Somewhat inferior to Boris Mayorov (however, except at first) in the brilliance of individual skill Vyacheslav Starshinov, hockey player of amazing efficiency, endurance and great tactical skill. The Chiefs were infinitely brave, and the strongest throws earned him the glory of one of the most effective forwards of our hockey.
"The most fearless chap on the [national] squad, possesses tremendous stamina, operates efficiently everywhere on the ice."
(1971): "Starshinov is a passionate player with a great range of activity. He has the hug of a bear, his physical strength would be enough for three. Now, if you consider his strength it would seem as if he didn't even need much technical skills on top of it, but Starshinov is actually a very skilled player, although he doesn't catch one's eye immediately. His talent is not apparent right away, you need to watch him in action to recognize it. (...) Vyacheslav possesses the highest level of technical skills: His handling of the puck is technically excellent, he has a wide vision, a great pass and a phenomenally strong and accurate shot that he makes use of from almost anywhere. He has a good awareness of the rink and makes the best decision in the most difficult and dramatic situation. But on top of it he still maintains his trump card: his extraordinary strength and self-confidence. He reminds me of a cruiser, steadily cutting its way through the waves of the sea. (...) Again, Vyacheslav's technique is very peculiar. Sometimes I wonder how he manages to get past one opponent after the other. He doesn't use any distinguished dekes. And yet, when you try to stop him, you recognize he has a firm grip on the puck, even though it doesn't look like anything you're used to."
These qualities of Starshinov led us, the coaches of the national team, to the idea that Vyacheslav's role should be expanded. In Spartak in the final phase of the attack, he acted from a long-distance position, with insurance, we offered him to go to the finish, to create obstacles to the goalkeeper. And this manner, combined with sudden and slashing throws-strikes of the slings unusual made Starshinov a thunderstorm for the goalkeepers.
] have their own qualities. It would be difficult for the players to play on the team of the opponent. In my opinion the only Soviet players who wouldn't be at loss [when switching to an NHL team] would be Firsov and Starshinov."
Everyone has their good qualities. It would be hard for hockey players to play in the opposing team. In my opinion, only Fursov and the Elders would not be confused from the Soviet hockey players.
Physical game:
Anatoly Tarasov (1971): "The passion that distinguished Starshinov from all of his peers (and not only among the Soviets) over many years is his passion for the physical game. He loved to get involved in the battle, reveal all of his gigantic strength and have a fight within the boundary of the rules. (...) The opponents obstructed him, tortured him and pushed him away from the goal, but he didn't back down. He didn't wait for the opponent to give him a quarter, what he desired was to score a goal and he didn't retreat from that target. In this regard Starshinov compares favourably with Almetov, although Almetov had a clear advantage over him when it came to elegance, finesse and surprising ideas. Starshinov didn't hide what he was on to, but he acted with such power and skill that no counter-measure could save the opponent."
Sturminator once again.
Vyacheslav loved difficult and voluminous training. I do not remember that the Elders ever complained about the excessive severity or complexity of the loads. And in the games - in basketball according to hockey rules, in football, which we gave hockey players in the classes of "sweet" Vyacheslav almost had no equal. We, the coaches, taught others by his example.
Boris Mayorov (1971): "Slava is never satisfied with his own performance and when a game really doesn't go well, he is capable of stepping up. He's always at his best when it's crunch time."
Glory is always dissatisfied with his game. And when the game really does not go, knows how to be above the circumstances. And for the decisive tournament, everyone is ready better than anyone else...
Arkady Chernyshov: "He's a courageous and fearless player. When he took a puck to the head and had his cheek cut open at the 1969 World Championship in Stockholm, the doctors told him not to play, but he still begged us coaches to let him on the ice. And he played great when it mattered most. And [in 1967] at the Vienna World Championship? Our players were having a hard time playing against Canadian defenceman Carl Brewer and Slava asked Tarasov and me to let him play against Brewer. He didn't know what the outcome of their duel would be, but in order to stand up for his team he was ready to take the challenge."
Brave and courageous hockey player. When in 1969 in Stockholm he had his cheek cut with a puck and doctors banned him from playing, he still begged us, the coaches, to let him out on the ice. And at a critical moment played great. And in Vienna? Canadian defender Carl Brover was very good at our players. And as Slava asked me and Tarasov to allow him to "play" against Brewer. He did not know how their fight would end, but was eager to stand up for the team, consciously took risks.
Anatoli Firsov (1968): "Slava has work ethic and courage in spades. In difficult times he has more than once infected us with his enthusiam."
Glory's hard work and courage at least spare. In difficult moments, he repeatedly courted us with his enthusiasm.
Andrei Starostin: "I remember Slava enduring defeats, sometimes cruel and crushing defeats. But I don't remember him ever surrendering."
I remember Glory suffering defeats, sometimes defeats cruel, crushing. But I'll give my a pardon to the one who surrendered.
Temperament and discipline:
Anatoly Tarasov (1968): "Sometimes they say that Starshinov is quite an undisciplined player. That is both right and wrong. When playing for his club team, it is true that Starshinov sometimes takes a quaint attitude towards the rules and can interpret them quite freely. In fact, he simply plays rough. But when he plays for the USSR National team, Starshinov transforms into an absolutely different man. He knows how high the requirements are, and he knows the price the team will have to pay if he is penalized. That is why he plays a clean game, without losing control of himself, without acting up. Therefore, it is not surprising that in all the games of the 1965 World Hockey Championship he had only one two-minute penalty."
Note: I used the existing English translation from "Road to Olympus" (1969), but made some corrections.
Sometimes they say and write that the Elders are a completely undisciplined player. That's not true. Indeed, playing in the club team, the Elders sometimes allows himself too freely to interpret the existing rules, sometimes simply rude. But the same Elders, playing for the national team of the country, is completely transformed. There he is charged high, he knows the price of removal and therefore acts on the field correctly, without losing control over himself. It is not surprising that during the draw of the World Cup of Hockey in 1965, he was only once removed from the field for two minutes, as they say, "on his own initiative".
Boris Mayorov (1970): "Starshinov was always a much more relaxed guy than we [
scil. the Mayorov brothers] were. Perhaps you could even classify him as phlegmatic. It's not that he was indifferent to the referees' sanctions or remained silent. But while the rest of us yelled so that the entire arena could hear us, he only mumbled to himself and no-one could make out whether he was bad-mouthing the referees or he was dissatisfied with himself or he was complaining about the quarrelsome temper of us, his linemates. Yet the reputation of the whole trio cast its shadow on Starshinov too and he also became subject to the sermons of the press and the Sports Technical Commission."
In fact, the Elders have always been a much calmer man than we are. It can even, perhaps, be classified as phlegmatic. Not that he was indifferent to the referee's "repression" or silent on the court, but such a manner: all that we shouted at the whole stadium, he tambourine under his nose, and no one could make out whether he really scolds the judges, whether he is dissatisfied with himself, or condemns for the absurd temper of us, his partners. And yet the shadow of the whole trio with its reputation fell on Starshinov, and he at least we had to listen to the lectures of the press and members of the sports and technical commission.
In the fall of 1968, Starshinov was voted captain of the Soviet national team by the players.
Boris Mayorov: "On the ice he's able to move mountains and perform miracles, but to say the right words at the right time is not his part. He isn't good at encouraging others."
In my ears is still the monotonous voice of Slavka Starshinov, the captain of the national team. He is able to turn mountains and perform on the site any miracle, but to say at the right moment the right words - it is not his part. He can't encourage others.
