy to him. Everyone knows how Kharlamov trains because he is a CSKA player which means you either train hard or you leave, there is no third option. Much has been written about training at CSKA, but almost nothing about training at Dinamo Moscow. I have seen their sessions. Maltsev works a lot, heartedly, with zest and, I would say, with passion.)
Both are cunning players, their moves are surprising and hard to predict. But when you review a situation in which Kharlamov acted in one way or another, you think to yourself: 'Wow, what an idea!' If you review Maltsev's moves on the other hand, they suddenly appear so simple and so logical that you wonder how you didn't notice it right away."
Мальцев прежде всего солист. И, хотя в командной игре тоже чрезвычайно силен (как все большие мастера) и доказал это в дни чемпионата мира, он бодыше всего умеет и больше всего любит солировать, — забивать голы, обводить соперников, совершать длинные рейды с шайбой. Когда Мальцев на поле, он всем своим поведением — выбором позиции, рывками, нперемещениями — как бы требует от партнера: «Отдай шайбу мне!». И, заметьте, он заставляет партчнера находить себя и выполнять это требовайие.
И Харламов блестящий солист (и это тоже дбязательное качество выдашолщегося игрока). Однако главный его конек — взаимодействие с партнерами. Трудно найти равного ему по умению рештать тактические задачи с помощью паса и игры без шайбы. Он много забивает но чаще всего — завершая комбинацию звена или найдя способ выскочить один на один с вратарем.
Оба они виртуозно деют техникой — клюшкой, коньками, приемами силового единоборства. Но наблюдаешь за обоими, и кажется: Харламов вытренировал в себе все эти навыки и сам довел их до совершенства, а для Мальцева все это — коньки на ногах, клюшка в руках — такое же естественное состояние, как плавники для рыбы. Невозможно даже уловить момент, когда он ускоряет бег, кажется, это все остальные сбавили скорость. (Кстати, впечатление, что у Мальцева все — «от бога», ошибочно, хотя талантом чрерод‚ его не обидела. О том, как тренируется Харламов, знают все, потому что он игрок ЦСКА, где либо тренируеиься самозабвенно, либо надо уходить, треть его не дано. О тренировках ЦСКА написано много, о динамовских же — почти ничего. Я видел эти занятия. Мальцев трудится много, охотно, азартно, я бы сказая, страстно).
И тот, и другой на площадке хитры, их ходы трудно предугадать, они, удивляют. Но когда потом мысленно восстанавливаешпь ситуацию, в которой Харламов поступил так или иначе говорили себе: «Надо же, до чего додумался!» Ходы же Мальцева — уже, конечно, после, когда эпизод закончен, — оказываются вдруг неожиданно просты и до того логични, что удивляешься уже тому, как сам не заметна их раньше.
That bodychecking is mentioned among the skills Maltsev and Kharlamov have mastered will be touched upon in a follow-up post.
 
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