In 1975, Футбол Хоккей collected four statements on second-time winner Vladislav Tretyak by his predecessors Firsov (poll winner 1968, 1969 and 1971), Konovalenko (1970), Maltsev (1972) and Kharlamov (1972, 1973). Their statements reflect Tretyak's singular rank among Soviet goaltenders and at the same time reveal the lack of depth Soviet goaltending was suffering from – contrary to Tretyak's own optimistic statement from 1974.
Valeri Kharlamov:
"It was a difficult season for all the players in the national team and especially for our goalkeeper: the matches with the Canadian professionals, the Izvestia Cup, the World Championship. In almost every match, the goal was tended by Tretyak, and in almost everyone of them he had to work hard. Add the countless games of the domestic championship in which Tretyak also played and you will understand what kind of load was on his shoulders. And sometimes it was too much for him and he let in weak goals (...). But in general, there was nothing to blame him for. Was he not seriously preparing for the games? Did he allow himself to train with a lukewarm attitude? Did he try to impress the spectators in any single instance? No, no and no. If he allowed a goal of the kind a high-class goaltender shouldn't have let in, it was due to the fatigue which built up gradually and made itself felt from time to time.
I know how mistakes chew on Tretyak. And yet, at the right moment, he makes himself forget about them and plays with such spirit as if the season had just begun and he had just taken a break for a month. Performing with such spirit, confident and reliable, Vladislav was – in my opinion – again the best goaltender at the World Championship, even if Jiří Holeček got the official recognition. But after all, it was our goaltender who won the head-to-head duel Tretyak vs Holeček in the key games of the tournament. As for the battles of Tretyak with the forwards, there is an even more tangible avantage on his side. A breakaway, where a forward goes one-against-one with the goaltender, is almost always a goal. Even with a great goaltender. Except with Tretyak."
Viktor Konovalenko:
"If there is one player this season who had to carry overloads, even extreme overloads, it is Tretyak. There's a lot of talk about how the first five of CSKA carried the main burden on their shoulders in the most important games, and rightly so. But then, the Petrov line as well as the army defencemen got at least a little rest during each match. And the goaltender was always on the ice! (...) In the matches with the Canadian professionals, the crucial games for the domestic championship and at the World Championship, Vladislav was at his best.
Were there failures? Some blunders in his performances? Yes, there were. Why? Everyone who watches hockey can answer this question: Tretyak did not have a minute of rest.
Tretyak has been the number one goaltender in our country for three years. And in all these years it was not possible to find worthy partner, neither in the national team nor in the club. Over the past three years, his backups have been Pashkov, Sidelnikov and Krivolapov, but not one of them was on par with him. Because our goaltenders have not yet learned how to work in training like Vladislav.
Yes, there were letdowns in the game of our goaltenders. But remember, in the main matches he was beyond praise. And that's the evidence of his quality. A classy athlete knows how to get himself together for the important games. I admit, Tretyak played rather bad at the Izvestia Cup in Prague. But when the World Championship came and it was time for the first duel with the Czechoslovak team, he was brilliant."
Anatoli Firsov:
"If everyone in our hockey had the attitude of Tretyak, no future opponent would be scary to us and our life as coaches would be much simpler. Athletes have periods when it looks like they would forget about the very word 'hockey' if they wouldn't gaze at the ice, the stick and the puck. At times I have experienced that myself. And with the current players, it perhaps happens more often than in my time. Even more with the leading players who set the tone on the national team and on CSKA. Their workloads are super high! And it doesn't surprise me when an experienced athlete frowns when he hears that the next training session is scheduled for the day right after the game or he even grumbles 'oh great, the off-day was cancelled again' or something like that.
I don't have to explain why Tretyak is burdened more than all the most burdened ones. But you won't even notice a shadow of displeasure in his eyes when he's told it's necessary to increase the loads or prolong the already difficult occupation."
Alexander Maltsev:
"I don't presume to count how many matches I have played against CSKA or even how many shots I made on their goal. But it's certain that goals against them are very rare. Even though I have tried to get the shot off unexpectedly, either from under the skate of a defenceman or after faking a pass, I have almost never managed to catch Tretyak by surprise. He has an amazing goaltending instinct and seems to know in advance where, at which point, the puck will be fired. And Tretyak knows exactly when to stay in the goal and when to move out towards the forward. In this and in other situations, he manages to react to the shot in the fraction of a second does not just reach the puck but catch it.
That's how Tretyak plays in his best games. In the best games and in most games. Of course, there are unsuccessful games too. There were in the current season, in particular in the middle. But Tretyak got himself together (...)
Yes, Vladislav Tretyak has become a worthy successor to Viktor Konovalenko. But if Viktor had good backups in his day, I don't see any goaltender today who could replace Tretyak and give him an opportunity to rest."
