|
 |
THE BEST HOCKEY LINES
Golden Lines of the Soviet
Hockey
Listed as left wing-center-right wing
The following list is based on the
publication by the veterans of Russian sports
journalism, Leonid Trakhtenberg
and Anatoly Bochinin for the
Sport Express Daily
(Russia, 2002) The lines are listed in chronological
order of their appearance with the Team USSR and
Russian elite league.
Vsevolod Bobrov-Viktor
Shuvalov-Yevgeny Babich
 Team
USSR and Red Army club, 1950s
"It was the best line in the history of
Russian hockey - simply because the best Soviet
sports personality of the 20th century, Vsevolod
Bobrov played in it" (Bochinin). Unique
puck carrying, "five-foot-long" arms,
unmatched skating made Bobrov
the King of the GAME. Shuvalov
was famous for his blasting shot and Babich
for his wicked speed.
|
Veniamin Alexandrov-Alexander
Almetov-Konstantin Loktev
 Team
USSR and CSKA, 1960s
In terms of line chemistry and look-and-feel,
this was probably the strongest line in the
Soviet hockey.
|
Yevgeny Mayorov-Viacheslav
Starshinov-Boris Mayorov
 Team
USSR and Spartak Moscow, 1960s
The best line in the history of Moscow Spartak
and in the world in the late 1960s. Starshinov's
line was famous for their aggressive style.
Starshinov and, especially, Boris Mayorov
loved to fight. Yevegeny Mayorov was more
laid-back than his partners.
|
Alexander Yakushev-Vladimir
Shadrin-Victor Yaroslavtsev
 Team
USSR and Spartak Moscow, 1960s
This line where Yaroslavtsev was later replaced
with Yevgeny Zimin continued the Starshinov's
troyka traditions. Yakushev was a copycat
of Bobrov. Lond legs, long hands... The best
European and North American defensemen couldn't
stop him. Alexander was an extremely friendly
and kind person, never turned down any requests
from journalists.
|
Valery
Kharlamov-Vladimir Petrov-Boris Mikhailov
 Team
USSR and CSKA, late 1960s to late 1970s
In terms of rankings, they were probably the
second all-time best line in the history of
Russian hockey. Kharlamov is
simply unforgettable. For his hockey talent
and mastery, he is next to Bobrov. Hockey
aristocrat Kharlamov was completed by agressive
king of rebounds, Mikhailov and by Petrov
whose blasting slapshot caught many top world
goaltenders off guard.
|
Vladimir
Krutov-Igor Larionov-Sergei Makarov
 Team
USSR and CSKA, 1980s.
They continued the golden run by their predecessors.
They knew no compromise - only forward, only
attack, who cares about defense! "Somehow
they reminded me Almetov's line" (Bochinin)
|
|
|
|
