Krutov/Larionov/Kurri as junior players:
77/78 Age 17
U18 European Championship
Vladimir Krutov 5 gp, 6 g, 7 a, 13 pts
Jari Kurri 4 gp, 6 g, 2 a, 8 pts (Best Forward award)
Igor Larionov 5 gp, 2 g, 1 a, 3 pts
78/79 Age 18
U20 World Championships
Vladimir Krutov 6 gp, 8 g, 6 a, 14 pts (Leading Scorer, Best Forward award)
Igor Larionov 5 gp, 2 g, 4 a, 6 pts
Jari Kurri 6 gp, 2 g, 3 a, 5 pts
79/80 Age 19
U20 World Championships
Vladimir Krutov 5 gp, 7 g, 4 a, 11 pts (Leading Scorer, Best Forward award)
Jari Kurri 5 gp, 4 g, 7 a, 11 pts (2nd in scoring)
Igor Larionov 5 gp, 3 g, 3 a, 6 pts
Olympics
Vladimir Krutov 7 gp, 6 g, 5 a, 11 pts (7th in scoring)
Jari Kurri 7 gp, 2 g, 1 a, 3 pts
As a junior player Krutov was far ahead of both Kurri and Larionov on the international stage. Based on my eye test of the available footage from the 1980 Olympics he also relied far more on his speed than his strenght in his junior days. Unless someone believes that Krutov already had been singled out and was on steroids at the age of 17 or 18 I see no reason to doubt that he was one of the most naturally talented players in Soviet hockey history as opposed to only a product of steroids. And I have never seen any indication of Krutov being on steroids already as a junior player especially considering that Larionov states that all members of the Green Unit refused to accept mysterious injections prior to the 1982 World Championships.
Also that two unknown members of the Vancouver Canucks organisation said that Larionov had hinted to them that Krutov was on steroids is not exactly what I would call strong evidence. And even if it would be true it certainly does not prove that Krutov was juicing already as a junior player when he dominated the World Juniors two years in a row. No matter if the allegations against Krutov is accurate or not I strongly believe that Krutov would have been/was one of the best Soviet players of his generation with or without steroids. His junior career certainly suggest that. And personally I think that Krutovs failure to adjust to life outside of the soviet/red army system was more a case of not being able to handle freedom and the responsabilities that comes with it. But I agree that his sudden fall is mysterious and while I am far from convinced that Krutov was on steroids in his prime it is certainly possible. I highly doubt that he was as a junior player though and I strongly disagree with the notion of Krutov only being a product of steroids.