My tribute to Makarov.

[Danny46]

Him and Bure are the 2 best right wingers i ever saw in my life, so much skill and always very smart with the puck, shooting and passing at the right time.

 

[Sentinel]

1985. CSKA vs. Montreal 6-1. Makarov scores a hat trick.

 

[Danny46]

I love to watch the russians when they gave hockey lessons to the NHL teams, i prefer the 6-3 win against Edmonton, the Krutov goal in that game on a counter attack is just brilliant hockey. HC CSKA Moscow was without a doubt the best Hockey team in the World in the 1970's and 1980's...

 

[VMBM]

I love to watch the russians when they gave hockey lessons to the NHL teams, i prefer the 6-3 win against Edmonton, the Krutov goal in that game on a counter attack is just brilliant hockey. HC CSKA Moscow was without a doubt the best Hockey team in the World in the 1970's and 1980's...

CSKA the best hockey team in the 1970s, and without a doubt? I'd disagree on that... For example, their games vs the Canadiens in 1975 and 1979 don't support that claim, and both times they even had a few players from other club teams in the lineup as reinforcements.

 

[Sentinel]

CSKA the best hockey team in the 1970s, and without a doubt? I'd disagree on that... For example, their games vs the Canadiens in 1975 and 1979 don't support that claim, and both times they even had a few players from other club teams in the lineup as reinforcements.

How about 1980s? What was the record of CSKA vs. NHL clubs in the 1980s? Specifically: during Makarov's tenure.

 

[Theokritos]

How about 1980s? What was the record of CSKA vs. NHL clubs in the 1980s? Specifically: during Makarov's tenure.

Wikipedia has an overview.

 

[VMBM]

How about 1980s? What was the record of CSKA vs. NHL clubs in the 1980s? Specifically: during Makarov's tenure.

In the 1980s, they probably were, although you can't totally dismiss the Edmonton Oilers or the New York Islanders, especially if we're talking about a best-of-seven type of series...

And going back to what I previously said; there might have been times when CSKA was the best in the 1970s too, like in the 1978-79 season; if they had played against NHL club teams then, and not a year later, I think they would have succeeded better.

 

[Spikey]

Cool video.

 

[FerrisRox]

1985. CSKA vs. Montreal 6-1. Makarov scores a hat trick.

I remember watching this game!

My mother - who's favourite player was Jacques Plante - absolutely hated Doug Soetaert and especially hated that he wore Plante's #1 (this was before it was retired.)

 

[Sentinel]

I remember watching this game!

My mother - who's favourite player was Jacques Plante - absolutely hated Doug Soetaert and especially hated that he wore Plante's #1 (this was before it was retired.)

See, don't tell me Canadiens didn't take this game seriously! If it weren't for their god-awful goalie, things would've been a lot closer.

 

[Kshahdoo]

20 year old Makarov scores hatty vs Czech at WHC 1979.

 

[Staniowski]

Makarov was incredible....a very underrated player.

 

[Overrated]

Makarov was incredible....a very underrated player.

In my opinion he is the best Russian player ever, top10 all time.

 

[Staniowski]

In my opinion he is the best Russian player ever, top10 all time.

Yeah, the best forward for sure. Easily one of the five-best scorers in hockey history.

The greatest thing about Makarov, though, is his all-around game. I always consider Makarov and Orr the two closest-to-perfect hockey players ever, in terms of their wide variety of talents.

I'm not sure the first time I saw him play, but I remember him in the '79 Challenge Cup, and he was really, really good. That was his 20-year-ols season. And his style changed a lot over the next year or two, and became a megastar very quickly.

 

[Kshahdoo]

There haven't been another player like Makarov. Maybe Demidov can become the closest to him by style and skill, but his skating isn't even nearly as good as Makarov's was.

 

[Gerulaitis]

In my opinion he is the best Russian player ever, top10 all time.

I think top 2 Russians ever are Tretiak and Fetisov.

Makarov is in top 5

 

[Boxscore]

I think top 2 Russians ever are Tretiak and Fetisov.

Makarov is in top 5

I agree with this. Tretiak and Fetisov 1 and 2. Perhaps...

1. Tretiak
2. Fetisov
3. Makarov
4. Ovechkin
5. Kharlamov

??

There were so many amazing Soviets/Russians that it's nearly impossible to choose... but those guys would be my personal Top-5 if I had to select.

 

[Overrated]

I think top 2 Russians ever are Tretiak and Fetisov.

Makarov is in top 5

I think Tretiak can often be heavily overrated. He probably was the best goalie of the 1970s but Dryden and Holecek were of similar level. It's due to the fact he was by far the best Soviet goalie ever but that is due to the overall relative low level of Soviet goaltending.

 

[Gerulaitis]

I think Tretiak can often be heavily overrated. He probably was the best goalie of the 1970s but Dryden and Holecek were of similar level. It's due to the fact he was by far the best Soviet goalie ever but that is due to the overall relative low level of Soviet goaltending.

Yes, Tretiak was the best goaltender of the 1970s and the early 1980s.

I wouldn't think it that the level of the Soviet goaltending was relatively low. Can you win so many tournaments on all levels over several decades if you don't produce high-caliber goaltenders?

 

[Overrated]

Yes, Tretiak was the best goaltender of the 1970s and the early 1980s.

I wouldn't think it that the level of the Soviet goaltending was relatively low. Can you win so many tournaments on all levels over several decades if you don't produce high-caliber goaltenders?

Well there weren't many great hockey nations back then. There were only four really: Canada, USSR, CSSR and Sweden. So it wasn't like winning 5 world cups for Brazil. The Soviet goaltending was worse than both Canadian and Czechoslovak and by quite a large margin if we don't count Tretiak. He was a total outlier. The reason they dominated was due to their insane offensive talent and of course Tretiak. In the 1960s and 70s even the Soviet defense was relatively weak and worse than the Czechoslovak defense. It's just that their offense was significantly better than anyone's. That is why I constantly say guys like Dionne and Clarke are heavily overrated. I am taking any of the 1970s Firsov, Kharlamov, Petrov, Mikhailov, Maltsev, Yakushev, Balderis, Makarov before I am taking either of the two.

By the late 70s the Soviets fixed their defensive problems and became the best in the world. In the 80s Tretiak retired and Canada somehow had Gretzky and Lemieux playing in the same era so the Soviets dropped to #2 again...

 

[Gerulaitis]

Well there weren't many great hockey nations back then. There were only four really: Canada, USSR, CSSR and Sweden. So it wasn't like winning 5 world cups for Brazil. The Soviet goaltending was worse than both Canadian and Czechoslovak and by quite a large margin if we don't count Tretiak. He was a total outlier. The reason they dominated was due to their insane offensive talent and of course Tretiak. In the 1960s and 70s even the Soviet defense was relatively weak and worse than the Czechoslovak defense. It's just that their offense was significantly better than anyone's. That is why I constantly say guys like Dionne and Clarke are heavily overrated. I am taking any of the 1970s Firsov, Kharlamov, Petrov, Mikhailov, Maltsev, Yakushev, Balderis, Makarov before I am taking either of the two.

By the late 70s the Soviets fixed their defensive problems and became the best in the world. In the 80s Tretiak retired and Canada somehow had Gretzky and Lemieux playing in the same era so the Soviets dropped to #2 again...

Actually, there are not many great hockey nations today. Maximum 6.

In the 80s the Soviets and the Canadians were tied for #1.