What happen to russian hockey?

[Danny46]

I know russia won the gold medal in the last olympics, but I think we can all agree that russian hockey isn't the same since the end of the URSS. Russians played the best and the most beautiful hockey I ever saw in the 70's and 80's, but today the identity of their hockey is just dead, they just play like everyone else, their mark and mystique is dead.

So what happen to their hockey?

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[Daximus]

No longer training their players gulag style.

 

[Danny46]

No longer training their players gulag style.

I like that one... loool

 

[Canadiens1958]

I know russia won the gold medal in the last olympics, but I think we can all agree that russian hockey isn't the same since the end of the URSS. Russians played the best and the most beautiful hockey I ever saw in the 70's and 80's, but today the identity of their hockey is just dead, they just play like everyone else, their mark and mystique is dead.

So what happen to their hockey?

Infrastructure was not sufficient or sustainable.

Trickle down effect from the National team did not create local, regional interest or support.

 

[JackSlater]

Given that the Soviet union collapsed it makes sense that there was a shortage of resources for frivolous things like hockey. As far as Russia playing in a similar manner to everyone else, that's largely true of every hockey country and a result of globalization in the hockey world. For a variety of reasons players aren't being developed in isolated bubbles anymore.

 

[jj cale]

They got exposed when they had to throw national units together with the same amount of team preparation time as it's main competitors,other countries got better too.

Great teams but it was predicated on that advantage and they wouldn't have looked as good if they had to assemble teams the way most of their their competitors did.Once they had to they almost immediately came down to earth.

 

[wetcoast]

Funny as Russia still seems to produce some pretty good players.

 

[Bear of Bad News]

This isn't a History forum topic.