Zhluktov vs Ruzicka: An under appreciated Soviet vs his Czech counterpart

[Kshahdoo]

I'd say he even looked like your typical Canadian

 

[VMBM]

Now, I know Zhluktov's credentials were almost certainly damaged by being kind of hidden in lower lines of both CSKA and USSR National Team. It's obvious from videos that the guy had a lot of talent. One time Zhluktov got the spotlight (Canada Cup 76 when Petrov's Troika was missing), he used it to the maximum with 9 points in 5 games and becoming the leading scorer of the tournament.

Yeah, and that was mostly thanks to his super game against Finland, in which he scored 4 goals and 2 assists (11-3 win for the USSR). He failed to score any points in games against Canada and Czechoslovakia, though, so overall, I'm not sure that he was among the very best players of the tournament.

Of course, the leading scorer is still the leading scorer...

 

[DN28]

Yeah, and that was mostly thanks to his super game against Finland, in which he scored 4 goals and 2 assists (11-3 win for the USSR). He failed to score any points in games against Canada and Czechoslovakia, though, so overall, I'm not sure that he was among the very best players of the tournament.

Of course, the leading scorer is still the leading scorer...

Good point.

 

[Namba 17]

They are too different players to say who was superior.
They played too different roles for their teams.
As pure talent it's Ruzicka, I guess. He is also significantly ahead of Zhluktov offensively.
To compare them is like compare... I don't know... Toews and Tavares, probably... Zhluktov never had Toews' leadership qualities though... But, probably you got what I mean...
Zhluktov was always a glue guy in his lines. He was great defensively and absolutely one of the top PKers I've ever seen. He was good in forecheck and in front of the net. He was decent scorer and play-maker, but that was not his stronger sides.
It's pretty telling, that he was tried as Soviet #1 C in late 70th, beginning of 80th then it became obvious, that KPM' days were coming to their end. The new #1 Soviet line, that should've change KPM line, should've been Kapustin - Zhluktov - Balderis line.
It's pretty telling that they failed in this role.
So, you can't have Zhluktov as a player to built you line around in term of offense. But if you have good scoring wingers he will be perfect fit.
On the contrary, Ruzicka doesn't do anything else but offence, but it's hi-end offence, no doubt. And he can provide it by himself. So, you CAN have Ruzichka as your line main offensive threat, but you'll need somebody to play defense and somebody to do some dirty work in corners/along borders to have your line successful.

 

[Namba 17]

BTW.
In my "Best non-NA centers of all time" project I had Ruzicka as #12 and Zhluktov as #41-47.

 

[seventieslord]

BTW.
In my "Best non-NA centers of all time" project I had Ruzicka as #12 and Zhluktov as #41-47.

Where can I see these projects?

 

[Namba 17]

Where can I see these projects?

Best non-NA centers of all time?
I thought you saw it.

 

[seventieslord]

Best non-NA centers of all time?
I thought you saw it.

Ahh, you're right, I have.

 

[Overrated]

Post 1972, Maltsev played very rarely at center on the national team. He was preferred as winger (RW), so Zhluktov never really 'outranked' him as center. Plus, Zhluktov played for CSKA while Maltsev didn't - always a slight disadvantage (the latter, that is).

Is it really though? Balderis did much better as the main star of Riga than as a second liner in CSKA.

 

[VMBM]

Is it really though? Balderis did much better as the main star of Riga than as a second liner in CSKA.

Um, if Maltsev had played for CSKA, he would have almost certainly had more regular linemates on the national team than he actually did.
In the Soviet league, it depends whether Maltsev had played on CSKA's top line or not, I guess (i.e. whether it had been an advantage)...

Was this really worth a bump?

 

[Overrated]

Um, if Maltsev had played for CSKA, he would have almost certainly had more regular linemates on the national team than he actually did.
In the Soviet league, it depends whether Maltsev had played on the top line or not, I guess (i.e. whether it had been an advantage)...

Was this really worth a bump?

I was just trying to find some information on Zhluktov and saw this post which made no sense to me. Playing big minutes on a competent team and being the star there could yield better statistics than playing on the second line of a super team.

Look at Kapustin who played 3 seasons for CSKA and scored 48 goals in 105 games. Three seasons prior to playing for the CSKA he played for Krylia and scored 64 goals in 91 games. The two immediate seasons after leaving CSKA he went to Spartak where he scored 66 goals in 82 games. After that he was out of prime but the point is that his scoring was the worst during his time in CSKA. Balderis had the same predicament. Basically playing on the second line on CSKA wasn't necessarily beneficial for your individual statistics so it's likely Zhluktov would in fact do better as a first liner for Spartak for example.

 

[VMBM]

I was just trying to find some information on Zhluktov and saw this post which made no sense to me. Playing big minutes on a competent team and being the star there could yield better statistics than playing on the second line of a super team.

I believe the context in my post was the Soviet national team... And I do think Maltsev suffered since he didn't have forwards of similar caliber on Dynamo Moscow... until the Golikovs. Maybe it didn't hurt e.g. Yakushev (not to play for CSKA), but he usually played on a full Spartak line on the ntl team, or with Shadrin at least.

 

[Overrated]

I believe the context in my post was the Soviet national team... And I do think Maltsev suffered since he didn't have forwards of similar caliber on Dynamo Moscow... until the Golikovs. Maybe it didn't hurt e.g. Yakushev (not to play for CSKA), but he usually played on a full Spartak line on the ntl team, or with Shadrin at least.

But then Zhluktov wasn't always playing with just CSKA players internationally

1976 OG Kapustin (Krylia) - Zhluktov (CSKA) - Maltsev (Dynamo)
1976 WC Golikov (Khimik) - Zhluktov (CSKA) - Balderis (Riga)
1976 CC Kapustin (Krylia) - Zhluktov (CSKA) - Maltsev (Dynamo)
1977 WC Kapustin (Krylia) - Zhluktov (CSKA) - Balderis (Riga)
1978 WC Kapustin (CSKA) - Zhluktov (CSKA) - Balderis (CSKA)
1979 WC Kapustin (CSKA) - Zhluktov (CSKA) - Balderis (CSKA)
1980 OG Kapustin (CSKA) - Zhluktov (CSKA) - Balderis (CSKA)
1981 WC Skvortsov (Gorky) - Zhluktov (CSKA) - Khomutov (CSKA)
1981 CC Skvortsov (Gorky) - Zhluktov (CSKA) - Khomutov (CSKA)
1982 WC Gimaev (CSKA) - Zhluktov (CSKA) - Drozdetsky (CSKA)
1983 WC Skvortsov (Gorky) - Zhluktov (CSKA) - Khomutov (CSKA)

Did he ever even play on the first line? In the CC76 he did right? In the last like 5 tournaments he was on the 4th line getting the lowest minutes. Maltsev played on the first line since 1969 until 1972 then for the most part played on the second line. He definitely had an advantage internationally too compared to Zhluktov.

 

[VMBM]

He definitely had an advantage internationally too compared to Zhluktov.

That's because Maltsev was a much superior player perhaps? Maltsev was a 1A player and Zhluktov 1B player, if you will...

Would've Zhluktov had even that long a career on the national team if he hadn't been a CSKA player? I have my doubts. Like I said, I suspect that I might've always been underrating him, but it's not like he was a world beater even at best.

BTW, the post I originally answered to in my post (which you then quoted) seemed to suggest that Zhluktov was somehow superseding Maltsev as a 2nd line center on Team USSR in the late 1970s, which I think is simply wrong; the coaches just preferred to have Maltsev play as a winger rather than a center and Zhluktov played with Kapustin and Balderis, eventually on CSKA too.