Theokritos
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- Apr 6, 2010
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"Both of them have masterly command of the techniques: stickhandling, skating and bodychecking."
Now, bodychecking is not an aspect of the game Maltsev and Kharlamov are especially renowned for. But in fact there is more than one source and quote mentioning that particular quality of theirs – starting with Bobby Clarke.
Here's Yevgeni Rubin's take on the development since the international ice hockey federation had allowed bodychecking in the offensive zone in 1969-1970:
Now, bodychecking is not an aspect of the game Maltsev and Kharlamov are especially renowned for. But in fact there is more than one source and quote mentioning that particular quality of theirs – starting with Bobby Clarke.
On Kharlamov: "Kharlamov was an incredible player and he could play physically too." (Source)
On Maltsev: "He was great in everything – from controlling the puck to face-offs to physical play." (Source)
On Maltsev: "He was great in everything – from controlling the puck to face-offs to physical play." (Source)
Here's Yevgeni Rubin's take on the development since the international ice hockey federation had allowed bodychecking in the offensive zone in 1969-1970:
"Physical battles are now allowed everywhere on the rink and the defending team has thus been handed a powerful weapon: to stop the opponent with force, you don't have to wait until he appears in your own zone.
The requirements for the forwards have also become different. It was always believed that success in hockey is determined by the speed of reaction, speed of thinking and speed of executing technical skills. But the rule change has forced a reconsideration of the very concept of speed. What was previously considered to be fast is no longer good enough: before you have time to look around, you will be left without the puck, knocked down to the ice and plastered onto the board. Everything has to be done not in a matter of seconds, but even in fractions of a second. And you have to do what the opponent doesn't expect: even pause, even slow down. That's how Maltsev and Kharlamov play. And they themselves are looking for physical battles and feel at home in them."
Kharlamov himself would later reflect on bodychecking:The requirements for the forwards have also become different. It was always believed that success in hockey is determined by the speed of reaction, speed of thinking and speed of executing technical skills. But the rule change has forced a reconsideration of the very concept of speed. What was previously considered to be fast is no longer good enough: before you have time to look around, you will be left without the puck, knocked down to the ice and plastered onto the board. Everything has to be done not in a matter of seconds, but even in fractions of a second. And you have to do what the opponent doesn't expect: even pause, even slow down. That's how Maltsev and Kharlamov play. And they themselves are looking for physical battles and feel at home in them."
Силовая борьба разрешена теперь на площадке повсюду, и обороняющаяся команда получила таким образом в свои руки мощное оружие: чтобы остановить противника силовым приемом, не надо ждать, когда он появится на твоей территории.
Иными стали и требования к нападающим. Всегда считалось, что-в хоккее успех решают быстрота реакции, быстрота мышления, быстрота выполнения технических приемов. Но нововведення заставили пересмотреть само это понятие — быстрота.
То, что прежде очиталось быстрым, теперь не годится: не успеешь оглянуться, как тебя оставят без шайбы, собьют на лед, припечатают к борту. Все надо делать нев секунды даже, а в считанные доли секунд, делать не так, как ждет противник, неожиданно. Даже паузы, даже сбрасывание — скоростей. Так играют Мальцев и Харламов. И они сами ищут силовую борьбу и чувствуют себя в ней в родной стихии.
"In physical battles, I did not immediately succeed. But then I figured it out somehow: in this matter, it is crucial to choose the right moment for the collision with the opponent. If you do everything right, you stay on your feet and with the puck. If you rush it or you're late, you've got yourself to blame. I learned a lot from Starshinov, Vikulov and Davydov."
Neither Starshinov nor Davydov is a surprising names here. Vikulov might be, but Russian coach and observer Dmitri Boginov had already singled Vikulov out as particularly successful in physical encounters at the 1970 World Championship in his 1970 tournament recap.Source: Vladimir Dvortsov in Три скорости Валерия Харламова ("The three speeds of Valeri Kharlamov"), 1984.С силовой борьбой не сразу у меня стало получаться. Но потом как-то додумался: в этом деле очень важно правильно выбрать момент для столкновения с противником. Сделаешь все в аккурат, останешься на ногах и с шайбой, поторопишься или промедлишь — пеняй на себя. Многому я научился в этом у Старшинова, Викулова, Давыдова.
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