Best Soviet team of all time?

[FedorBure]

Which year had the best Soviet hockey team of all time?

Bonus points if you can put the lines together

Thanks!

 

[VMBM]

The Soviet teams in the 1978-79 season & 1981-82 season were the best IMO.

1979 WHC (group game vs. Czechoslovakia):

Forwards (RW-C-LW):
Mikhailov-Petrov-Kharlamov
Balderis-Zhluktov-Kapustin
Makarov-V. Golikov-A. Golikov
Skvortsov-Lebedev-Yakushev

Defense:
Tsygankov-Lutshenko
Vasiliev-Babinov
Bilyaletdinov-Pervukhin

Goalie:
Tretyak

1982 WHC (group game vs. Czechoslovakia)

Forwards (RW-C-LW):
Makarov-Larionov-Krutov
Shalimov-Shepelev-Kapustin
Tyumenev-V. Golikov-Kozevnikov
Drotsdetsky-Zhluktov-Khomutov

Defense:
Kasatonov-Fetisov
V. Vasiliev-Babinov
Bilyaletdinov-Pervukhin

Goalie:
Tretyak

I don't know which one was better, but both teams were very strong on paper & on the ice.

 

[tommygunn]

1978 WHC team

The Soviet teams in the 1978-79 season & 1981-82 season were the best IMO.

1979 WHC (group game vs. Czechoslovakia):

Forwards (RW-C-LW):
Mikhailov-Petrov-Kharlamov
Balderis-Zhluktov-Kapustin
Makarov-V. Golikov-A. Golikov
Skvortsov-Lebedev-Yakushev

Defense:
Tsygankov-Lutshenko
Vasiliev-Babinov
Bilyaletdinov-Pervukhin

Goalie:
Tretyak

1982 WHC (group game vs. Czechoslovakia)

Forwards (RW-C-LW):
Makarov-Larionov-Krutov
Shalimov-Shepelev-Kapustin
Tyumenev-V. Golikov-Kozevnikov
Drotsdetsky-Zhluktov-Khomutov

Defense:
Kasatonov-Fetisov
V. Vasiliev-Babinov
Bilyaletdinov-Pervukhin

Goalie:
Tretyak

I don't know which one was better, but both teams were very strong on paper & on the ice.

It's been debated before, but I still stand by my opinion of the 1978 team being better. Take out Skvortsov, Yakushev, and Babinov from '79 and add in Maltsev and Fetisov and you have the 1978 WHC team.

Imo,
Fetisov + Maltsev > Babinov + Skvortsov + Yakushev

 

[VMBM]

It's been debated before, but I still stand by my opinion of the 1978 team being better. Take out Skvortsov, Yakushev, and Babinov from '79 and add in Maltsev and Fetisov and you have the 1978 WHC team.

Imo,
Fetisov + Maltsev > Babinov + Skvortsov + Yakushev

Just can't get over the fact that they lost 3-8 to Czechoslovakia in the 1977-78 season (and on their home-ice, no less = in the 1977 Izvestia tournament). Or that they won the 1978 world championship only by goal differential. Yes, they played in Prague vs. strong Czechoslovakian team, and they were plagued by injuries... but a year later, the 1979 team simply crushed the opposition.

IMO the 1979 team gave better performances.

 

[tommygunn]

Just can't get over the fact that they lost 3-8 to Czechoslovakia in the 1977-78 season (and on their home-ice, no less = in the 1977 Izvestia tournament). Or that they won the 1978 world championship only by goal differential. Yes, they played in Prague vs. strong Czechoslovakian team, and they were plagued by injuries... but a year later, the 1979 team simply crushed the opposition.

IMO the 1979 team gave better performances.

The team that lost 8-3 in '77 Izvestia didn't have Fetisov, Bilyaletdinov, Zhluktov, and the Golikovs...

 

[VMBM]

The team that lost 8-3 in '77 Izvestia didn't have Fetisov, Bilyaletdinov, Zhluktov, and the Golikovs...

Don't want to turn this into a ping pong match, but I'd just like to say that the lineup changed quite a lot during the 1978-79 season too, but the performances were very consistent. For example, in game 3 of the 1979 Challenge Cup, Alexander Golikov played with Mikhailov and Petrov on the top line, while Makarov played with Irek Gimaev and Viktor Tyumenev (neither was in the lineup for g1) on the 3rd line, since Kharlamov and Vladimir Golikov had been injured in previous games. Hardly an ideal situation, and yet they beat the NHL All-Stars 6-0.

 

[Peter25]

The Soviet teams in the 1978-79 season & 1981-82 season were the best IMO.

Why would you leave out the 1980-1981 team which won the World Championships and the Canada Cup?

 

[Pominville Knows]

Why would you leave out the 1980-1981 team which won the World Championships and the Canada Cup?

He did not leave the Canada Cup one out...

 

[Theokritos]

He did not leave the Canada Cup one out...

Right. The 1981 Canada Cup was held at the beginning of the 1981-1982 season. As always.

 

[Big Phil]

I would say the 1979 or 1981 teams. To be honest, outside of that one bad game in 1980 (Miracle on Ice game) you could throw in that team as well. I think you can pick either one of 1979 or 1981. Both were deadly, could score in bunches, won the deciding game quite convincingly and left an impression on North American hockey, if not a blow. 1981 you've got the first glimpse of the KLM players, but 1979 had a bit of a balance between the old and the new. Hard to pick.

One thing for sure, it isn't the 1987 team like is often mentioned. Great, great team, and scary team, but might have had a tad less depth up front and of course were missing Tretiak by then as well.

 

[JMCx4]

Any Soviet team with Vladimir Putin on the roster. Guaranteed win, by a HUGE margin.

 

[Staniowski]

I agree that it's sometime in the late '70s or early '80s.

Fetisov and Makarov were great young players (and Krutov, Kasatonov, etc., depending on what year); a lot of the core '70s guys were still there, including Vasiliev; and guys like Kapustin, the Golikov brothers, Purvukhin, Bilyaletdinov, etc.

Lots of very good players.

 

[MaxV]

Despite the result, the 1980 team has to be considered, at least on paper.

That roster was STACKED.

 

[VanIslander]

In the 1979 Challenge Series, the Soviets beat the NHL stars 6-0.

In the 1981 Canada Cup, the Soviets beat Canada 8-1.

THOSE are the prime candidates. Post-Czechoslovakian world golds, pre-1984 Canada Cup Canadian victory.

 

[Talisman]

Despite the result, the 1980 team has to be considered, at least on paper.

That roster was STACKED.

only Kapustin was absent...

 

[Peiskos]

1981 USSR at the Canada Cup remains the only Soviet team to ever win a best vs best tournament in the history of that nation. Thus with regards to actually winning, its 1981.

Apart from that.. the Soviets were nothing more than a mirage, smoke a mirrors, a team that had the luxury of beating up on the amateurs of the world for a half century only to assume their true place at #2 when Canada's best would take the ice.

Of course nothing to take away from Soviet hockey, very talented just incorrectly misrepresented for something they were not.

 

[GMR]

1981 USSR at the Canada Cup remains the only Soviet team to ever win a best vs best tournament in the history of that nation. Thus with regards to actually winning, its 1981.

Apart from that.. the Soviets were nothing more than a mirage, smoke a mirrors, a team that had the luxury of beating up on the amateurs of the world for a half century only to assume their true place at #2 when Canada's best would take the ice.

Of course nothing to take away from Soviet hockey, very talented just incorrectly misrepresented for something they were not.

Don Cherry, is that you?

 

[Staniowski]

only Kapustin was absent...

Was Kapustin injured?

 

[Staniowski]

Despite the result, the 1980 team has to be considered, at least on paper.

That roster was STACKED.

They were stacked, no doubt about it.

And it was the first major tournament for Krutov and Kasatonov, and the last for Kharlamov.

Krutov and Maltsev were linemates.

 

[VMBM]

Was Kapustin injured?

Yes... Did it happen during the 1979-80 Super Series, or before that? I can't remember. At least Kapustin didn't play in the latter part of that tour, and Makarov replaced him on the line with Zhluktov and Balderis, and they were arguably the best CSKA line in the series.

 

[Kshahdoo]

1981 USSR at the Canada Cup remains the only Soviet team to ever win a best vs best tournament in the history of that nation. Thus with regards to actually winning, its 1981.

Apart from that.. the Soviets were nothing more than a mirage, smoke a mirrors, a team that had the luxury of beating up on the amateurs of the world for a half century only to assume their true place at #2 when Canada's best would take the ice.

Of course nothing to take away from Soviet hockey, very talented just incorrectly misrepresented for something they were not.

And why wasn't Challenge Cup a best-vs-best tournament?

 

[VMBM]

And why wasn't Challenge Cup a best-vs-best tournament?

Probably because it was the Soviets vs "NHL All Stars" and not vs Team Canada, although basically it was Canada (of the 3 Swedes, only Börje Salming got significant ice time).

 

[Namba 17]

It's 1979 team easily. In that year that team lost ONE game in all the tournaments they participated (!) - the 1st game of the Challenge Cup. Their victories include 11-1 vs star CSSR team (Kralik, Bubla, Chalupa, Dvorak, Novy, Hlinka, Martinec, Peter Stastny) and 6-0 vs Canada team (NHL stars + Salming). And not only results - the quality of the game was on another level, you can watch it with your eyes - I've never seen such a team neither before, nor later. That was truly "machine".

And why wasn't Challenge Cup a best-vs-best tournament?

Because Canada lost.

 

[Pasha71]

I'd say the Olympic victory moment in 1984 was the pinnacle of Soviet hockey success. After Sarajevo, the Soviet national team was the world (and European) champion, the Olympic champion, the Canada Cup winner, the Izvestia Trophy winner, the Rude Pravo Cup winner and the Sweden Cup winner... basically, the champion of everything.

A short time later, the Soviets lost the Sweden Cup to Czechoslovakia. Then, the Canada Cup. Then, the World Championship...

 

[smokingwriter]

I go with the 1981 Soviet team. The loss in 1980 at the Olympics suggests that maybe they didn't transition away from some veterans fast enough, so I tend to view the 1981 Soviet team as being more grimly determined, as bringing in some needed youthful talent (they had Fetisov on the backend for the 1981 Canada Cup, whereas I don't think he was on the 1979 World Championship roster; they had Krutov and Larionov and Kasatonov in the lineup in '81, which they didn't have in 1979; and, in any case, Makarov was two years older and even better), and as probably being even more well-trained and well-prepared in the lead-up for the 1981 Canada Cup than they were for the 1979 Challenge Cup (again, because of the upset loss to Team Murica). Funny thing is, that Soviet team lost an exhibition game just before the start of the 1981 Canada Cup to Canada (4-3, I think), and then lost again to Canada, 7-3, in the preliminary round. But the game that really mattered was the one they ran away with, and deservedly so. I guess I mention this because I don't believe they were seven goals better than Team Canada - but they certainly were that September day in '81. I think this was the zenith of Soviet hockey, and it's unfortunate they lost to the rah-rah Excited States because they were outstanding from 1978 through until Tretiak's retirement. Incidentally, they forced Canada to give up some, though not all, of its delusions after that Championship game, too.

Tremendous team. And a lot of fun to watch.