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Top Russian Hockey Players

Washington Capitals’ centre/defenceman Sergei Fedorov added another milestone to his illustrious career on Saturday night as his goal was the 475th of his career and enough to put him past Alexander Mogilny for most goals scored by a Russian player in the NHL. In so doing, I’m breaking down the ten best Russian hockey players of all-time.

10. Alexander Mogilny — The original “Alexander The Great”, AlMo dominated for a number of years in the NHL and his 76 goals as a rookie are something that may never be matched again. Canuck fans remember him well for his brief partnership with Moscow Dynamo teammate Pavel Bure.

9. Sergei Makarov — Playing from 1976 to 1998, he was part of the KLM line which ripped up the International competitions in the 1980s. Part of two Olympic, seven Worlds and 1 Canada Cup championships, Makarov also scored 384 points in his NHL career.

8. Igor Larionov - “The Professor” is probably one of the most intelligent players to play the game. The centre for the KLM line, Larionov also gained recognition as an NHLer and won everything: Stanley Cups, Olympic gold, World Championships and a sturdy NHL career.

7. Valery Vasiliev - Prior to Fetisov, Vasiliev was the best defenceman in Soviet-Russian history during 1967 through 1982. He was part of 9 World championships, 2 Olympics and 1 Canada Cup. He never journeyed to the NHL.

6. Pavel Bure - The Russian Rocket’s placement in this list would be much higher if his career hadn’t been cut so short due to injury. Without a doubt the fastest player to play the game, Bure did things at blistering speed that some NHLers couldn’t do at half speed.

5. Alexander Maltsev - Maltsev can best be described as the ultimate team player. He possessed tremendous individual skills but never showcased them, instead opting for solid and safe play. A part of 8 Worlds, 2 Olympics and 1 Canada Cup championships.

4. Boris Mikhailov - Not flashy but he got the job done. Captain of the Soviet team for many years, Mikhailov’s lanky size was a testament to the power of the Soviet squad between the mid-1960s to mid-1980s.

3. Valery Kharlamov - One hockey expert described Kharlamov as a beautiful blend of Mike Bossy and Pavel Bure, possessing enormous skills and lightning speed all in one package. When he “debuted” before Canadian audiences in the 1972 Summit Series he left fans with their jaws dropped.

2. Vyacheslav Fetisov - Fetisov was something of a revolutionary inspiration for all Russian players. His heart and soul contributions to the Soviet teams of the 1980s earned him 6 World and 2 Olympic championships. His desire to play outside Russia broke the barrier between the two down and he went on to win two Stanley Cups. Fetisov is one of only two Russians in the Hockey Hall of Fame.

1. Vladislav Tretiak - Without a doubt, Tretiak is a top five goaltender of all time. His acrobatic style earned him glory in Russia and a archenemy status in Canada in 1972 when he played in the Summit Series. He has won 10 world championships, 2 Olympics and never played a game in the NHL. The fact he is the only non-NHL Russian player to be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame lands him as the best Russian player of all time.