VMBM
Hansel?!
Very interesting information on Mikhailov, Petrov and Kharlamov. Some of it was familiar, since I have Kharlamov's autobiography (in Finnish), but there are a lot of new quotes etc for me too.
These pieces of information further emphasize the matter that I've been wondering a long time; Boris Mikhailov was a unique as a Soviet player in the sense that he was such a late bloomer, and maybe this applies to other countries' players too, although e.g. Phil Esposito had a somewhat similar career path. It really seems that the year 1972 and the 1972-73 season was very crucial to Mikhailov (and probably Petrov too), even though he had had some good seasons prior to that also. Namely, if Mikhailov (and Petrov) would not have been reunited with Kharlamov on CSKA Moscow's and the national team's top line, would he have been just another Mishakov, or maybe more probably a Vikulov or a Kapustin in Soviet hockey history? It's possible that I'm selling him a bit short there, though, and that the move was inevitable really. Firsov was aging and had been dropped from the national team, and despite his early shortcomings, there arguably was no better center on CSKA than Petrov. Plus Vikulov's failure at the 1972 Summit Series was probably another factor, and so Mikhailov was finally seen as CSKA's - if not quite yet the Soviets' - best right winger. However, I can't help wondering what would have happened if CSKA had, for example, acquired Aleksandr Maltsev from Dynamo Moscow in 1972... Maybe not the most realistic scenario in the world, but anyway...
Whatever the case, Mikhailov certainly made the best of the situation, and, FINALLY, he became a superstar at 28/29 and remained that until 34/35, basically until he retired. Still, I have to say that these quotes reassert my unwawering belief that Valeri Kharlamov was easily the best player of the three. I do think that in 1977-79/80, especially Mikhailov and (although SPOTY/Golden Stick voting doesn't always support that) even Petrov were better and more important players than Kharlamov, especially on the national team, but it doesn't close the gap that Kharlamov attained in 1969-1976.
BTW, I'm writing a piece on the 1979 Challenge Cup, with emphasis on the Soviet team and lines, and with lots of video clips. It was an interesting series also concerning the Kharlamov-Petrov-Mikhailov line - despite Kharlamov being injured already late in the first game - since I think the 1978-79 season was their last truly great one. Hopefully I get it done by the next week.
These pieces of information further emphasize the matter that I've been wondering a long time; Boris Mikhailov was a unique as a Soviet player in the sense that he was such a late bloomer, and maybe this applies to other countries' players too, although e.g. Phil Esposito had a somewhat similar career path. It really seems that the year 1972 and the 1972-73 season was very crucial to Mikhailov (and probably Petrov too), even though he had had some good seasons prior to that also. Namely, if Mikhailov (and Petrov) would not have been reunited with Kharlamov on CSKA Moscow's and the national team's top line, would he have been just another Mishakov, or maybe more probably a Vikulov or a Kapustin in Soviet hockey history? It's possible that I'm selling him a bit short there, though, and that the move was inevitable really. Firsov was aging and had been dropped from the national team, and despite his early shortcomings, there arguably was no better center on CSKA than Petrov. Plus Vikulov's failure at the 1972 Summit Series was probably another factor, and so Mikhailov was finally seen as CSKA's - if not quite yet the Soviets' - best right winger. However, I can't help wondering what would have happened if CSKA had, for example, acquired Aleksandr Maltsev from Dynamo Moscow in 1972... Maybe not the most realistic scenario in the world, but anyway...
Whatever the case, Mikhailov certainly made the best of the situation, and, FINALLY, he became a superstar at 28/29 and remained that until 34/35, basically until he retired. Still, I have to say that these quotes reassert my unwawering belief that Valeri Kharlamov was easily the best player of the three. I do think that in 1977-79/80, especially Mikhailov and (although SPOTY/Golden Stick voting doesn't always support that) even Petrov were better and more important players than Kharlamov, especially on the national team, but it doesn't close the gap that Kharlamov attained in 1969-1976.
BTW, I'm writing a piece on the 1979 Challenge Cup, with emphasis on the Soviet team and lines, and with lots of video clips. It was an interesting series also concerning the Kharlamov-Petrov-Mikhailov line - despite Kharlamov being injured already late in the first game - since I think the 1978-79 season was their last truly great one. Hopefully I get it done by the next week.
