How the Soviets Changed Hockey
Thursday, November 13, 2014
Members of the Red Army Team with Coach Tikhonov (2nd from left) and Slava Fetisov (far right)
(Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics/Sony Pictures Classics)
Soviet leaders used sports and their stars to demonstrate Soviet superiority and win the hearts and minds of the Russian people, and hockey was one of the foremost propaganda tools in this era. Filmmaker Gabe Polsky discusses his documentary "Red Army," about the rise and fall of Soviet hockey. At the center of the story of the legendary Red Army Club is Slava Fetisov. Polsky is joined by New York Rangers legend Rod Gilbert and Doug Brown, who played on the New Jersey Devils and Detroit Red Wings. “Red Army” opens in January 2015. "Red Army" opens November 14 at the AMC Empire 25, then again on January 23, part of the documentary series DOC-NYC.
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Comments [4]
Always admired how Fetisov "sacrificed" many of his earning years by NOT defecting and breaking the Soviet system. Do the Soviet players who followed him - and earned millions - appreciate the path he paved?
Puck possession was one of the most important elements. If you watch the footage of Central Sports Army Club (CSAC) any player had both hands on a stick any time he was with the pack. Scottie Bowman when he coached was a big fan of former Soviet players. At the time of Red Wing dominance, at times he was putting all five former Soviet players on ice. And the player who got hurt at the Flyers game was Valeriy Harlamof No.17
Vis a vis playing the Soviet style, much as people always lament after the great Olympic hockey tournaments, the NHL can't play this way because of the lack of chemistry, as Brownie says, but also because there are simply not 30 teams worth of world class players. Sadly, while Rod probably could've played the Soviet way, he's a Hall of Famer. Most players are simply not that good.
Big hello to Doug Brown. An old childhood buddy of mine who got this Bruins fan rooting for the Redwings as an adult. Great to hear you! Geoff Rockwell
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