Was Firsov actually ready to defect?

[Kshahdoo]

International Hockey Legends: Anatoli Firsov

"Many years after it happened, stories were revealed that Firsov may have contacted Larry Regan in 1968. Regan was then the general manager of the Los Angeles Kings and they were holding discussions concerning Firsov's defection from the Soviet Union and playing in the National Hockey League. The arrangement fell through, as it is believe Russian authorities must have learned of this possibility. In the supressed Communist Soviet Union, the story never been revealed until Gorabechev's Glasnost."


Well, from nowadays point of view, it would have been great, of course, if Firsov would have gotten a chance to play in the NHL. I'm sure, he could have become a star in the league, but in that time such kind of defection was considered a crime against Soviet system and the country itself. Considering, he kept playing in international tournaments after 1968, it looks like, Soviet leaders and KGB weren't afraid of him leaving USSR, so it's hard to believe in story like this.

Click to read more...

 

[crobro]

Kharlomov was ready to emigrate to Canada in 1981 due to him having advantage of dual Soviet and Spanish citizenship

The car accident was no accident

 

[Phil Parent]

Sure he still traveled after that, but he probably had a KGB agent hidden in his luggage, you know...

 

[Canadiens1958]

Issue is political. Starting page 240/241 we have a picture of Expo 67 concerns about defections:

Mike’s World

Whether Firsov defected or not has to be viewed in the light of an upcoming International event, the 1976 Montreal Summer Olympics.

Was either side willing to gamble a few hockey games in Canada against losing the Soviets for the 1976 Olympics?

 

[BlueBull]

Kharlomov was ready to emigrate to Canada in 1981 due to him having advantage of dual Soviet and Spanish citizenship

The car accident was no accident

*Cue X-Files Theme*

 

[VMBM]

Kharlomov was ready to emigrate to Canada in 1981 due to him having advantage of dual Soviet and Spanish citizenship

The car accident was no accident

Yup, and 'they' tried to kill Kharlamov already in 1976 when he was in the car accident that ended his peak.

In 1981, Kharlamov was a shadow of his former self, and wasn't even a regular on the national team anymore, despite his strong showing(s) in some exhibition games prior to the 1981 Canada Cup; his North American career would've hardly been a big success at that stage. But I guess that if he had left the Soviet Union, some other players might have wanted to follow suit (already before the late '80s).

 

[MaxV]

I guess that if he had left the Soviet Union, some other players might have wanted to follow suit (already before the late '80s).

I think this was exactly that, they were afraid to set a precedent.