Greatest Russian/Soviet NHL Player?

[North Buffalo]

Sorry gotta go with Datsyuk was god... His passing, all around game and playoff clutch was something special to watch... bet he could still play in the NHL even if for a short time.

[Marvin]

3 hours ago, Stu said:

I took this as a "for one game in their prime" vote.  Who was the greatest on their greatest day - my pick is Bure (fully aware that he may threaten to sit out the game unless I drop off 1 Million cash to his private locker room an hour before puck drop)

Or have his buddies give you an offer that you can not refuse.

[Neo]

I’m watching The Russian Five ...  watch it, everyone.   It’s worth it to re-watch Detroit vs Colorado, alone.

Edited May 2, 2020 by Neo

[nfreeman]

5 hours ago, Neo said:

I’m watching The Russian Five ...  watch it, everyone.   It’s worth it to re-watch Detroit vs Colorado, alone.

Great hockey documentary.  Everyone in this thread would definitely enjoy it.

[DarthEbriate]

On 5/2/2020 at 2:53 PM, Neo said:

I’m watching The Russian Five ...  watch it, everyone.   It’s worth it to re-watch Detroit vs Colorado, alone.

Excellent film. 
Bure and that 93-94 Canucks team first got me into hockey when I got cable. So he’s my guy and I wish he’d never caught that skate under the boards that shredded his knee. He could have been more than amazing. 
The best though... no. For that I have to go with Ovie on all around game and attitude. Fedorov is a close second because he was whatever Scotty needed him to be. 

Edited May 4, 2020 by DarthEbriate

[Curt]

I went with Fedorov because he was a great all around player.  He could truly do it all.  I have to put Alexander the Great just behind him though, and if Ovechkin can keep up this ridiculous level of play for his age a while longer, he’ll no doubt finish his career #1.

[Doohickie]

I'll just leave this here:

If not for a tragic limousine accident after the 1997 Cup win, Vladimir Konstantinov might have dominated for many more years.  The thing that blows my mind about his hitting is that he never targeted the head; it was always body to body or shoulder to shoulder.  Most of those hits would be legal even under today's rules.

[Kruppstahl]

On 4/30/2020 at 9:40 AM, GASabresIUFAN said:

I saw this debate elsewhere and thought we should have our 2 cents.   This debate seemed easy at first blush, but when I started to put the poll together I realized how difficult this could be.  I had forgotten initially what a great career Sergei Federov had and how awesome both Gonchar and Zubov were on defense.  There are also the great all around play of Datsyuk, the offensive dominance of Malkin and of course the great scoring of Ovie.  We also can't forget the emerging dominance of Nikita Kucherov, is in the best of the Russian (not Soviet) born players.

This should be an interesting discussion.

  

No Vlad Tretiak on your list?

?

?

 

[GASabresIUFAN]

3 hours ago, Kruppstahl said:

No Vlad Tretiak on your list?

?

?

 

He never played in the NHL.  Tretiak was arguably the greatest goalie of all time, however there is no reasonable way to compare him to Hasek for example since he never played in the NHL.  That's why this poll is limited to NHL players.  

Edited May 7, 2020 by GASabresIUFAN

[Taro T]

31 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

He never played in the NHL.  Tretiak was arguably the greatest goalie of all time, how there is no reasonable way to compare his to Hasek for example since he never played in the NHL.  That's why this poll is limited to NHL players.  

Never played in the NHL, but he was drafted.

[GASabresIUFAN]

21 minutes ago, Taro T said:

Never played in the NHL, but he was drafted.

So was Tom Glavine.  

[Taro T]

2 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

So was Tom Glavine.  

Yeah, but Tretiak ALMOST had a snowball's chance of playing in the NHL.  If he were about 4 years younger, could have come over when Balderis, Fetisov, and the other Red Army vets were allowed out.

Glavine was never going to give up the baseball money for hockey.

[Weave]

1 minute ago, Taro T said:

Yeah, but Tretiak ALMOST had a snowball's chance of playing in the NHL.  If he were about 4 years younger, could have come over when Balderis, Fetisov, and the other Red Army vets were allowed out.

Glavine was never going to give up the baseball money for hockey.

Read the title of the thread.  That was his only point.

[Taro T]

Just now, Weave said:

Read the title of the thread.  That was his only point.

Saw the title of the thread and actually addressed it in my 1st post in this thread.

Was merely adding info.  Doubt all that many people realize that the Habs took a chance in the 6th of '83 hoping that someday the Soviets would let him out.

Not nearly as dumb as wasting a 1st on a Czechoslovakian in the 1st 2 years earlier.

[mphs mike]

On 5/7/2020 at 4:56 PM, Taro T said:

Saw the title of the thread and actually addressed it in my 1st post in this thread.

Was merely adding info.  Doubt all that many people realize that the Habs took a chance in the 6th of '83 hoping that someday the Soviets would let him out.

Not nearly as dumb as wasting a 1st on a Czechoslovakian in the 1st 2 years earlier.

WHAT - no love for Jiri Dudacek?