Since childhood, we all know the words of the song that a coward does not play hockey. The favorite game of millions causes controversy among sports historians about the time and place of origin of this sports game. Canadians believe that it originated in Montreal when the first official match was played in this city. Whatever it was, but the National Hockey League, which unites American and Canadian clubs, is today one of the strongest in the world. Players of different nationalities play in the League, but in our review from thebiggest the most eminent Russian NHL hockey players.
How it all began. To begin with, let's recall a little page of history, and introduce hockey players who opened the way for the Russians overseas.
Famous Russian NHL hockey players 🥇:
David Shriner
The NHL experts included David in the list of Russian players, since he was born in 1911 in Saratov. While still young, he and his mother moved to Canada.
In 1925, Shriner made his first debut on the ice rink as part of a youth team. From the mid-1930s, he played for the New York Americans, and then the Toronto Maple Leafs. Over 11 seasons he scored 201 goals. In the final games he was able to hit the gate 18 times.
The first “Russian” NHL twice winner of the Stanley Cup. His photograph from 1962 hangs in the Hall of Fame. After completing a career, he graduated from courses and began to train professional teams.
Victor Nechaev
Victor was born in the Far East. Already at the age of 17, he became the basis of the Siberia team from Novosibirsk. Talented players were also drafted into the army, and Victor got into SKA.
He became the first hockey player of the USSR hockey school, who began to play in the NHL. Victor married an American, was deprived of Soviet citizenship after leaving for the United States.
In 1983, he played 3 matches for the Los Angeles Kings. In one of the games I managed to score a goal. She remained the only hockey player in the asset. Career in the NHL at the "first Soviet citizen" did not ask. He was transferred to the minor league, and after an injury, he moved to Germany. There he played several matches for Dusseldorf, and even went on the ice against CSKA.
Sergey Pryakhin
The first Soviet hockey player who was officially released by the Soviet leadership to play for overseas professionals. Few believed in this in the USSR and Canada, but on March 29, 1989 Pryakhin signed a contract with Calgary Flames
Already on March 30, he entered the game with Winnipeg, and fans greeted his appearance on the ice with applause. The following year, he won the Stanley Cup with the team, but played only one match in the playoffs, and his name is not on the coveted trophy. But he got a champion ring.
In 1990, unexpectedly for himself, he was called up to the national team of the Soviet Union. That year, the Soviet team won the gold of the World Cup. It is noteworthy that as part of Calgary, he played against his own team, Wings of the Soviets.
Alexander Mogilny
There was another pioneer who played for CSKA from the age of 15. On Victory Day, May 9, 1989, Mogilny decided on a bold move, and turned to the US Embassy to be recognized as a political refugee.
Since the hockey player played for the Central Army Club, the escape was regarded as desertion. He was deprived of Soviet citizenship; Mogilny was banned from entering the country. In October, he began playing for the Buffalo Sabers. The first Russian to become captain of the NHL team.
Changed several teams, scoring for all seasons 473 goals. The “fugitive” was allowed to return home only in 1994. In 2000, he won the Stanley Cup as part of the New Jersey Devils.
"Veterans" CSKA
The famous players of the most famous and productive five of CSKA and the USSR national team also tried their hand at the NHL. Many of them began to play for professionals when they were already over thirty. About them and will be discussed.
Vyacheslav Fetisov
One of the most titled players of the USSR played as a defender. In 1989, he became the second official player to play for Canadian professionals.
From 1989 to 1994 he played for the New Jersey Devils, in 1995–1998 he was part of the Detroit Red Wings. For all the matches, and there were 546, the defender scored goals 36 times into the opponent’s goal 36 times. For the merits of Fetisov included in the Hockey Hall of Fame in Canadian Toronto.
Igor Larionov
Overseas scouts drew attention to the magnificent Soviet striker back in 1985, and Igor began playing for the Vancouver Canucks in 1989.
After 3 seasons in the NHL, he played for one year in the Swiss Lugano, and then returned to the United States. Over 12 years he changed 5 clubs and ended his career in 2004 at New Jersey Devils. Larionov raised the Stanley Cup three times over his head.
Sergey Makarov
He began his sports career in Tractor, and then moved to CSKA, in which he became the 13-time USSR Champion. Number 24, under which Makarov played, was retired from the army club.
In 1989, he signed a contract with the renowned Canadian club Calgary Flames. In the first season, he scored 24 goals and gave 64 assists. The first Russian to win the Calder Trophy prize is the best rookie of the season. Then he played for the San Jose Sharks and the Dallas Stars.
Vladimir Krutov
The pupil of CSKA played 439 matches for his native club, in which he scored 288 goals. Twice recognized as the best player in the World Championships, and at the Olympics in Vancouver became the most productive player.
Following the five partners, I went overseas. In the NHL, he played 61 games for the Vancouver Canucks, scoring 11 goals. He did not renew the contract and returned to Europe. He played in Switzerland, and ended his career as a player in Sweden.
Alexey Kasatonov
The first team of Alexei was the Leningrad SKA, for which he played two seasons. Then he moved to CSKA, for which he played 487 games, scoring 115 goals.
He retired from the army in 1989 and moved to the United States, where he played for the New Jersey Devils. He has been in the field of view of the American club since 1983. He played overseas for 9 seasons, and ended his career at CSKA. In his last season 1996/1997 he was a captain and a playing coach, helping his mentor Vyacheslav Tikhonov.
Best of the best on NHL Л 🏆:
The Soviet and Russian hockey schools remain among the best in the world, and therefore overseas clubs are happy to sign contracts with the Russians. We turn the statistics page to present the best Russian players in the history of the NHL. So, meet the magnificent five and the goalkeeper.
Pavel Bure
"Russian rocket," as Paul was called overseas for its incredible speed. Overseas hockey fans were thrilled, because in the first three seasons in the NHL, the Russians scored 154 goals.
Pavel’s great merit is that in 1994 his Vancouver Canucks team reached the finals. All Russia watched that final, and Bure scored 16 goals for all playoff games, and scored 31 points along with assists.
Paul’s team did not become a champion, but then as part of the Florida Panthers twice became the best scorer of the NHL. He ended his career at the New York Rangers after the 2002/2003 season.
Sergey Fedorov
A universal hockey player, a two-way forward was able to perform a real miracle on ice. Overseas and domestic experts unequivocally recognize him as the best NHL player in history with a Russian passport.
In Detroit Red Wings, he played 13 seasons as a center forward, but sometimes changed his role, and even played as a defender. With the club he won 3 Stanley Cups. Colleagues unequivocally recognize Sergei as the greatest hockey player of the era.
In 2015, a photo of Fedorov with a list of achievements took pride of place in the Hall of Fame. The only one who managed to earn Hart and Selki in one season. Fedorov, the first European hockey player to receive the MVP prize. He finished playing in the NHL in 2009, and after 4 years he hung skates on a nail, having played his last season for CSKA.
Pavel Datsyuk
Pavel started at the Yekaterinburg Spartak, and then played for Dynamo and Ak-Bars. In 2001, he signed a contract with the Detroit Red Wings, for which he played 14 seasons.
Largely, thanks to talent and dedication on the Datsyuk site, his team brought the number of entries to the final part of the NHL to 25 times. Two times the Russian striker brought the Stanley Cup to his homeland.
Four times the club, when Pavel played in it, received the “President Trophy” prize as the team with the highest score for the season. Datsyuk shows spectacular hockey that fans like. His feints always perplex the opponent. In total in the NHL spent 953 games, scoring 314 goals.
At the age of 39, Pavel, as part of the Russian national team, became the winner of the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang! TheBiggest wishes Pavel good health and future sports awards!
Alexander Ovechkin
At the age of 16, young Alexander made his debut in the KHL as part of Dynamo Moscow. Over the season he spent 22 matches, having managed to score 2 goals.
In 2005, he began playing for the Washington Capitals, and continues to play for this American club. The only Russian wizard to putter and puck who managed to score more than 500 pucks in the League. At the end of the 2019 season, the best striker scored 648 goals. In 2018, he won with the Washington team and won the honorary trophy, and his name appeared on the Stanley Cup.
Alexander played seven times in all-star matches, scored the most points three times a season three times and received the Presidential Cup. Ovechkin also showed excellent results at international games, putting on the ammunition of the Red Machine.
Evgeni Malkin
Another Enkhael player who on ice proves that he deserves to be called the best hockey player of the League and the world. The talented center forward in 2006 did not return home from Finland with Metallurg.
In the same year, it was announced for the season with the Pittsburgh Penguins. “Penguins” that year after a long break were again in the playoff grid. This was the merit of Malkin, who felt great at new venues.
The coaching staff sets special tasks for Malkin, which is why the average performance of the striker is only 1.18 per game. But in the playoffs of 2017, he scored 28 scoring points, becoming the best forward. Three times, Eugene won the NHL finals and four times received the Prince of Wales Cup with the team. He was recognized as the most valuable player, like Ovechkin.
Sergey Bobrovsky
Closed our peculiar Russian five NHL illustrious Russian goalkeeper Sergei Bobrovsky. He began to play, protecting the gates of the Novokuznetsk Metallurg. The place at the base was entrusted to him when he was only eighteen years old.
In 2010 he moved to the Philadelphia Flyers, for which he defended at the gates for two full seasons. After 3 years, he put on a sweater and the Columbus Blue Jackets emblem, the colors of this club are protected now. In his sports piggy bank there are two prizes of Vezina Trophy. In 2017, he was awarded the right to take the gate in a prestigious match overseas, in which all the stars of the NHL play.
Success in club professional leagues contributed to the invitation to the national team. At the international level, Bobrovsky is again on top, and was recognized as the best and most reliable goalkeeper of the planet.
Mean statistics
Among Russian NHL legionnaires, 11 hockey players won the main trophy more than once. Five of them raised this huge bowl three times over their heads. Everything is on our list, except for Sergey Brylin.
Sergey Zubov
He won the League as part of different teams. First with the New York Rangers in 1994, and 5 years later with the Dallas Stars.
Sergey Nemchinov
He was Zubov’s teammate in the Rangers, when the club won the Cup, and in 2000 Nemchinov won the League final again, but as part of the Devils from New Jersey.
Oleg Tverdovsky
Russian defender defended the colors of the New Jersey Devils. With whom he won the 2003 Stanley Cup. Three years later he repeated the success, but already in the sweater "Carolina Hurricanes."
Conclusion
As you can see, the founders of hockey in the NHL championships gained fame, including the famous hockey players first with a Soviet and then a Russian passport. By tradition, every hockey player who wins the Stanley Cup with his club can take him home. So, this honorary trophy has visited 9 Russian cities, and some more than once. At the end of the 2018 season, the names of 30 Russians and three Russian coaches are engraved on the cup itself.
On this our article came to an end. Editorial The Biggest awaits interesting comments from our beloved readers. Perhaps we forgot some famous Russian hockey players playing in the National Hockey League?
Article author: Valery Skiba