Why didnt Krutov-Larionov-Makarov join same club in NHL?

Atas2000

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Jan 18, 2011
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It was the greatest line ever, so why didnt they play on the same team and same line in the first season they joined NHL?

By the end of the Cold War when it became obvious some soviet players could come over to the NHL they'd be drafted by NHL teams mostly in later rounds. So they couldn't go to one team unless drafted by one team or traded. Larionov was for example drafted by the Canucks in 1985. He later played with Makarov for the Sharks after his rights were traded to the Sharks during his stint back in Europe.
 

SergeiMakarovStyle

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Oct 12, 2011
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By the end of the Cold War when it became obvious some soviet players could come over to the NHL they'd be drafted by NHL teams mostly in later rounds. So they couldn't go to one team unless drafted by one team or traded. Larionov was for example drafted by the Canucks in 1985. He later played with Makarov for the Sharks after his rights were traded to the Sharks during his stint back in Europe.

Fetisov and Kasatonov played for the same team in NHL and in same line as in CSKA first year in NHL, so why couldnt Krutov-Larionov-Makarov play on the same line in another nhl team? One NHL team could trade all the three players?
 

Jussi

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Feb 28, 2002
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Fetisov and Kasatonov played for the same team in NHL and in same line as in CSKA first year in NHL, so why couldnt Krutov-Larionov-Makarov play on the same line in another nhl team? One NHL team could trade all the three players?

They played for the teams that had drafted them. I guess teams didn't have interest in trading for all of their rights.
 

Yakushev72

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Dec 27, 2010
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By the end of the Cold War when it became obvious some soviet players could come over to the NHL they'd be drafted by NHL teams mostly in later rounds. So they couldn't go to one team unless drafted by one team or traded. Larionov was for example drafted by the Canucks in 1985. He later played with Makarov for the Sharks after his rights were traded to the Sharks during his stint back in Europe.

Larionov and Krutov played together in Vancouver immediately after leaving the USSR.
 

Atas2000

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Jan 18, 2011
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Larionov and Krutov played together in Vancouver immediately after leaving the USSR.

I used an example to show both the drafting and trading impact. In the end you have to put it that way: in North America maybe only one coach was aware of what soviet hockey was all about. They couldn't break through their NA philosophy of individual stars. Pretty much nobody would even have an idea to trade for a whole line of Russians. In NA they basically never understood what the worth of those players was, they just tried to pressure them into their system and got dissapointed with the result.

That is why I strongly hope the KHL will develop and more and more players will stay at home where nobody starts inventing weird stories about them just because they are Russians. And one day we will have our brand of hockey back instead of the useless copying every BS from abroad. Including the small rink.
 

Yakushev72

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Dec 27, 2010
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I used an example to show both the drafting and trading impact. In the end you have to put it that way: in North America maybe only one coach was aware of what soviet hockey was all about. They couldn't break through their NA philosophy of individual stars. Pretty much nobody would even have an idea to trade for a whole line of Russians. In NA they basically never understood what the worth of those players was, they just tried to pressure them into their system and got dissapointed with the result.

That is why I strongly hope the KHL will develop and more and more players will stay at home where nobody starts inventing weird stories about them just because they are Russians. And one day we will have our brand of hockey back instead of the useless copying every BS from abroad. Including the small rink.

I agree! To his credit, Pat Quinn was the GM of the Vancouver Canucks, and he had the foresight to try to bring Krutov and Larionov over together in order to try to ease the culture shock to both players. Makarov had been drafted by Calgary, so he was unavailable to be linked with Krutov and Larionov. Some of the guys (Fetisov and Kasatonov) were drafted by their NHL teams several years before it was known whether they would actually become available. Once it became known that Soviet stars would be released, all the good players were immediately snapped up.

As to your other thought, so many really talented and motivated Russian players somehow get jettisoned on the rocks in NA. A good case in point is Dmitri Orlov from Novokuznetsk. He was brought up to Washington for a couple of days this week, then immediately sent back down to the AHL. He is a great skater and puck handler, and he has a blistering shot. He should be in the NHL or the KHL, better the KHL in my view, rather than languishing away down in the minors. He should get to the KHL as soon as possible.
 
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Atas2000

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Jan 18, 2011
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As to your other thought, so many really talented and motivated Russian players somehow get jettisoned on the rocks in NA. A good case in point is Dmitri Orlov from Novokuznetsk. He was brought up to Washington for a couple of days this week, then immediately sent back down to the AHL. He is a great skater and puck handler, and he has a blistering shot. He should be in the NHL or the KHL, better the KHL in my view, rather than languishing away down in the minors. He should get to the KHL as soon as possible.

Even more so when I take a look at WSH defence. I would undestand if WSH would be rock solid on D and Mike Green would be on pace for 30 again. They struggle and let in 4 goals with consistency, still winning some when Ovi scores one or two. They have no OD really worthy of calling him the top D-man or a great PP pivot. Instead giving Orlov a chance they stick with less accomplished or proven guys like Nate Schmidt and Urbom. Why actually? Yeah, Urbom is a Swede, they are born defenceman, right? And Schmidt has 3 asssists in 15 games and is -1. No reason to call up the leading scorer from the AHL farm.:shakehead
 

Fantomas

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Aug 7, 2012
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I would give Orlov a few more games in the minors. He was hurt early on and has only been in six games.

If he is still excelling after 15-20 games and no call up, I would be miffed.
 

brec7

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Nov 28, 2006
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Sydney, NS
Even if they'd all come over together to play for the same team, expecting them to produce like they did in international hockey was unreasonable. Back then, culture shock was a much bigger thing because they grew up without an idea that they would ever have the chance to play in the NHL. It's also easier to adjust at a younger age. Today's Russians grow up aspiring to play in the NHL (at least those that do) and have started talking preparations to make that jump at a younger age. Without that, regardless of their on ice skills, KLM couldn't have been expected to have the same impact as they did playing for the USSR. The fact that they were decent enough players in spite of all of what I typed (well, not so much Krutov but you get the idea) is a testament to their skill.

If any of the three were breaking into the NHL NOW as a 20 year old, they'd no doubt rip it up and be dominant players right off the hop.
 

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