Sturminator
Love is a duel
Clean English version of Veniamin Alexandrov's profile at the Russian site Championat:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Veniamin Alexandrov was born April 18, 1937 in Moscow and, like most boys of that era, played football and hockey in the yard from an early age. But unlike most boys, he was selected to play for CSKA Moscow at the age of 18.
Alexandrov played on Almetov's wing. His game is considered a classic - he played correctly, and cleanly. Here is how Anatoli Tarasov spoke of this trio:
After the retirement of Loktev and Almetov, Alexandrov played briefly on a line with Vladimir Petrov and Boris Mikhailov. Alexandrov is still fifth all-time in Soviet/Russian league scoring, and his legend and glory have not faded. His main advantage as a player, and the force which drove his play, was outstanding technique. When executed by Alexandrov, any complex technique seemed simple, accessible to everyone. But no one could use these techniques as Alexandrov did. His service to Soviet hockey is that he acted as creator and pioneer, opened a lot of new, interesting techniques, and brought them to perfection. To play in the style of Alexandrov meant to play cleanly, easily and naturally.
His head coach, Tarasov, spoke thusly of this brilliant player and his comrades on the top line:
At the Grenoble Olympic Games in 1968, a gallery of famous athletes was set up. Under the portrait of Alexandrov stood the following caption:
For Veniamin Alexandrov, nothing was impossible on the ice. He could easily stickhandle around any number of opponents, lay an excellent pass, or no less skillfully play the puck off the boards. History was made by his clever flashes up the wing. Very well-rounded player, was equally good as a playmaker or goalscorer, and was extremely difficult for even the best defensemen to contain.
In March, 1963, for example, after many years of failure, the Soviet national team finally overcame the Canadian national team, in many respects thanks to the inspired and powerful play of Alexandrov. Anatoli Tarasov's account of that game:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Assorted Tarasov quotes:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Veniamin Alexandrov was born April 18, 1937 in Moscow and, like most boys of that era, played football and hockey in the yard from an early age. But unlike most boys, he was selected to play for CSKA Moscow at the age of 18.
Alexandrov played on Almetov's wing. His game is considered a classic - he played correctly, and cleanly. Here is how Anatoli Tarasov spoke of this trio:
Anatoli Tarasov said:"Konstantin Loktev - Alexander Almetov - Veniamin Alexandrov - these outstanding forwards were the driving force of CSKA and the Soviet national team in the mid 1960s. Different characters, different styles of play, cemented by the same highly creative understanding of hockey, pursuit of the intellectual game and, of course, a strong friendship. As a result of this unity on the ice, Loktev, Almetov and Alexandrov developed great technique together, intuition necessary to guarantee the highest synchronicity of action. This was the first line on our team; they started the intuitive game, paving the way for the others."
After the retirement of Loktev and Almetov, Alexandrov played briefly on a line with Vladimir Petrov and Boris Mikhailov. Alexandrov is still fifth all-time in Soviet/Russian league scoring, and his legend and glory have not faded. His main advantage as a player, and the force which drove his play, was outstanding technique. When executed by Alexandrov, any complex technique seemed simple, accessible to everyone. But no one could use these techniques as Alexandrov did. His service to Soviet hockey is that he acted as creator and pioneer, opened a lot of new, interesting techniques, and brought them to perfection. To play in the style of Alexandrov meant to play cleanly, easily and naturally.
His head coach, Tarasov, spoke thusly of this brilliant player and his comrades on the top line:
Anatoli Tarasov said:"Sometimes inexperienced hockey fans, and not only them, but also some sports commentators, wonder who would win if Babich, Shuvalov and Bobrov would play Loktev, Almetov and Alexandrov. The question is, of course, naive. Hockey is different now. Loktev, Almetov and Alexandrov certainly know all that their predecessors knew, but they have gone further (and how could they not?...for hockey, as well as life, in general, progresses!). Take Alexandrov, who is now called the second Bobrov, but really plays like Alexandrov. He has managed to rid himself of the vice of individualistic play. For him, as well as for his center Almetov, one could not say that improvement is needed. Alexandrov can and loves to use his teammates, and remains at the same time the brightest "star" in the hockey sky. I have already said that in the one-touch passing game, individual players may seem to remain in the shadows. But when the one-touch line of Alexandrov and Almetov play, is it impossible not to notice Alexandrov! One sees immediately how amazingly sharp, witty and cunning are his passes, how strikingly accurate they are in power, and unexpected in timing."
At the Grenoble Olympic Games in 1968, a gallery of famous athletes was set up. Under the portrait of Alexandrov stood the following caption:
Grenoble Olympics said:"Key player of the strongest hockey team in the world. Olympic champion and world champion. At home, known for his virtuoso technique. One to whom those Russian teams owe their great victories."
For Veniamin Alexandrov, nothing was impossible on the ice. He could easily stickhandle around any number of opponents, lay an excellent pass, or no less skillfully play the puck off the boards. History was made by his clever flashes up the wing. Very well-rounded player, was equally good as a playmaker or goalscorer, and was extremely difficult for even the best defensemen to contain.
In March, 1963, for example, after many years of failure, the Soviet national team finally overcame the Canadian national team, in many respects thanks to the inspired and powerful play of Alexandrov. Anatoli Tarasov's account of that game:
Anatoli Tarasov said:"This tournament was one of the most dramatic and intense in the history of hockey. Before the last match, the final standings of the Soviet and Canadian national teams depended not only on victory or defeat, but also on the margin of victory. In order to become world champions again for the first time since 1956, our team needed a 1-0 victory, or a victory by at least two goals. All other outcomes would make Sweden world champions. Here the author will quote the dearly departed longtime sports observer Victor Frolov's description of the first minute of the game:
' … He (Alexandrov) beat the defense at great speed, and flew towards the Canadian goal. After beating the goaltender, he did not shoot the goal, himself, but laid a pass on Almetov's tape for an easy tap-in. Martin, the phenomenal Canadian goalkeeper, was powerless to stop him… The score became 1:0, but the game was all but over at that point. After that, our national team was inspired, and played powerfully, easily'".
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Assorted Tarasov quotes:
The Father of Russian Hockey: pg. 15 said:"A few words about the purpose of stickhandling. True, they say there are different types of stick handling past an opponent. It is one thing when the attacker gets past his guard by skating around in a big arc, deviating from his goal, that is to say, just to get past his opponent without creating a dangerous moment. But it is altogether something else when an attacker stick handles past a player causing panic in the enemy ranks, when there is a threat to the goal.
Some of our leading players have developed such an important quality when it comes to stick handling - purposefulness. I have in mind Veniamin Alexandrov or, for instance, Anatoli Firsov. Defensemen really start sweating when they see these two players rocketing down on them."
Road to Olympus: pg. 74 said:"Standing in the left wing slot of the forward line is another hockey great, Veniamin Alexandrov.
I have already pointed out that Alexandrov grew up in the Central Army hockey school. He is 29 and has already earned himself a good name in world hockey. But I remember not only the cheering crowds in the USSR, Czechoslovakia, Sweden and Finland whenever he came out on the ice, I remember not only the posters reading "ALEXANDROV" at stadiums in the United States and Canada. I also remember his first steps in big time hockey.
His sports biography could hardly be better. He was already in the first string when Babich and Bobrov were still playing, and ever since then, for more than ten years now, he has been considered one of the leading hockey players in the country.
Alexandrov's main weapon is perfect technique. He never allows himself to rest on his oars. For him there is no limit to learning. The famous French painter, Degas, once said: "If you have talent worth a hundred thousand francs, buy another five sous worth." And Alexandrov will always spend those five sous. At training sessions, he keeps on polishing new feints, passes, fake motions. If he does not know how to do something, he will keep on practising until he does.
Alexandrov has contributed a great deal to Soviet hockey. It is indicative that he is not afraid of taking chances and will show something new, something that he did not have before, not only at training sessions, but even during a most crucial game.
Following the creative and sports development of this hockey player down through the years, I come to realize more fully what K. Stanislavsky meant when he wrote: "There is no art that does not require virtuosity, and their [sic.] is no limit to this virtuosity."
Road to Olympus: pg. 92-93 said:"In such an outstanding hockey player as Veniamin Alexandrov courage also acquires peculiar features.
In fact, at one time it even became quite popular to speak and write about his cautiousness, and even cowardice. Moreover, one highly respected Soviet newspaper claimed that this was the case. But is it right?
No, a thousand times no! Alexandrov is a brave, resolute and courageous hockey player. The fact that he has 280 goals scored speaks for itself. Alexandrov is, in fact, the highest scoring player in the history of the USSR National team. He has chalked up 68 goals in the World Championship games. He was high scorer in the 1966 World Championship Tournament. And all this in difficult and rough games against the Canadians, the Swedes and the Czechs, in games where there were no compromises in the fight for the world hockey crown. Only a courageous sportsman, knowing sports, taking chances when need be, able to play cautiously, attentively, and at the same time, presenting a great danger to the enemy, could have attained such results.
In a game against a strong opponent you will never score if you do not fight for the puck, and take chances. It is not so easy to score from the wings or from the blue line. This means is it necessary to get into a more convenient position to get a shot at the net. But this 'kill zone' is especially well-guarded. And any player who is taking a shot at the enemy net or in a scramble near the goal is almost sure to get hit by the opponent.
How then is it possible to label Alexandrov a coward? Of course, he can be lucky in one or two games, but he cannot always be lucky, not in every game, and for so many seasons in a row!
Any forward charging in on the enemy net at top speed stands a chance of being cut down. But even in the most crucial moments, Alexandrov never loses his head, nothing can distract from his shot at the net.
I remember my conversation with the famous Maurice 'The Rocket' Richard. When I asked him how he had managed to score more than 500 goals playing against such strong teams in the NHL, he told me that he always kept the goal in his line of vision, and secondly, he tried to get the goalie out of the net by some fake motion, or a pause when the goalie's nerves give in and he starts to move in the direction of the expected trajectory of the puck. Richard said that he always tried to bear it or not pay any attention to the knocks he got from the burly defensemen. He really knew how angry the enemy would be when he scored and did not pay and attention to them.
And this is why I think our Alexandrov, by his style of game, by his ability to keep a level head even in the most explosive situations, looks something like Maurice Richard, that brilliant master of attack."
Last edited: