Soviet best player voting: full voting record

Theokritos

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1987: Vladimir Krutov won. From the laudatory piece by Leonid Leonidov (whom I haven't encountered as a prominent hockey guy anywhere else BTW).

Straightforwardness and physical play:

"He's strong and well built. Appearing to be a bit on the heavier side, he's always ready to explode, accelerate to crazy speed and turn into a battering-ram, equally powerful and agile. That's the quality Vladimir adds to the Larionov troika: to go into a head-on-head collision, to go to the slot – the most uncomfortable and important place, and to go through water and fire, wherever he is needed at the moment. (...) With inexhaustible perseverance and great skill, he proves on every shift a simple truth that is even known to the youngest pupils: that the shortest path is always a straight line. (...) For him, point A is wherever the attack starts, and point B is set: it's the opposing goal. (...) Krutov's straightforwardness isn't primitive. On the contrary, it is caused by a proficiency that allows him to keep proceeding to the goal on the shortest possible path even in extremely complicated circumstances."
Крепко и ладно скроен. С виду тяжеловатый, он всегда держит наготове бикфордов шнур, от которого взорвется и, включив сумасшедшую скорость, превратится в таран, равно мощный и ловкий. К коллективному портрету ларионовской тройки Володя добавляет эту способность — когда надо, пойти и на лобовое столкновение, пойти на самое неуютное и самое важное место — на «пятачок», пойти в огонь и в воду — куда надо в данный момент. (...) С неиссякаемым упорством и большим искусством доказывает при каждом появлении на льду истину, известную и... младшекласснику: кратчайший путь — это всегда прямая. (...) Для него пункт «А» расположен в точке, где начинается — атака, пункт «Б» закреплен — чужие ворота. (...) Крутовская прямолинейность идет не от примитива, а вызвана, напротив, таким умением, которое и в крайне усложненных обстоятельствах позволяет идти и идти к цели кратчайшим образом.
Movement:

"He skates powerfully yet gently, even weightlessly – he just touches the ice and flies forward. He's always in a hurry, afraid not to keep up where it's needed."
Он катит мощно и мягко, притом воздушно — коснулся льда и полетел вперед. Всегда очень торопится, боится не поспеть туда, где нужен.
Clutch play:

"In several situations, with the flickering seconds on the scoreboard approaching the critical mark, Krutov extinguished our fears for the outcome of a battle. (...) As the difficulties grew, the straightforwardness of his aspirations grew firm like metal."
Внескольких ситуациях, с мельканием секунд на табло, приближавшихся к критическим, Крутов погасил наши опасения за исход поединков. (...) По мере нарастания сложностей прямота его устремлений приобретала металлическую твердость.
Krutov underrated:

"Our hockey taste is catered to by cunning and nimble forwards with good hands. A surge of emotion rolls through the arena amid good stickhandling and the ability to handle the puck in such a way that no-one can take it away from you and it turns into your private property. But Krutov (...) is only thinking about not making the way of the puck to the goal any longer. His work is short, concise and rational. (...)
Makarov has been given more attention and honours. (...) There's only one category of persons involved in hockey who, as if conspiring, singled out Krutov. And who do you think are they? The hockey players. Our hockey players. The forwards and defencemen from the other clubs who evaluate their colleagues not by reasoning but by really weighting the severity of the confrontation with them."
Болыших внимания и почестей удостаивался Макаров. (...) И только одна категория лиц, причастных к хоккею, словно сговорившись, выделяла Крутова. И кто бы, вы думали, так говорили и говорят? Хоккеисты. Наши хоккеисты. Нападающие и защитники из других клубов, которые оценивают коллег, не рассуждая, а реально взвешивая тяжесть противоборства с ними.
Additionally, a remark on Balderis and Kapustin:

"It is difficult for two soloists to get along in one harness. Someone has to give up something, otherwise the internal disagreement will affect their game. (Maybe that's why the line with the brilliant Balderis and Kapustin did not work out properly.)"
Двум солистам трудно ужиться в одной упряжке. Кто-то чем-то должен поступиться, иначе —внутренний разнобой скажется на монолитности игры. (Может, из-за этого не сложилось по-настоящему звено с блистательными Балдерисом и Капустиным).
Makarov and Krutov on the other hand showed no serious disagreements, Leonidov says.
 
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Talisman

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1987: Vladimir Krutov won. From the laudatory piece by Leonid Leonidov:

Straightforwardness and physical play:

"He's strong and well built. Appearing to be a bit on the heavier side, he's always ready to explode, accelerate to crazy speed and turn into a battering-ram, equally powerful and agile. That's the quality Vladimir adds to the Larionov troika: to go into a head-on-head collision, to go to the slot – the most uncomfortable and important place, and to go through water and fire, wherever he is needed at the moment. (...) With inexhaustible perseverance and great skill, he proves on every shift a simple truth that is even known to the youngest pupils: that the shortest path is always a straight line. (...) For him, point A is wherever the attack starts, and point B is set: it's the opposing goal. (...) Krutov's straightforwardness isn't primitive. On the contrary, it is caused by a proficiency that allows him to keep proceeding to the goal on the shortest possible path even in extremely complicated circumstances."
Movement:

"He skates powerfully yet gently, even weightlessly – he just touches the ice and flies forward. He's always in a hurry, afraid not to keep up where it's needed."
Clutch play:

"In several situations, with the flickering seconds on the scoreboard approaching the critical mark, Krutov extinguished our fears for the outcome of a battle. (...) As the difficulties grew, the straightforwardness of his aspirations grew firm like metal."
Krutov underrated:

"Our hockey taste is catered to by cunning and nimble forwards with good hands. A surge of emotion rolls through the arena amid good stickhandling and the ability to handle the puck in such a way that no-one can take it away from you and it turns into your private property. But Krutov (...) is only thinking about not making the way of the puck to the goal any longer. His work is short, concise and rational. (...)
Makarov has been given more attention and honours. (...) There's only one category of persons involved in hockey who, as if conspiring, singled out Krutov. And who do you think are they? The hockey players. Our hockey players. The forwards and defencemen from the other clubs who evaluate their colleagues not by reasoning but by really weighting the severity of the confrontation with them."
Additionally, a remark on Balderis and Kapustin:

"It is difficult for two soloists to get along in one harness. Someone has to give up something, otherwise the internal disagreement will affect their game. (Maybe that's why the line with the brilliant Balderis and Kapustin did not work out properly.)"
Makarov and Krutov on the other hand showed no serious disagreements, Leonidov says.

i remember that tikhonovs book he mentioned that line some didnt work i mean kapustin-zluktov-balderis!. as he try to formed a new Troika petrova!!
 

Theokritos

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1988: Igor Larionov was the winner, but the scan I have is very poor and doesn't allow me to mine the write-up by Leonid Reizer properly. I have to skip this one.

1989: Makarov won again and Reizer presented something like "diary entries" by Makarov from 1984 to 1989. Most are not very interesting. The one aspect that I found notable is the ego speaking from Makarov's entries – rather unusual for a Soviet player. Examples:
  • Makarov says that he thinks he would have made his way to the top even if he had stayed in Chelyabinsk instead of joining CSKA. Makarov: "Arrogance? No, rather self-confidence." (1985 entry)
  • He also says that while he appreciates playing on the Green Unit, he wasn't depending on their company. After all, he already won awards when he was still playing with other partners, e.g. the Golikov brothers. (1989 entry)
  • It's interesting that Makarov mentions he won the "Golden Stick" (sponsored by the newspaper Izvestia) in 1980 – "as the best forward in Europe", he says. In reality, the Izvestia Golden Stick wasn't for the best forward, it was for the best player (whether forward or defencemen or goaltender). Perhaps this slip on part of Makarov indicated the award wasn't all that well known and familiar, even in hockey circles?
 
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Theokritos

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1990: Andrei Khomutov topped the poll and Футбол Хоккей featured statements on him by Viktor Tikhonov, Igor Dmitriev (assistant coach of the Soviet national team), and Vyacheslav Bykov.

Khomutov's game:

Viktor Tikhonov:
"His drawing cards are high speed, agility, the quickness with which he makes the right decisions, the ability to beat defencemen easily and to elude unwanted collisions. Of course, over the years, Andrei has matured, if necessary he willingly enters into physical play and often comes out as winner."
Привлеклив нем прежде всего высокая скорость, маневренность, быстрота принятия верных решений, умение непринужденно обыгрызать защитников, уходить от неоправданных столкновений. За эти годы Андрей зозмужал, конечно, лри случае м сам охотно вступает в силовые единоборства и часто выходит победителем.
Igor Dmitriev:
"Khomutov has high speed, a good head, excellent technical proficiency and a strong shot. He also has strong nerves and mental stability, which allows him to capitalize on scoring chances under extreme circumstances."
У Хомутова, обладающего высокой скоростью, саетлой головой, отличной технической подготовленностью, точным м сильным броском, еще и крепкие нервы, психологическая устойчивость, позволяющие ему реализовывать голевые моменты в эхстремальных условиях.
Vyacheslav Bykov:
"I can safely call Khomutov a long-established universal master who can handle any task. He is strong both in organizing and in finishing an attack. Andrei is capable of single-handedly beating several opponents, he can trade one-touch passes with his partners and get open in time to receive the puck. He has a strong and accurate shot. But despite of his offensive qualities, our right winger is reliable defensively, so it's no coincidence that the coaches often sent him to the ice when we play short-handed."
Что касвется Хомутова, то могу смело назвать его давно сложившимся мастерсм-универсалом, которому по силам любое заданиз. Он силен и в организации, и в завершении атаки. Андрей способен и в одиночку обьхрать нескольких сопернихов, и сыграть с партнерами в одно касание, своевременно открыться для приемы шайбы. У него сильный, прицельный бросок. Но наш правый крайний, несмотря на отнюдь не гренадерские габариты, надежен и в обороне, поэтому не случайно при игре в меньшинстве тренеры часто вьпускают его на лед.
Difference between Khomutov's troika (Kamensky – Bykov – Khomutov) and the "Green Unit":

Vyacheslav Bykov:
"The first line was truly a five-man unit with well-oiled interplay between all the players. Our line was only a trio with frequently changing defencemen and therefore we could not always count on them to understand our plans, they did not always resort to help us organizing and completing the attack, so we only had ourselves to rely on. Thus, the combinational game wasn't like that of the first five."
Первое звено — это была пятерка в полном смыспе слова, с хорошо отлаженным взаимодействием есех игроков. А наше звено — это только тройка с часто меняющимися защитниками, поэтому мы не всегда могли рассчитьвать на их понимание наших замыслов, не всегда, прибегали к мх помощи в организации или завершении атаки, полностью полагаясь только на самих себя. Отсюда и не столь комбинационная игра, как у пврвой пятерки.
1989 World Championship:

Viktor Tikhonov:
"To be honest, a year ago, at the World Championship in Stockholm, Andrei and his long-time friend Vyacheslav Bykov were actually the best players on our team. But, as it often happens, the laurels went to the long-recognized leaders from the first line by inertia."
Правда, год назад, на чемпионате мира в Стокгольме, Андрей вместе со своим давнишним другом Вячеславом Быковым были, по сути, лучшими в нашей команде, но, ках это наредко бывает, лавры по инерции достались давно признанным лидерам из первого звена.
1989-1990 season:

Igor Dmitriev:
"Many hockey fans believed that Khomutov and his partners would not be able to replace the 'stars' that had gone overseas. They said it's one thing to play well with distinguished partners (as it happened, for example, a year ago at the World Championships in Stockholm, where Khomutov and Bykov were among the best on our team) and another thing to play at full strength and lead your comrades when everyone foremost relies on you and your line. And this responsibility, not only for themselves but for the whole team, shackled Khomutov. It took until December for his troika to find its full strength."
Многие любители хоккея считали, что только Хомутову с партнерами будет не по плечу заменить улетевших за океан «звезд». Дескать, одно дело — отлично играть при именитых партнерех, как это получилось, например, год назад на чемпионате мира в Стокольме, где Хомутов и Быков были одними из лучших в нашей команде, и другое — играть в полную силу, вести за собой товарищей, когда все рассчитывают в первую очередь на тебя, на твое звено. И эта ответственность не только за себя, но и за всю команду поначалу — сковала Хомутова. Лишь к декабрю его тройка заиграла в полную силу.

Viktor Tikhonov:
"I have to say that Andrei didn't play up to his abilities in the first section of the domestic championship. I saw how he it bothered him if something didn't work out. But we didn't rush him and his partners, we didn't interfere with them. Our hopes came to fruition after New Year. In the second section of the championship and in particular at the World Championship in Switzerland, Khomutov and his partners were excellent and showed that our hockey was not depleted of talent."
Должен сказать, что пер- вый этап чемпионата страны Андрей провел ниже своих возможностей. Я видал, как он переживал, если что-то не получалось. Но мы не торопили Андрея и его партнзров, не мешали им. Наши надежды опрезвдались после Нового года. На втором этзпе чемпионата страны и оссбенно в Швейцарии на чемпионате мира Хомутов с партнерами сыграли превосходно, показав, что наш хоккей талантами не оскудел.
Vyacheslav Bykov:
"At first, I admit, we didn't really succeed. We didn't stand out in the first stage of the domestic championship and didn't meet the expectations of the coaches. We ourselves were more often upset than happy, although we understood the true reasons. One of them: injuries. (...)
The Larionov five could always count on us. But in the past season, especially in the fall, we were deprived of similar support: the players from the other lines, although promising, are still not experienced enough to master the serious tasks and decide the outcome of important games. It was only in the second stage, when we got well and our partners got stronger, that our troika finally played at full strength and Khomutov became its main protagonist."
Поначапу, признаюсь, у нас дейстзительно не все получалось. На первом этэпе чемпионата мы не выделялись, не оправдывали тренерских надежд, сами чаще огорчались, чем радовались, хотя и понимали истинные причины. Одна из них — травмы. (...)
Кроме того, пятерка Ларионова всегда могла разсчитывать на нас. Мы жа з минузшем сезоне, особенно осенью, такой поддержкл зыли лишены — игроки из других звеньев хотя и перспективные, но еще недостатэчьо опытные, чтобы решать серьезные задачи, предопределять судьбу ответственных матчей. И только на втором этапе, когда и мы выздоревели, и партнеры окрепли, наша тройка наконец-то заигралз в полную силу, причем главным действующим лицом в ней стал Хомутов.
The statements by Tikhonov and Dmitriev are also documents of their time. Tikhonov's struggle to come to terms with the new reality is highlighted by his assessment that "much is unusual in our lives today", referring to the fact that Khomutov was about to join a club in Switzerland. Both coaches expressed relief and pride about the fact that Soviet hockey managed to deal with the exodus of the "stars" (both coaches use that term, perhaps with a pejorative spin?) to the NHL – in defiance of (some) public expectations. In hindsight, their optimistic insinuation that the Soviet respectively Russian talent pool would compensate for the emigration of elite players appears delusional: just three years later, the best players left in the Russian league would be the likes of Valeri Karpov.
 

Staniowski

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1990: Andrei Khomutov topped the poll and Футбол Хоккей featured statements on him by Viktor Tikhonov, Igor Dmitriev (assistant coach of the Soviet national team), and Vyacheslav Bykov.

Khomutov's game:

Viktor Tikhonov:
"His drawing cards are high speed, agility, the quickness with which he makes the right decisions, the ability to beat defencemen easily and to elude unwanted collisions. Of course, over the years, Andrei has matured, if necessary he willingly enters into physical play and often comes out as winner."

Igor Dmitriev:
"Khomutov has high speed, a good head, excellent technical proficiency and a strong shot. He also has strong nerves and mental stability, which allows him to capitalize on scoring chances under extreme circumstances."

Vyacheslav Bykov:
"I can safely call Khomutov a long-established universal master who can handle any task. He is strong both in organizing and in finishing an attack. Andrei is capable of single-handedly beating several opponents, he can trade one-touch passes with his partners and get open in time to receive the puck. He has a strong and accurate shot. But despite of his offensive qualities, our right winger is reliable defensively, so it's no coincidence that the coaches often sent him to the ice when we play short-handed."
Difference between Khomutov's troika (Kamensky – Bykov – Khomutov) and the "Green Unit":

Vyacheslav Bykov:
"The first line was truly a five-man unit with well-oiled interplay between all the players. Our line was only a trio with frequently changing defencemen and therefore we could not always count on them to understand our plans, they did not always resort to help us organizing and completing the attack, so we only had ourselves to rely on. Thus, the combinational game wasn't like that of the first five."
1989 World Championship:

Viktor Tikhonov:
"To be honest, a year ago, at the World Championship in Stockholm, Andrei and his long-time friend Vyacheslav Bykov were actually the best players on our team. But, as it often happens, the laurels went to the long-recognized leaders from the first line by inertia."
1989-1990 season:

Igor Dmitriev:
"Many hockey fans believed that Khomutov and his partners would not be able to replace the 'stars' that had gone overseas. They said it's one thing to play well with distinguished partners (as it happened, for example, a year ago at the World Championships in Stockholm, where Khomutov and Bykov were among the best on our team) and another thing to play at full strength and lead your comrades when everyone foremost relies on you and your line. And this responsibility, not only for themselves but for the whole team, shackled Khomutov. It took until December for his troika to find its full strength."


Viktor Tikhonov:
"I have to say that Andrei didn't play up to his abilities in the first section of the domestic championship. I saw how he it bothered him if something didn't work out. But we didn't rush him and his partners, we didn't interfere with them. Our hopes came to fruition after New Year. In the second section of the championship and in particular at the World Championship in Switzerland, Khomutov and his partners were excellent and showed that our hockey was not depleted of talent."

Vyacheslav Bykov:
"At first, I admit, we didn't really succeed. We didn't stand out in the first stage of the domestic championship and didn't meet the expectations of the coaches. We ourselves were more often upset than happy, although we understood the true reasons. One of them: injuries. (...)
The Larionov five could always count on us. But in the past season, especially in the fall, we were deprived of similar support: the players from the other lines, although promising, are still not experienced enough to master the serious tasks and decide the outcome of important games. It was only in the second stage, when we got well and our partners got stronger, that our troika finally played at full strength and Khomutov became its main protagonist."
The statements by Tikhonov and Dmitriev are also documents of their time. Tikhonov's struggle to come to terms with the new reality is highlighted by his assessment that "much is unusual in our lives today", referring to the fact that Khomutov was about to join a club in Switzerland. Both coaches expressed relief and pride about the fact that Soviet hockey managed to deal with the exodus of the "stars" (both coaches use that term, perhaps with a pejorative spin?) to the NHL – in defiance of (some) public expectations. In hindsight, their optimistic insinuation that the Soviet respectively Russian talent pool would compensate for the emigration of elite players appears delusional: just three years later, the best players left in the Russian league would be the likes of Valeri Karpov.
Yes, Khomutov was a very good player, who, as stated, improved a lot through the '80s. He and Bykov are sometimes forgotten because of the period of time in which they played, and also because they were behind the Green Unit, and because they didn't come to the NHL.

But they were really world-class players and that line (with Kamensky) was incredibly good.

Khomutov and Bykov would be stars in the NHL.

As also stated, Khomutov was very agile; this may have been the most noticeable thing about him.

Khomutov led the Soviet Union/Russia in scoring in 3 major tournaments in the early '90s, and finished 2nd in overall scoring in each of these events ('90 Worlds, '92 Olympics, 93 Worlds).
 
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Staniowski

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The Maritimes
1988: Igor Larionov was the winner, but the scan I have is very poor and doesn't allow me to mine the write-up by Leonid Reizer properly. I have to skip this one.

1989: Makarov won again and Reizer presented something like "diary entries" by Makarov from 1984 to 1989. Most are not very interesting. The one aspect that I found notable is the ego speaking from Makarov's entries – rather unusual for a Soviet player. Examples:
  • Makarov says that he thinks he would have made his way to the top even if he had stayed in Chelyabinsk instead of joining CSKA. Makarov: "Arrogance? No, rather self-confidence." (1985 entry)
  • He also says that while he appreciates playing on the Green Unit, he wasn't depending on their company. After all, he already won awards when he was still playing with other partners, e.g. the Golikov brothers. (1989 entry)
  • It's interesting that Makarov mentions he won the "Golden Stick" (sponsored by the newspaper Izvestia) in 1980 – "as the best forward in Europe", he says. In reality, the Izvestia Golden Stick wasn't for the best forward, it was for the best player (whether forward or defencemen or goaltender). Perhaps this slip on part of Makarov indicated the award wasn't all that well known and familiar, even in hockey circles?
Who were Makarov's linemates on CSKA in '78-'79 and '79-'80?
 

Staniowski

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1987: Vladimir Krutov won. From the laudatory piece by Leonid Leonidov (whom I haven't encountered as a prominent hockey guy anywhere else BTW).

Straightforwardness and physical play:

"He's strong and well built. Appearing to be a bit on the heavier side, he's always ready to explode, accelerate to crazy speed and turn into a battering-ram, equally powerful and agile. That's the quality Vladimir adds to the Larionov troika: to go into a head-on-head collision, to go to the slot – the most uncomfortable and important place, and to go through water and fire, wherever he is needed at the moment. (...) With inexhaustible perseverance and great skill, he proves on every shift a simple truth that is even known to the youngest pupils: that the shortest path is always a straight line. (...) For him, point A is wherever the attack starts, and point B is set: it's the opposing goal. (...) Krutov's straightforwardness isn't primitive. On the contrary, it is caused by a proficiency that allows him to keep proceeding to the goal on the shortest possible path even in extremely complicated circumstances."
Movement:

"He skates powerfully yet gently, even weightlessly – he just touches the ice and flies forward. He's always in a hurry, afraid not to keep up where it's needed."
Clutch play:

"In several situations, with the flickering seconds on the scoreboard approaching the critical mark, Krutov extinguished our fears for the outcome of a battle. (...) As the difficulties grew, the straightforwardness of his aspirations grew firm like metal."
Krutov underrated:

"Our hockey taste is catered to by cunning and nimble forwards with good hands. A surge of emotion rolls through the arena amid good stickhandling and the ability to handle the puck in such a way that no-one can take it away from you and it turns into your private property. But Krutov (...) is only thinking about not making the way of the puck to the goal any longer. His work is short, concise and rational. (...)
Makarov has been given more attention and honours. (...) There's only one category of persons involved in hockey who, as if conspiring, singled out Krutov. And who do you think are they? The hockey players. Our hockey players. The forwards and defencemen from the other clubs who evaluate their colleagues not by reasoning but by really weighting the severity of the confrontation with them."
Additionally, a remark on Balderis and Kapustin:

"It is difficult for two soloists to get along in one harness. Someone has to give up something, otherwise the internal disagreement will affect their game. (Maybe that's why the line with the brilliant Balderis and Kapustin did not work out properly.)"
Makarov and Krutov on the other hand showed no serious disagreements, Leonidov says.
Yes, I agree that Makarov and Krutov both reached their full potential (or close to it) while playing together. This doesn't always happen, but I think they had a great combination of some similarities to their games, and considerable differences as well.

Their differences worked well together, there was a nice cohesiveness created.
 

Staniowski

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The Maritimes
1987: Vladimir Krutov won. From the laudatory piece by Leonid Leonidov (whom I haven't encountered as a prominent hockey guy anywhere else BTW).

Straightforwardness and physical play:

"He's strong and well built. Appearing to be a bit on the heavier side, he's always ready to explode, accelerate to crazy speed and turn into a battering-ram, equally powerful and agile. That's the quality Vladimir adds to the Larionov troika: to go into a head-on-head collision, to go to the slot – the most uncomfortable and important place, and to go through water and fire, wherever he is needed at the moment. (...) With inexhaustible perseverance and great skill, he proves on every shift a simple truth that is even known to the youngest pupils: that the shortest path is always a straight line. (...) For him, point A is wherever the attack starts, and point B is set: it's the opposing goal. (...) Krutov's straightforwardness isn't primitive. On the contrary, it is caused by a proficiency that allows him to keep proceeding to the goal on the shortest possible path even in extremely complicated circumstances."
Movement:

"He skates powerfully yet gently, even weightlessly – he just touches the ice and flies forward. He's always in a hurry, afraid not to keep up where it's needed."
Clutch play:

"In several situations, with the flickering seconds on the scoreboard approaching the critical mark, Krutov extinguished our fears for the outcome of a battle. (...) As the difficulties grew, the straightforwardness of his aspirations grew firm like metal."
Krutov underrated:

"Our hockey taste is catered to by cunning and nimble forwards with good hands. A surge of emotion rolls through the arena amid good stickhandling and the ability to handle the puck in such a way that no-one can take it away from you and it turns into your private property. But Krutov (...) is only thinking about not making the way of the puck to the goal any longer. His work is short, concise and rational. (...)
Makarov has been given more attention and honours. (...) There's only one category of persons involved in hockey who, as if conspiring, singled out Krutov. And who do you think are they? The hockey players. Our hockey players. The forwards and defencemen from the other clubs who evaluate their colleagues not by reasoning but by really weighting the severity of the confrontation with them."
Additionally, a remark on Balderis and Kapustin:

"It is difficult for two soloists to get along in one harness. Someone has to give up something, otherwise the internal disagreement will affect their game. (Maybe that's why the line with the brilliant Balderis and Kapustin did not work out properly.)"
Makarov and Krutov on the other hand showed no serious disagreements, Leonidov says.
Krutov was a great goal-scorer, one of the best ever.

He was focused, determined, and quick....a magician in and around the slot.
 

Theokritos

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Khomutov and Bykov would be stars in the NHL.

I'm confident they would have been. Valeri Kamensky was pretty good in the NHL in his own right and that was after a leg injury in August 1991 had taken away his single strongest weapon: his acceleration. And Khomutov and Bykov were clearly one or two tiers above pre-injury Kamensky.

Who were Makarov's linemates on CSKA in '78-'79 and '79-'80?

78-79: initial line switching, then Alexander Lobanov (C) and Alexander Volchkov (LW) for most of the season
79-80: first Lobanov (C) and Nikolai Drozdetsky (LW), then Viktor Zhluktov (C) and Helmuts Balderis (LW) for most of the season
 
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Theokritos

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1991: Valeri Kamensky won the last poll of the Soviet era and Andrei Tairov interviewed him. Some takeaways (with additional information sourced elsewhere):

Kamensky (*1966) started playing hockey because his hometown Voskresensk was a small town where the Sports Palace was "the only attraction".
His linemates when he played for the senior team of Khimik Voskresensk:

1983-1984: Sergei Odintsov (*1962, center) and Sergei Karpov (*1959, right wing)
1984-1985: Alexander Chernykh (*1965, center) and Andrei Lomakin (*1964, right wing)

In 1985 Kamensky went to CSKA Moscow together with Chernykh. The troika Kamensky – Bykov – Khomutov was created. After Bykov and Khomutov had left to Switzerland in 1990, Kamensky's new linemates were Vyacheslav Butsayev (*1970, center) and Pavel Bure (*1971, right wing). At the 1991 World Championship, Kamensky and Bure were centered by Bykov. The disappointing result of that tournament (the Soviet team finished 3rd) was one of the big topics of the interview. Tairov thought the trio Kamensky – Bykov – Bure wasn't good in the decisive match against Sweden (a 1-2 loss). Kamensky replied that he thought they had a good tournament overall, but the Swedes had paced themselves well, hit their peak form at the right moment ("not for the first time") and did a good job keeping him in check. Pressed on the issue, Kamensky proceeded to say the failure wasn't a mere accident and he listed several reasons: the exodus of leading Soviet players to other countries, the arduous Super Series between CSKA Moscow and seven NHL clubs in January 1991 and the superior physical condition of the Swedish team respectively "the low physical level of our young players". His main argument also refers to the younger players: When Kamensky joined CSKA and the Soviet national team, there was a plethora of established veterans ("great athletes like Fetisov, Makarov and Krutov"). Each time two or three newcomers were added to the squad, they found themselves in the company of experienced masters to take guidance from and learn from. But now the team consisted almost entirely of young players who had almost no-one to look up to.

Other bits:

On other teams and players in the Soviet league:

Andrei Tairov: "Each team, and I think each player too, has an opponent that is particularly uncomfortable. Who is the most difficult adversary for you?"
Valeri Kamensky: "Perhaps Krylya Sovietov. They have a very competent defence. A specific defenceman or goaltender? There is none. When you play, your attention is not focused on indivual players but the tactical setup of the game as a whole."
Andrei Tairov: "Still, who would you call the best goaltender and the best defenceman of the season?"
Valeri Kamensky: "Alexei Marin and Vladimir Konstantinov."
- У каждой команды и, думаю, у каждого игрока есть свом неудобные. соперники. С кем труднее всего приходится тебе?
- Пожалуй, с “Крылышками”. У них очень грамотно работает оборона. А так, чтобы конкретный защитник или вратарь, то таких нет. Просто, когда играешь, обращаешь внимание не на какого-то хоккеиста, а в целом на тактическое построение игры.
- И все-таки, кого бы ты назвал лучшим голкипером и лучшим защитником сезона?
- Марьина и Константинова.
Kamensky's "trademark" play:

Andrei Tairov: "A swift breakthrough along the board and a sudden cut towards the goal, getting by the defencemen with speed and covering the puck with the body. Usually it ends in a goal. It often reminds me of a kite throwing himself at its prey."
Стремительный прорыв вдоль борта и внезапное “пикирование" на ворота, на скорости обводя защитника и укрывая шайбу корпусом, которое, как правило, заканчивается голом. Зачастую это мне напоминает бросок коршуна на свою добычу.
Valeri Kamensky: "For a long time, Viktor Tikhonov told me to not linger so much in the corners of the rink and not to spin around the goal, but to try to go straight towards the goaltender. Little by little, I began to work with this play and then in one game (I don't remember in which) I scored a goal with it. That's when I began to pay special attention to it."
Давно уже Виктор Васильевич говорил нам, чтобы мы меньше топтались в углах площадки и не кружили за воротами, а старались сразу идти на вратаря. Понемногу начал работать с этим приемом, и как-то в одном из матчей, теперь уже не помню в каком, получилось, забил гол. Ну, а потом уже стал уделять этому особое внимание.
Kamensky's high penalty minutes in 1990-1991:

Andrei Tairov: "How did the best player of the season manage to get so much penalty time? 66 minutes – by this number, you are firmly in third place, only behind Sergei Bushmelev (Spartak Moscow) and Mikhail Borodulin (Torpedo Ust-Kamenogorsk)."
Valeri Kamensky: "Don't rub salt in my wound. It's very unpleasant for me when I get two minutes because of some minor issue, sometimes in a harmless situation. So I sit in the penalty box and reproach myself: there was no need to do this. And how painful it is when you have to return to the ice ahead of schedule [when the opponent scores on the PP]. I guess I'm just hot-headed on the ice."
- Как лучший игрок сезона умудрился нахватать такое количество штрафного времени - 66 минут? По этому показателю ты прочно занимаешь третье место, пропустив вперед лишь спартакозца Сергея Бушмелева и Михаила Бородулина из усть-каменогорского “Торпедо”.
- Так и хочется сказать словами песни - не сыпь мне соль на рану. Самому бывает неприятно, когда из-за какой-то мелочи, порой в безобидной ситуации зарабатываю две минуты. Вот и корю себя, сидя на скамье штрафников - мог ведь и не делать этого, не было никакой необходимости. А уж как больно бывает, когда приходится выходить на лед досрочно. Просто я, наверное, очень горячий... на льду, конечно.
 
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Theokritos

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Now that the course of articles from 1968 to 1991 has reached its end, I'd like to continue with an alphabetic overview of the voters by initial letters. Wherever I'm able to find it out, the full name with Patronymic, birth and death years and some informations about the biography and work of the voters are included. And in some cases individual voting patterns are notable. One letter after the other will be posted.
 

Theokritos

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A

Andersons, Mariss (*1957):

Latvian sports journalist. Edited several publications on hockey in the second half of the 1980s.

1985: 1) Makarov, 2) Fetisov, 3) Balderis
1986: 1) Makarov, 2) Fetisov, 3) Mylnikov
1987: 1) Krutov, 2) Makarov, 3) Belosheykin
1988: 1) Krutov, 2) Irbe, 3) Khomutov
1989: 1) Fetisov, 2) Makarov, 3) Bykov
1990: 1) Irbe, 2) Tatarinov, 3) Khomutov

Asaulov, Viktor Fyodorovich (*1939):

Russian sports journalist. Has published several books (mostly about football/soccer) since the 1970s.

1991: 1) Kamensky, 2) Marin, 3) Semak

Avlas, Boris Ivanovich (*1930, +2011):

Sports journalist from St. Petersburg.
Liked Kasatonov (from the same city). And, possibly related: not as high on Fetisov as others.

1980: 1) Mikhailov, 2) Maltsev, 3) Krutov
1981: 1) Tretyak, 2) Maltsev, 3) Kasatonov
1982: 1) Makarov, 2) Kozhevnikov, 3) Fetisov
1983: 1) Tretyak, 2) Krutov, 3) Kasatonov
1984: 1) Drozdetsky, 2) Tretyak, 3) Fetisov
1985: 1) Makarov, 2) Fetisov, 3) Krutov
1986: 1) Makarov, 2) Krutov, 3) Fetisov

Azerny, Mikhail Lazarevich (*1936, +2007):

Sports journalist from Nizhni Novgorod. First with local paper "Na smenu!", then correspondent of "Sovietsky Sport" from 1969-2002.
Ballots look pretty mainstream. No apparent hometown bias. High on Starshinov.

1968: 1) Firsov, 2) Starshinov, 3) Konovalenko
1969: 1) Starshinov, 2) Firsov, 3) Zinger
1970: 1) Starshinov, 2) Konovalenko, 3) Maltsev
1971: 1) Vikulov, 2) Firsov, 3) Starshinov
1973: 1) Petrov, 2) Vasilyev, 3) Kharlamov
1978: 1) Mikhailov, 2) Tretyak, 3) Fetisov
1980: 1) Makarov, 2) Mikhailov, 3) Tretyak
1985: 1) Makarov, 2) Kasatonov, 3) Krutov
1987: 1) Krutov, 2) Makarov, 3) Larionov
1988: 1) Krutov, 2) Fetisov, 3) Larionov
1989: 1) Fetisov, 2) Makarov, 3) Krutov
1990: 1) Khomutov, 2) Tatarinov, 3) Irbe
1991: 1) Kamensky, 2) Semak, 3) Marin
 

DN28

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@Theokritos What do you think about the Soviet All-Star Teams and their relations with these SPOTY votings?

Did ASTs cover domestic and international hockey just as the SPOTY votes? And if so, what would explain some of the discrepancies between ASTs and SPOTYs?

Or only league play determined the Soviet All-Star Teams?

And while we´re at it, what was the panel of voters for the Soviet ASTs? How the voting procedures differed?
 

Theokritos

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@Theokritos What do you think about the Soviet All-Star Teams and their relations with these SPOTY votings?

Did ASTs cover domestic and international hockey just as the SPOTY votes? And if so, what would explain some of the discrepancies between ASTs and SPOTYs?

Or only league play determined the Soviet All-Star Teams?

And while we´re at it, what was the panel of voters for the Soviet ASTs? How the voting procedures differed?

Those are good questions and I can't answer them. What I do know is that it's mentioned several times throughout the years that the All-star teams were announced and determined "by the Soviet hockey federation" – just like the annual Best Players lists (usually 34 players). If we remember how those lists were compiled (the head coaches of the league clubs submitted their candidates and a voting among the members of the presidium of the hockey federation determined the top 34), it's likely that the All-star teams were either determined by the "coaching council" or the presidium of the federation or, again, by both together. It would be tempting to even assume that there was only once process to determine both honours and that the "All-stars" might just have been the three individual forwards, two individual defencemen and the individual goaltender who received the most votes from the presidium in the top 34 list voting. But there are several seasons where the results of the top 34 voting doesn't chime with the All-star picks:

In 1964-1965 the all-star forwards were Starshinov, Loktev and Yakushev. But Yakushev was only ranked 3rd among centers, behind Starshinov and – Almetov.
In 1965-1966 the all-star defencemen were Ragulin and Davydov. But Davydov was only ranked 4th among defencemen, behind Ragulin and – Kuzkin and Ivanov.
etc

So there must have been a separate procedure to determine the All-stars.

The discrepancies between the All-star teams and the Best Player voting? I have no idea. If anyone can make a case that the Soviet AST was actually a domestic league AST, I'd like to read it. It's something of a mystery to me at this point.
 
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VMBM

And it didn't even bring me down
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At least it's hard to detect any major discrepansies between the AST selections and SPOTY voting; not surprisingly, the players selected to the All-Star team were basically always national team players, so I can't see any hard evidence that only the domestic play would have mattered, perhaps a little bit on the contrary; for example, Aleksandr Maltsev did not seem to have a particularly strong season in the Soviet league in 1980-81, and yet he made it to the All-Star team... Maybe his performance at the 1981 World Championship (Best forward, All-Stars, a top 3 scorer) helped in that?

This is all just, eh, blabbering, though; I have no real knowledge either :(
 

Theokritos

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At least it's hard to detect any major discrepansies between the AST selections and SPOTY voting

Well, there is 1970-1971 (Firsov wins the poll in a landslide but doesn't make the All-star team). That one remains a headscratcher.
 

VMBM

And it didn't even bring me down
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Well, there is 1970-1971 (Firsov wins the poll in a landslide but doesn't make the All-star team). That one remains a headscratcher.

Right. That might indicate that there were different emphases... or maybe it was just "one of those things", heh heh.
 

Theokritos

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Right. That might indicate that there were different emphases... or maybe it was just "one of those things", heh heh.
I'm far from being able to give a confident answer myself. But it could potentially indicate there is something to the Soviet AST = domestic accomplishment theory. From what I've read, Firsov didn't have his best season, was a bit tired from the wear and tear of the previous years, didn't enjoy what new coach Boris Kulagin was doing at CSKA, even announced he would retire (after the season or right away?). Things got better when Tarasov returned and Firsov ended up with another great World Championship performance.
 

Theokritos

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B

Balodis, A.:

Latvian journalist.

1977: 1) Balderis, 2) Tretyak, 3) Nazarov

Bazunov, Boris Anatolyevich (*1931, +2014):

Sports journalist, member of the Soviet Olympic Committee (1970-1975), member of the presidium of the Soviet Athletics [track and field] federation (1975-1980).
Pretty high on Starshinov.

1969: 1) Zinger, 2) Starshinov, 3) Mikhailov
1970: 1) Starshinov, 2) Konovalenko, 3) Maltsev
1971: 1) Firsov, 2) Starshinov, 3) Vikulov
1972: 1) Vikulov, 2) Maltsev, 3) Kharlamov
1975: 1) Tretyak, 2) Yakushev, 3) Kharlamov

Bezzubov, Vladimir Nikolayevich (*1955):

Sports photographer. Today head of the KHL photo agency.

1991: 1) Kamensky, 2) Bure, 3) Semak

Blatin, Mikhail Anatolyevich (*1935, +2017):

Sports journalist, with "Komosmolskaya pravda" from 1960-1988.
His ballots reveal he was an early admirer of Kharlamov and an even bigger fan of Tretyak.

1968: 1) Firsov, 2) Starshinov, 3) Ragulin
1969: 1) Kharlamov, 2) Firsov, 3) Starshinov
1970: 1) Kharlamov, 2) Starshinov, 3) Maltsev
1971: 1) Firsov, 2) Kharlamov, 3) Maltsev
1972: 1) Kharlamov, 2) Maltsev, 3) Firsov
1973: 1) Petrov, 2) Kharlamov, 3) Yakushev
1974: 1) Tretyak, 2) Anisin, 3) Vasilyev
1975: 1) Tretyak, 2) Kharlamov, 3) Yakushev
1976: 1) Tretyak, 2) Yakushev, 3) Kharlamov
1977: 1) Tretyak, 2) Petrov, 3) Balderis

Bochinin, Anatoli Nikolayevich (*1929, +2016):

Sports photographer since 1946, worked for "Ogonyok" for decades.
His early ballots suggest he was a Spartak fan. High on defencemen an in general. Lower on Firsov than many.

1968: 1) Starshinov, 2) Firsov, 3) Viktor Blinov
1969: 1) Alexander Yakushev, 2) Zinger, 3) Paladyev
1970: 1) Konovalenko, 2) Starshinov, 3) Maltsev
1971: 1) Maltsev, 2) Firsov, 3) Tsygankov
1972: 1) Maltsev, 2) Kharlamov, 3) Tretyak
1973: 1) Kharlamov, 2) Yakushev, 3) Petrov
1974: 1) Tretyak, 2) Vasilyev, 3) Mikhailov
1975: 1) Tretyak, 2) Lutchenko, 3) Yakushev

Boginov, Dmitri Nikolayevich (*1918, +1992):

Hockey coach from St. Petersburg, worked with various Soviet clubs and the second national team (mid-1950s through 1970s). Widely respected. Also wrote hockey comments for newspapers. It's unfortunate he only voted once here.

1972: 1) Maltsev, 2) Kharlamov, 3) Vikulov

Boldyrev, Dmitri Mikhailovich

Sports journalist from Minsk, more of a football (soccer) guy.

1970: 1) Maltsev, 2) Vikulov, 3) Konovalenko

Borchenko, Arkadi Georgievich (*1937, +2004):

Journalist from Chelyabinsk who also ventured into poetry. Sports writer for "Vecherny Chelyabinsk" (1968-2000).
High on Mikhailov, rather low on Kharlamov.

1970: 1) Konovalenko, 2) Maltsev, 3) Starshinov
1971: 1) Firsov, 2) Maltsev, 3) Vikulov
1972: 1) Maltsev, 2) Vikulov, 3) Kharlamov
1973: 1) Petrov, 2) Mikhailov, 3) Vasilyev
1975: 1) Tretyak, 2) Mikhailov, 3) Kharlamov
1976: 1) Tretyak, 2) Mikhailov, 3) Kharlamov
1977: 1) Balderis, 2) Mikhailov, 3) Petrov
1981: 1) Tretyak, 2) Makarov, 3) Maltsev
1982: 1) Makarov, 2) Bykov, 3) Mylnikov
1990: 1) Bykov, 2) Khomutov, 3) Irbe
1991: 1) Bure, 2) Kamensky, 3) Konstantinov

Borisov, G.:

Sports journalist from Kiev. A long-time correspondent for "Sovietsky sport".
Big fan of Tretyak.

1968: 1) Starshinov, 2) Firsov, 3) Ragulin
1970: 1) Maltsev, 2) Konovalenko, 3) Firsov
1971: 1) Firsov, 2) Mikhailov, 3) Petrov
1980: 1) Tretyak, 2) Makarov, 3) Maltsev
1981: 1) Tretyak, 2) Kapustin, 3) Petrov
1982: 1) Tretyak, 2) Makarov, 3) Fetisov
1987: 1) Krutov, 2) Fetisov, 3) Makarov
1990: 1) Bykov, 2) Kamensky, 3) Bure

Borisov, V.:

Voter from Chelyabinsk, sports commentator for the local radio.

1983: 1) Tretyak, 2) Fetisov, 3) Krutov
1984: 1) Fetisov, 2) Makarov, 3) Tretyak
1985: 1) Makarov, 2) Drozdetsky, 3) Bykov
1989: 1) Fetisov, 2) Bykov, 3) Makarov

Bozhenko, Yuri Nikolayevich (*1943):

Sports journalist from Chelyabinsk. Moved to Yekaterinburg to study and work for regional newspaper "Uralsky rabochy" (1970-2013).

1978: 1) Mikhailov, 2) Fetisov, 3) Tretyak
1980: 1) Makarov, 2) Mikhailov, 3) Krutov

Branitsky, Viktor Petrovich:

Sports journalist in Kiev.
Some very peculiar ballots through the years. Lower on Makarov than most. Several obvious homer votes for Kiev players.

1980: 1) Maltsev, 2) Kharlamov, 3) Drozdetsky
1981: 1) Maltsev, 2) Vasilyev, 3) Shundrov
1982: 1) Tretyak, 2) Vasilyev, 3) Fetisov
1983: 1) Tretyak, 2) Fetisov, 3) Krutov
1984: 1) Kovin, 2) Kozhevnikov, 3) Kasatonov
1985: 1) Makarov, 2) Shundrov, 3) Khomutov
1986: 1) Krutov, 2) Larionov, 3) Khomutov
1987: 1) Krutov, 2) Khomutov, 3) Varnakov
1988: 1) Fetisov, 2) Khomutov, 3) Shastin
1989: 1) Makarov, 2) Bykov, 3) Shiryayev
1990: 1) Tatarinov, 2) Khristich, 3) Irbe
1991: 1) Yuldashev, 2) Shirayev, 3) Kamensky

Bychkov, Yuri:

Journalist with "Komsomolskaya pravda".

1981: 1) Tretyak, 2) Vasilyev, 3) Maltsev
1982: 1) Shalimov, 2) Tretyak, 3) Fetisov
1983: 1) Tetyak, 2) Krutov, 3) Maltsev
1984: 1) Drozdetsky, 2) Fetisov, 3) Tretyak
1986: 1) Makarov, 2) Krutov, 3) Larionov

Bykov, Mikhail Yurevich (*1960, +2020):

Sports journalist from Moscow. Served as press secretary of the Russian hockey federation in 1993-1994.

1991: 1) Kamensky, 2) Trefilov, 3) Bure
 

Theokritos

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C

Chebakov, V.:

Journalist from Moscow.

1984: 1) Drozdetsky, 2) Makarov, 3) Kozhevnikov
1985: 1) Makarov, 2) Fetisov, 3) Tyumenev
1986: 1) Fetisov, 2) Krutov, 3) Makarov
1987: 1) Krutov, 2) Semyonov, 3) Varnakov

Chernykh, V.:

Voter from Yekerinburg.

1969: 1) Alexander Yakushev, 2) Kharlamov, 3) Zinger

Chernyshov, Al.:

Voter from Moscow.

1968: 1) Firsov, 2) Starshinov, 3) Konovalenko

Chesnokov, Sergei Vladimirovich (*1948):

Journalist in St. Petersburg.

1984: 1) Tretyak, 2) Kasatonov, 3) Drozdetsky

Chigirin, Nikolai:

Sports editor with the state television.

1985: 1) Makarov, 2) Larionov, 3) Bykov

Chistov, Vladimir:

Journalist with "Gudok" (1971-2006).

1991: 1) Bure, 2) Kamensky, 3) Zhamnov

Chudinovsky, Albert Ivanovich (*1928):

Sports journalist from Yekaterinburg. Wrote for local paper "Vecherny" (1958-2012).

1991: 1) Zhamnov, 2) Marin, 3) Kamensky

Chuprov, Mikhail Yevgenyevich (*1935, +2012):

Sports journalist from St. Petersburg. More of a basketball guy.

1990: 1) Irbe, 2) Tatarinov, 3) Khristich

Churkin, A.:

Sports journalist with "Komsomolskaya pravda"

1986: 1) Makarov, 2) Krutov, 3) Fetisov
1987: 1) Kasatonov, 2) Krutov, 3) Makarov
 

Theokritos

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D

Darakhvelidze, Yuri Alexandrovich (*1937, +2015)

Sports journalist from Moscow. As the name indicates, his father was from Georgia. Wrote for "Sovietsky sport" (1963-1975) and "Moskovskaya pravda" respectively its weekly sport supplement "Sportivnaya Moskva" (1975-1978) before editing "Sportivnaya zhizn Rossii" (1978-1988).
Often voted for non-CSKA players. Pretty low on Tretyak. Liked Kasatonov.

1976: 1) Tretyak, 2) Kharlamov, 3) Shalimov
1977: 1) Petrov, 2) Balderis, 3) Kapustin
1980: 1) Varnakov, 2) Myshkin, 3) Makarov
1981: 1) Kapustin, 2) Maltsev, 3) Vasilyev
1982: 1) Fetisov, 2) Larionov, 3) Kasatonov
1983: 1) Tretyak, 2) Makarov, 3) Krutov
1984: 1) Kasatonov, 2) Kozhevnikov, 3) Kovin
1985: 1) Makarov, 2) Kasatonov, 3) Skvortsov
1986: 1) Fetisov, 2) Krutov, 3) Bykov
1987: 1) Krutov, 2) Belosheykin, 3) Fetisov

Dementyev, Anatoli Ivanovich (*1921, +2008):

Writer and (since 1958) radio editor from Chelyabinsk.

1973: 1) Petrov, 2) Kharlamov, 3) Gusev

Derepa, Sergei Pavlovich (*1955, +2019):

Sports commentator for the Ukrainian television from 1980 into the 2000s.

1987: 1) Krutov, 2) Makarov, 3) Larionov
1988: 1) Makarov, 2) Larionov, 3) Stepanishchev
1990: 1) Stepanishchev, 2) Khomutov, 3) Bykov

Dmitryuk, V.:

Sports journalist from Kiev.

1969: 1) Firsov, 2) Zinger, 3) Kharlamov
1970: 1) Konovalenko, 2) Maltsev, 3) Firsov

Dolgopolov, Nikolai Mikhailovich (*1949):

Sports journalist from Moscow, wrote for "Komsomolskaya pravda". Later became a member of the presidium of the Russian figure skating federation (1998-today).

1985: 1) Makarov, 2) Krutov, 3) Semyonov

Donskoy, Dmitri Abramovich (*1936):

Award-winning and internationally recognized sports photographer. Worked for the APN news agency (1961-2006). Also photographed politicians and became the personal photographer of Boris Yeltsin.

1972: 1) Maltsev, 2) Kharlamov, 3) Vikulov
1973: 1) Kharlamov, 2) Maltsev, 3) Vasilyev

Dragunov, Alexander Vasilyevich (*1954):

Journalist, wrote for Chelyabinsk paper "Komsomolets" (1986-1990).

1987: 1) Krutov, 2) Pervukhin, 3) Starikov
1988: 1) Larionov, 2) Mylnikov, 3) Yashin
1989: 1) Bykov, 2) Mylnikov, 3) Makarov
1990: 1) Tatarinov, 2) Irbe, 3) Bykov

Drannikov, Valeri Dzhemsovich (*1939, +2010):

Journalist from Moscow, sport editor of the newspaper "Gudok" (1971-1978). Lost his job due to a feud with the editor-in-chief.

1976: 1) Tretyak, 2) Maltsev, 3) Kharlamov
1977: 1) Balderis, 2) Kovin, 3) Pervukhin
1978: 1) Maltsev, 2) Tretyak, 3) Mikhailov

Drozdov, A.:

Voter from Moscow.

1986: 1) Makarov, 2) Fetisov, 3) Belosheykin

Dubinovsky, Mark Zinovyevich:

Sports commentator for the local radio in Nizhni Novogorod.
Liked Mikhailov. Relatively low on Tretyak and Fetisov.

1970: 1) Konovalenko, 2) Starshinov, 3) Maltsev
1971: 1) Firsov, 2) Kharlamov, 3) Vikulov
1972: 1) Kharlamov, 2) Vikulov, 3) Maltsev
1975: 1) Mikhailov, 2) Kharlamov, 3) Tretyak
1977: 1) Mikhailov, 2) Tretyak, 3) Kovin
1980: 1) Makarov, 2) Drozdetsky, 3) Mikhailov
1982: 1) Fetisov, 2) Kasatonov, 3) Makarov
1983: 1) Krutov, 2) Tretyak, 3) Makarov
1984: 1) Drozdetsky, 2) Makarov, 3) Kovin
1985: 1) Makarov, 2) Varnakov, 3) Fetisov
1986: 1) Makarov, 2) Krutov, 3) Varnakov
1987: 1) Krutov, 2) Makarov, 3) Larionov
1990: 1) Khomutov, 2) Bykov, 3) Irbe

Ducmanis, Pauls ("Paulis") (*1921, +2000)

Latvian journalist with a history of questionable political engagement. During the Nazi occupation of Latvia, he studied in Berlin and worked for the German propaganda. After WW2, the Soviet secret police used this fact to pressure him into supporting them. Became the sports editor of local paper "Rigas Balss".

1974: 1) Maltsev, 2) Mikhailov, 3) Tretyak
1975: 1) Tretyak, 2) Yakushev, 3) Petrov
1976: 1) Tretyak, 2) Kharlamov, 3) Shalimov
1977: 1) Petrov, 2) Balderis, 3) Tretyak

Dvortsov, Vladimir Alexandrovich (*1931, +2002)

Sports journalist, a prominent hockey observer. First wrote for "Sovietsky sport", then for the TASS news agency (1962-1992). During game 5 of the 1972 Summit Series he was asked to sit next to General Secretary Leonid Brezhnev to answer his questions about the Canadians. Authored several hockey books: 1978 Хоккейный репортаж ("Hockey reportage"), 1979 «Хоккейные баталии СССР — Канада» ("Hockey battles: USSR vs Canada"), 1983 «Вызов принят» ("Challenge Accepted", about the 1979 Challenge Cup) and 1984 «Форвард № 17» ("Forward Number 17", about Valeri Kharlamov).
Allegedly a CSKA fan, but often voted for non-CSKA players, in particular Spartak players (Starshinov, Mayorov, Yakushev, Shalimov and Kozhevnikov). Relatively low on Makarov and Krutov.

1968: 1) Firsov, 2) Starshinov, 3) Mayorov
1969: 1) Starshinov, 2) Firsov, 3) Mayorov
1970: 1) Konovalenko, 2) Starshinov, 3) Maltsev
1971: 1) Firsov, 2) Starshinov, 3) Lyapkin
1972: 1) Kharlamov, 2) Maltsev, 3) Yakushev
1973: 1) Kharlamov, 2) Petrov, 3) Yakushev
1974: 1) Tretyak, 2) Yakushev, 3) Maltsev
1975: 1) Petrov, 2) Tretyak, 3) Shadrin
1976: 1) Tretyak, 2) Kharlamov, 3) Zinger
1977: 1) Balderis, 2) Petrov, 3) Tretyak
1980: 1) Makarov, 2) Myshkin, 3) Shalimov
1981: 1) Tretyak, 2) Maltsev, 3) Shalimov
1982: 1) Fetisov, 2) Larionov, 3) Kozhevnikov
1983: 1) Tretyak, 2) Krutov, 3) Fetisov
1984: 1) Tretyak, 2) Kozhevnikov, 3) Kovin
1985: 1) Makarov, 2) Fetisov, 3) Pervukhin
1986: 1) Fetisov, 2) Makarov, 3) Kapustin
1987: 1) Krutov, 2) Mylnikov, 3) Drozdetsky
1988: 1) Larionov, 2) Nemchinov, 3) Irbe
1990: 1) Irbe, 2) Tatarinov, 3) Kvartalnov
1991: 1) Semak, 2) Kamensky, 3) Prokhorov

Dyomin, Valeri Ivanovich (*1947):

Sports journalist from Yekaterinburg. Wrote for "Na smenu!" until 1982 before switching to "Uralsky rabochy" .

1980: 1) Mikhailov, 2) Krutov, 3) Makarov
1985: 1) Makarov, 2) Fetisov, 3) Zubriltchev
1989: 1) Makarov, 2) Bykov, 3) Irbe
1991: 1) Kamensky, 2) Semak, 3) Zhamnov
 

Theokritos

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4,906
E

Ernštreits, Gunārs:

Latvian sports journalist. Edited hockey almanacs in the 1970s and 1980s.

1975: 1) Petrov, 2) Mikhailov, 3) Tretyak
1978: 1) Tretyak, 2) Fetisov, 3) Balderis

Esterlis, Mikhail Isayevich (*1923, +2008):

Sports journalist from Odessa, moved to St. Petersburg to study and work for various newspapers. Long-term writer for "Leningradskaya pravda". In the 1980s he authored two books related to the Olympic Games.
Variable ballots in the 1970s, lower on Kharlamov than most. High on Tretyak and Makarov.

1972: 1) Kharlamov, 2) Vikulov, 3) Maltsev
1973: 1) Petrov, 2) Yakushev, 3) Gusev
1974: 1) Mikhailov, 2) Maltsev, 3) Tretyak
1976: 1) Tretyak, 2) Shalimov, 3) Kharlamov
1977: 1) Tretyak, 2) Balderis, 3) Petrov
1980: 1) Makarov, 2) Mikhailov, 3) Krutov
1981: 1) Tretyak, 2) Maltsev, 3) Kasatonov
1982: 1) Makarov, 2) Fetisov, 3) Tretyak
1983: 1) Tretyak, 2) Krutov, 3) Kasatonov
1984: 1) Drozdetsky, 2) Fetisov, 3) Tretyak
1985: 1) Makarov, 2) Kasatonov, 3) Myshkin
1986: 1) Makarov, 2) Fetisov, 3) Krutov
1987: 1) Krutov, 2) Belosheykin, 3) Fetisov
1988: 1) Fetisov, 2) Krutov, 3) Larionov
1989: 1) Fetisov, 2) Makarov, 3) Bykov
1990: 1) Irbe, 2) Khomutov, 3) Bykov
1991: 1) Kamensky, 2) Bure, 3) Marin

Etman, Alexander:

Journalist from Riga. Emigrated to Chicago in 1989 and founded the Russian-language newspaper Новый Свет ("New World").

1988: 1) Fetisov, 2) Larionov, 3) Irbe
 

Theokritos

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Apr 6, 2010
12,537
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F

Falkov, Yakov:

Journalist from Chelyabinsk.

1970: 1) Maltsev, 2) Konovalenko, 3) Starshinov
1971: 1) Firsov, 2) Petrov, 3) Kharlamov

Fedosov, Boris Alexandrovich (*1931, +1989):

One of the most influential sports journalists in the USSR. A football (soccer) player in his youth, he went on to write for "Trud" (1956-1965) and "Izvestia" (1965-1989). Launched the annual Izvestia tournament and had a role in initiating the 1972 Summit Series. Was president of the Soviet football federation (1973-1980).
High on Makarov and Vasilyev.

1968: 1) Firsov, 2) Starshinov, 3) Konovalenko
1969: 1) Zinger, 2) Kharlamov, 3) Alexander Yakushev
1970: 1) Starshinov, 2) Konovalenko, 3) Maltsev
1971: 1) Vikulov, 2) Konovalenko, 3) Maltsev
1972: 1) Maltsev, 2) Kharlamov, 3) Alexander Yakushev
1973: 1) Petrov, 2) Kharlamov, 3) Mikhailov
1974: 1) Tretyak, 2) Mikhailov, 3) Vasilyev
1975: 1) Tretyak, 2) Kharlamov, 3) Vasilyev
1976: 1) Kharlamov, 2) Shalimov, 3) Tretyak
1977: 1) Balderis, 2) Mikhailov, 3) Petrov
1978: 1) Tretyak, 2) Mikhailov, 3) Petrov
1980: 1) Makarov, 2) Vasilyev, 3) Krutov
1981: 1) Tretyak, 2) Maltsev, 3) Makarov
1982: 1) Tretyak, 2) Vasilyev, 3) Makarov
1983: 1) Tretyak, 2) Krutov, 3) Larionov
1984: 1) Makarov, 2) Drozdetsky, 3) Tretyak
1985: 1) Makarov, 2) Fetisov, 3) Krutov
1986: 1) Makarov, 2) Fetisov, 3) Krutov
1987: 1) Krutov, 2) Makarov, 3) Belosheykin
1988: 1) Fetisov, 2) Krutov, 3) Makarov
1989: 1) Fetisov, 2) Makarov, 3) Bykov

Feyn, I.:

Voter from Moscow.

1973: 1) Kharlamov, 2) Yakushev, 3) Petrov

Filatov, Vladimir:

1986: 1) Fetisov, 2) Makarov, 3) Bykov
1987: 1) Krutov, 2) Belosheykin, 3) Makarov
1988: 1) Larionov, 2) Fetisov, 3) Nemchinov
1989: 1) Makarov, 2) Bykov, 3) Fetisov
1990: 1) Khomutov, 2) Irbe, 3) Semyonov
1991: 1) Kamensky, 2) Zhamnov, 3) Semak

Filippov, V.:

1988: 1) Fetisov, 2) Larionov, 3) Irbe
 

Theokritos

Global Moderator
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G

Gavrikov, Sergei Nikolayevich (*1934, +2018):

Sports journalist from St. Petersburg.

1986: 1) Larionov, 2) Fetisov, 3) Krutov
1987: 1) Krutov, 2) Belosheykin, 3) Fetisov
1988: 1) Fetisov, 2) Larionov, 3) Kasatonov
1990: 1) Irbe, 2) Tatarinov, 3) Khomutov

Gavrilin, Vyacheslav Mikhailovich (*1931, +2014):

Colonel of the Soviet Army and sports editor of the defence secretary newspaper "Krasnaya Zvezda". Co-edited publications on hockey with Oleg Spassky in the 1970s.
High on Tretyak and Mikhailov.

1968: 1) Firsov, 2) Starshinov, 3) Ragulin
1969: 1) Mikhailov, 2) Zinger, 3) Firsov
1970: 1) Konovalenko, 2) Vikulov, 3) Starshinov
1971: 1) Firsov, 2) Vikulov, 3) Maltsev
1972: 1) Kharlamov, 2) Maltsev, 3) Ragulin
1973: 1) Kharlamov, 2) Petrov, 3) Mikhailov
1974: 1) Mikhailov, 2) Tretyak, 3) Vasilyev
1975: 1) Tretyak, 2) Mikhailov, 3) Petrov
1976: 1) Tretyak, 2) Kharlamov, 3) Lutchenko
1977: 1) Petrov, 2) Mikhailov, 3) Tretyak
1978: 1) Tretyak, 2) Mikhailov, 3) Fetisov
1981: 1) Tretyak, 2) Maltsev, 3) Kasatonov
1982: 1) Fetisov, 2) Makarov, 3) Shalimov
1983: 1) Tretyak, 2) Kasatonov, 3) Krutov
1984: 1) Drozdetsky, 2) Kasatonov, 3) Kozhevnikov

Genson, Arkadi Semyonovich (*1936)

Played football for his hometown club Saratov (second league) in the 1950s. After his active career he became sports commentator for the local television.

1975: 1) Tretyak, 2) Vasilyev, 3) Mikhailov
1977: 1) Balderis, 2) Tretyak, 3) Petrov

Glebov, M.:

Voter from Moscow. Worked for morning newspaper "Moskovskaya pravda", one of the outlets of the CPSU.

1976: 1) Tretyak, 2) Shalimov, 3) Petrov
1980: 1) Makarov, 2) Mikhailov, 3) Krutov
1986: 1) Fetisov, 2) Krutov, 3) Makarov
1987: 1) Krutov, 2) Makarov, 3) Larionov
1988: 1) Larionov, 2) Fetisov, 3) Mylnikov

Glukhov, A.:

One-time voter from Chelyabinsk.

1991: 1) Kamensky, 2) Bure, 3) Nemchinov

Gordienko, N.:

Voter from Yekaterinburg. Worked for the local television there.

1990: 1) Irbe, 2) Khomutov, 3) Byakin
1991: 1) Kamensky, 2) Trefilov, 3) Bure

Godlin, Vyacheslav:

Sports journalist from Novosibirsk. Wrote for the newspaper "Sovietskaya Siberia".

1968: 1) Starshinov, 2) Konovalenko, 3) Firsov
1971: 1) Tretyak, 2) Kharlamov, 3) Lutchenko
1976: 1) Kharlamov, 2) Maltsev, 3) Vasilyev

Goldachev, V.:

One-time voter from Voskresensk.

1971: 1) Firsov, 2) Alexander Syrtsov, 3) Tsygankov

Goltsev, A.:

One-time voter from Novokuznetsk.

1969: 1) Starshinov, 2) Zinger, 3) Firsov

Gorbunov, Alexander Arkadyevich (*1948)

Sports journalist, worked for the TASS news agency. Authored books about Anatoli Tarasov (2015) and Soviet football coaching greats Viktor Maslov and Valeri Lobanovsky.

1975: 1) Kharlamov, 2) Vasilyev, 3) Maltsev
1976: 1) Kharlamov, 2) Petrov, 2) Mikhailov
1977: 1) Balderis, 2) Kharlamov, 3) Pervukhin
1987: 1) Krutov, 2) Larionov, 3) Fetisov

Gorlov, V.:

Voter from Moscow. Worked for newspaper "Komsomolskaya pravda", an oulet of the Central Committee of the youth organization Komsomol.

1987: 1) Krutov, 2) Kasatonov, 3) Kamensky
1989: 1) Bykov, 2) Makarov, 3) Fetisov
1990: 1) Khomutov, 2) Bykov, 3) Irbe

Goryanov, Leonid Borisovich (1921-1985):

Sports journalist, wrote for the magazine "Sportivnaya zhizn Rossii". Authored several books about football and two about hockey: one about Soviet goaltenders (1981) and one about Soviet forwards (1983).
Looks like he was fond of Spartak Moscow.

1968: 1) Firsov, 2) Konovalenko, 3) Zimin
1969: 1) Kharlamov, 2) Zinger, 3) Starshinov
1970: 1) Starshinov, 2) Maltsev, 3) Konovalenko
1971: 1) Firsov, 2) Maltsev, 3) Shadrin
1972: 1) Maltsev, 2) Kharlamov, 3) Yakushev
1973: 1) Kharlamov, 2) Petrov, 3) Shadrin

Govorkov, Mikhail K.:

Sports journalist, worked for the magazine "Sportivnaya zhizn Rossii".
High on Larionov, didn't rate Krutov. Liked Vasilyev.

1975: 1) Yakushev, 2) Vasilyev, 3) Tretyak
1980: 1) Makarov, 2) Vasilyev, 3) Skvortsov
1981: 1) Kapustin, 2) Makarov, 3) Tretyak
1982: 1) Tretyak, 2) Shalimov, 3) Makarov
1983: 1) Tretyak, 2) Makarov, 3) Kasatonov
1984: 1) Fetisov, 2) Makarov, 3) Kozhevnikov
1985: 1) Makarov, 2) Fetisov, 3) Larionov
1986: 1) Makarov, 2) Fetisov, 3) Larionov
1988: 1) Larionov, 2) Makarov, 3) Fetisov
1989: 1) Fetisov, 2) Makarov, 3) Fyodorov
1990: 1) Bykov, 2) Khomutov, 3) Irbe
1991: 1) Kamensky, 2) Marin, 3) Semak

Grebnev, Vladimir Petrovich (*1907, +1976)

A recognized war photographer in WW2. Later employed as sports photographer. Member of the "Spartak" sports society.

1969: 1) Starshinov, 2) Mikhailov, 3) Firsov

Grigoryev, L.:

One-time voter for the magazine "Hockey".

1991: 1) Kamensky, 2) Zhamnov, 3) Marin

Gulin, Boris Fyodorovich (*1945):

Sport journalist from St. Petersburgh. Won local junior championship with the football team of Dinamo Leningrad in 1963. After graduating from the department of Physics at the Leningrad State University, he switched to journalism and became a sports commentator on radio and television.
High on hometown players Kasatonov and Drozdetsky. Like the CSKA forwards more than Fetisov.

1982: 1) Makarov, 2) Kasatonov, 3) Fetisov
1983: 1) Tretyak, 2) Kasatonov, 3) Krutov
1984: 1) Tretyak, 2) Drozdetsky, 3) Fetisov
1985: 1) Makarov, 2) Krutov, 3) Kasatonov
1986: 1) Makarov, 2) Krutov, 3) Fetisov
1987: 1) Krutov, 2) Belosheykin, 3) Drozdetsky
1988: 1) Larionov, 2) Fetisov, 3) Irbe
1989: 1) Makarov, 2) Fetisov, 3) Bykov
1990: 1) Irbe, 2) Khomutov, 3) Bykov
1991: 1) Zhamnov, 2) Kamensky, 3) Trefilov

Gusev, Viktor Mikhailovich (*1955):

Studied translation (English and French) and served in the Soviet army as a translator before becoming a journalist with the TASS news agency in 1979. Sports editor for TASS (1986-1991).

1990: 1) Khomutov, 2) Myshkin, 3) Irbe
1991: 1) Semak, 2) Kamensky, 3) Trefilov

Gusev, Vladislav Alexeyevich (*1936, +2005):

Graduated from the Leningrad State Institute of Aviation Instrumentation. Played football for Dinamo Leningrad in the second tier of the Soviet league (1965-1969). After his athletic career, he earned a doctoral degree in Pedagogical Sciences and became a sports commentator on television.
High on Makarov, also appreciated Krutov. Not high on Fetisov after 1984. Still quite high on goaltenders in the post-Tretyak era.

1981: 1) Maltsev, 2) Tretyak, 3) Vasilyev
1982: 1) Fetisov, 2) Krutov, 3) Tretyak
1983: 1) Tretyak, 2) Fetisov, 3) Krutov
1984: 1) Makarov, 2) Drozdetsky, 3) Fetisov
1985: 1) Makarov, 2) Pervukhin, 3) Myshkin
1986: 1) Makarov, 2) Krutov, 3) Bykov
1987: 1) Krutov, 2) Belosheykin, 3) Cherkas
1988: 1) Krutov, 2) Larionov, 3) Khomutov
1989: 1) Makarov, 2) Bykov, 3) Fetisov
1990: 1) Khomutov, 2) Irbe, 3) Bykov
 
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Theokritos

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Apr 6, 2010
12,537
4,906
I

Isayev, Anatoli Anatolyevich (*1945, +2003):

Sports journalist from Moscow, wrote for "Pionerskaya pravda". In 1964 he initiated the "Golden Puck", an annual tournament for semi-organized youth teams (under the patronage of Anatoli Tarasov). Later he acquired an academic degree in psychology and co-authored publications on the psychology and pedagogy of coaching young people (1980s). Became a doctor of the Pedagogical Sciences in 1999.
Some peculiar ballots. Uniquely high rankings of Lutchenko (two first-place ranks!) and Myshkin.

1971: 1) Vikulov, 2) Firsov, 3) Maltsev
1972: 1) Kharlamov, 2) Firsov, 3) Lutchenko
1973: 1) Petrov, 2) Tretyak, 3) Gusev
1974: 1) Lutchenko, 2) Tretyak, 3) Kapustin
1975: 1) Lutchenko, 2) Kharlamov, 3) Myshkin
1976: 1) Kharlamov, 2) Tretyak, 3) Boris Alexandrov
1977: 1) Balderis, 2) Mikhailov, 3) Tretyak
1981: 1) Maltsev, 3) Tretyak, 3) Drozdetsky
1982: 1) Myshkin, 2) Pervukhin, 3) Maltsev

Ivanov, O.:

Voter from Moscow, worked for the State radio and television.

1984: 1) Drozdetsky, 2) Fetisov, 2) Tretyak
1985: 1) Makarov, 2) Fetisov, 3) Leonov
1988: 1) Fetisov, 2) Larionov, 3) Krutov

Ivanov, Yuri:

Voter from Moscow.

1991: 1) Kamensky, 2) Bure, 3) Semak
 
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