2014 may go down in history as the year a star rose Andrey Vasilevsky... We learned that a talented goalkeeper lives and plays in the capital of Bashkiria much earlier. However, it was in the past year that Vasilevsky climbed a step higher, ceasing to be just a young and promising player. It is symbolic that at the beginning of the year he took away the last award in youth hockey from Malmö, as if turning over this page. Vasilevsky finally switched to adult hockey with his amplitude of ups and downs. For the way Andrei played in the Gagarin Cup and at the debut World Championship, he can be rated "excellent" without any exaggeration.
Vasilevsky put not a full stop at the World Championship, but a beautiful comma. In order not to spoil the impression of the year, he had to pass the AHL test. Until December, it seemed that the young Russian goalkeeper had drowned in the lowest overseas league. What top ten can we talk about if Vasilevsky loses the competition even in the Tampa Bay farm club? However, it took the Ufa prodigy only a month to break into our rating. Having played with 30,000 spectators and becoming the player of the week in the AHL, he was called up to Tampa, where he showed himself in all his glory. ... Bye Nabokov sits behind him, Varlamov heals trauma Khudobin fails the season and Bobrovsky just beginning to regain its former condition, Vasilevsky ends the year in the status of the strongest Russian goalkeeper.
Alexander Ovechkin is one of the most productive Russian NHL players, but his goal or pass is too expensive for "Washington"... The efficiency rating is headed by Mikhail Sergachev, Alexander Ovechkin - only twelfth
The 2017/18 season in the NHL was a triumphant one for hockey players from Russia. It's not just that one of the most gifted and famous athletes of our time, Alexander Ovechkin (along with other Russian players from the Washington Capitals, Evgeny Kuznetsov and Dmitry Orlov), won the long-awaited Stanley Cup.
This season has really lit up the new hockey stars that have settled into the North American League. First of all, we are talking about the players of the winner of the NHL Eastern Conference, the Tampa Bay Lightning club. In it, as in Washington, the Russian troika gathered - defender Mikhail Sergachev, forward Nikita Kucherov and goalkeeper Andrei Vasilevsky. The result of success in the league was that in the first round of the draft (June 2018), NHL clubs began to fight for immigrants from Russia - they chose four players at once. This is the second case in 10 years.
Gifted youth are vital for clubs due to payroll caps ($ 79.5 million in 2018/19) and small rookie contracts (league caps of $ 925,000 per year). By guessing with the newcomer, the club will receive the goals and assists he needs for almost nothing. You don't need to look far for an example: in the 2017/18 season, Tampa Bay defender Mikhail Sergachev became the leader in terms of the ratio of effective actions (goal or pass) and salary, having spent only his second season in the league. Just his successful participation in a goal costs the club a measly $ 20,100. And such stars as Ovechkin or Pittsburgh striker Evgeni Malkin receive almost $ 90,000 for the same work. Forbes calculated which Russian players' goals and assists cost clubs the cheapest.
In the 2018/19 season, the number of Russian representation in the NHL will remain practically unchanged. In the offseason, 9 Russians went from the KHL to North America. The most high-profile transfers: Ilya Kovalchuk's transfer from SKA to Los Angeles Kings (three-year agreement with an annual salary of $ 6.25 million) and Valery Nichushkin's return from CSKA to Dallas Stars (2 years, $ 2.95 million per season) ... Of the young hockey players selected in the draft, the contracts for newcomers to the NHL were signed by Alexander Alekseev (for 3 years with the Washington Capitals) and Andrey Svechnikov (for 3 years with Carolina Hurricanes). At the same time, 9 Russian players returned from the NHL to the KHL clubs. So, defender Alexei Emelin continues his career in Avangard Omsk, Nikolay Kulemin managed to get a serious injury in Metallurg Magnitogorsk, and Nail Yakupov scores for SKA St. Petersburg.
The NHL regular season started on October 3, the next Stanley Cup winner will be known by the beginning of summer 2019.
In the applications of NHL clubs for the 2018/19 season, 55 hockey players with Russian citizenship are listed, but, of course, not all of them will have the opportunity to prove themselves during the regular season. The competition in the strongest hockey league in the world is too high, the business is too serious to take risks and experiment once again.
But the expectations from the game of the top 10 Russians are the highest. How justified are they at the start of the marathon distance?
The ten highest paid Russians in the NHL in the 2018/19 season
1. Alexander Ovechkin (33, striker, Washington) - $ 10 million (average contract salary - $ 9.54 million)
2. Evgeny Kuznetsov (26, forward, Washington) - 10 (7.8)
3. Evgeni Malkin (32, forward, Pittsburgh) - 9.5 (9.5)
4. Ilya Kovalchuk (35, forward, Los Angeles) - 8.5 (6.25)
5. Alexander Radulov (32, forward, Dallas) - 8 (6.25)
6. Vladimir Tarasenko (26, forward, St. Louis) - 7 (7.5)
7. Sergei Bobrovsky (30, goalkeeper, Columbus) - 6.2 (7.425)
8. Artemy Panarin (26, forward, Columbus) - 6 (6)
9. Dmitry Orlov (27, defender, Washington) - 6.5 (5.1)
10. Semyon Varlamov (30, goalkeeper, Colorado) - 5.5 (5.9)
For comparison: the Calgary defender has the smallest contract among Russian NHLers Rinata Valieva- 650 thousand dollars (calculated until the end of the 2018/19 season).
Ovechkin
Having reached the age of Christ, Alexander the Great fulfilled his lifelong dream, finally becoming the Stanley Cup winner last season. There can be no other goal other than defending the title. In addition, Ovechkin could become the first player in league history to win the Maurice Richard Trophy (the prize for the best sniper of the regular season) for the eighth time.
Ovi started the season for health: 6 games - 9 points for performance (6 goals + 3 assists). And, in addition, he managed to enter the top ten league hockey players in history in terms of the number of goals in the majority (232 goals).
Kuznetsov
Ovechkin's partner Evgeny Kuznetsov has scored one point more (10). The club's owners and fans, not without reason, expect that the striker, who is in his prime, this season will raise his status to “superstar”.
- 83 points in the last regular season (personal record) allowed Kuznetsov to be only among the top 20 NHL players in terms of productivity, says one of America's leading hockey journalists Tariq El-Bashir.- But a superstar is the person who always comes to mind first when you think of a team. Someone who can single-handedly bring results in one game or in a playoff series.
Malkin
Pittsburgh lost 2-3 to Vancouver on October 16, and three-time Stanley Cup winner Malkin earned a performance point. This is his 939th point in his overseas career, and now Eugene is among the top 100 most productive players in NHL history. Of course, he cannot reach Wayne Gretzky's record (2857 points), but he is quite capable of becoming the best among the Russians. So far, this position is occupied by Sergei Fedorov, who ended his career long ago (1179 points).
And one more thing: if Pittsburgh win the Stanley Cup, Malkin will become the only Russian with four championship rings.
Kovalchuk
Kovalchuk spent the last 5 seasons in the KHL, so the experts can only guess for now whether the veteran will be able to again fit into the framework of the requirements of the overseas league. Los Angeles does not count on high places for him (last season the team barely caught hold of the playoffs, but flew out with a bang in the first round, having suffered 4 defeats from Las Vegas), but to increase the entertainment - quite.
Covey must contribute at least 30 goals and 20 assists in the regular season. In the first 6 matches, he scored twice and gave up twice. Well, that's a good start.
Radulov
Dallas failed last season (6th, penultimate place in their division and flew past the playoffs), but Radulov was one of the best in the squad: 72 points for performance. Now he is obliged not only to maintain, but also to strengthen the status of a leader - both on the ice and off the court. And his team is to get to the playoffs. For the 4th time in the last 11 seasons.
At the moment, Radulov with 10 points (4 + 6) is in the top ten most productive players of the season, and Dallas, with exactly 50% of the points, is in the playoffs. That is, while everything is going according to plan.
Tarasenko
At the end of last season, Vladimir was seriously injured, underwent surgery and recovered for a long time. And in general, that season did not work out - neither for him personally, nor for the team that did not make the playoffs. Tarasenko's task is to return the status of the team's top scorer (this is 75-80 points at least) and take her to the decisive stage.
So far, things are going with a creak: only 2 abandoned washers. The Bluesmen are at the bottom of the table: 5 losses in 6 matches and 28th overall (out of 31).
Bobrovsky
Over the 6 years spent at Columbus, Bobrovsky won the Vezina Trophy twice (the prize for the best goalkeeper in the championship), and it is with his game that the team's success in recent history is associated (3 playoffs over the past 5 years).
This season is the last for Sergey under the contract, and he most likely will not renew it. The goalkeeper is said to be planning to enter the free-agent market next summer and try to beat himself up with conditions no worse than those of the highest-paid NHL goalkeeper, Carey Price, who makes $ 10.5 million a year at Montreal.
But the beginning of the season somehow did not work out. Bobrovsky updated his own anti-record: in the match against Tampa, the Russian goalkeeper conceded 8 goals for the first time in his career. However, these are all particulars, especially since his team won 3 victories in the first 5 games. That is, in general, the flight is normal.
Panarin
Bobrovsky's teammate, scorer, merry fellow, joker and audience favorite Artemy Panarin will also most likely part with his current team at the end of the season. He wants to get his next contract not in provincial Ohio, but somewhere in New York, Los Angeles or Miami, although he assures that he really likes everything in Columbus.
The club sets a task for Artemy to score 80-90 points in the regular season (in the past there were 81 points), and 6 of them have already been counted. Well, in the playoffs you need to go further than last spring. One consolation: in the first round, "Columbus" then lost to the future Stanley Cup winner "Washington".
Orlov
The only defender in the "Russian top". Reliable, stable, still young, but already experienced and titled. The only complaint about him is the poor performance in the attack. Last year's 31 points for performance, according to the wishes of the coaching staff, should turn into 35-40. And the rest of Dmitry is fine.
Varlamov
Colorado, apparently, is preparing to part with the Russian goalkeeper, for whom this will be the 9th season at the club. Contract ends, replacement (26-year-old German Philip Grubauer) is ready.
However, Varlamov does not particularly bother. Money is money, but you also need to think about the soul. More precisely, about career achievements. And they are not there: in the previous 8 seasons - only 2 playoffs, and even then with the elimination in the first round. 30 years is the heyday and, despite the increased trauma, Semyon has every reason to count on an agreement with a more ambitious club.
Nikita Kucherov (25, striker, Tampa Bay, annual salary - $ 5.5 million, contract average - 4.76)
Kucherov is not included in the top ten salaries in Russia, but this is temporary. He is a real superstar. Last season of the regular season Nikita conquered the 100-point mark, and his Tampa finished third in the championship and reached the final of the playoff conference, where they lost to Washington in a dramatic struggle (3: 4).
Kucherov's tasks for this season are the most ambitious: winning the Stanley Cup, the Maurice Richard Trophy and the Art Ross Trophy (the prize for the highest number of points according to the goal + pass system in the regular season) for personal use.
And yes - you shouldn't pay special attention to Nikita's "scanty" contract, it has been in effect for the last year. According to the new, calculated until 2027, the forward will earn 76 million dollars (9.5 million on average).
The best Russian hockey players have been a real gem of the National Hockey League for over 30 years. Our talented hockey players continue to glorify the Russian hockey school, reaching all sorts of heights in the NHL to this day.
MatchTV channel conducted a large-scale survey among hockey players and hockey experts and compiled a rating of the best Russian hockey players in the history of the NHL at the moment. And even though there were and are many other bright and really cool hockey players in the NHL, we agree with each point of the rating and present it to you.
The only Russian goalkeeper who managed to lead his team Tampa Bay Lightnings to victory in the Stanley Cup.
Twice Stanley Cup winner.
1994 Stanley Cup winner with the New York Rangers. He played in the NHL for 19 seasons and to this day is the leader among Russian hockey players in terms of the number of games played in the NHL
2000 Stanley Cup winner with New Jersey Devils
Russian rocket. Crazy speed and smashing throw are the hallmarks of a hockey player. Pavel Bure failed to win the Stanley Cup, but he became the first Russian hockey player whose number 10 was withdrawn from circulation by one of the clubs (Vancouver Canucks)
Three times Stanley Cup winner with the Pittsburgh Penguins (2008-2009 2015-2016 and 2016-2017). Twice became the league's top scorer. Winner of the 2012 Heart Trophy (an award given annually to the hockey player who has made the greatest contribution to the success of his team in the regular season of the National Hockey League). NHL Rookie of the Year 2006/2007. The first Russian player to win the Conn Smythe Trophy.
Stanley Cup winner 2017/2018 with Washington Capitals. In individual skill, he reached all heights: 6 times became the best sniper in the league, 3 times was recognized as the most valuable player in the NHL, 7 times he scored 50 or more goals in a season. He holds the record for the number of goals in the NHL championships among all Russian hockey players and ranks first in points among active Russian hockey players. Recognized scorer and best sniper in the world.
Three-time Stanley Cup winner with Detroit Red Wings
Two-time Stanley Cup winner. Three-time Defensive Striker Award and four-time Lady Bing Gentleman's Award. Multiple NHL All-Star player. In January 2017, Datsyuk was included in the list of the 100 greatest hockey players in the entire history of the NHL. One of the five most productive Russian hockey players in NHL history (fifth in points scored in the regular championships, fourth in points in the playoffs)
Three times Stanley Cup winner. Most productive Russian player in NHL history. Spent 18 seasons in the National Hockey League. He has 483 goals and 696 assists.
Such popularity, which was in the Soviet Union, and later in Russia, the players of the hockey team, can hardly boast of other athletes.
Famous hockey players of Russia are practically becoming national heroes whom everyone knows - from schoolchildren to pensioners. Their biographies, sports achievements, personal life are discussed in companies, covered in the press, and their overseas successes are closely monitored. If in the USSR information about the players was not particularly disseminated among the population of a huge country (many hockey players were considered military personnel), then in our time it is not difficult to find out everything about your idol.
Heroes of our time
It is difficult to fit into one article all who deserve the title of "the most famous hockey players of Russia", but I would like to recall several particularly successful players separately.
One of such celebrities of Russian hockey is Evgeny Malkin, who, despite a number of frankly unsuccessful seasons, nevertheless proved to be a real leader of the national team. Participation in three world championships and two and in 2010) speaks of the high skill and effectiveness of this hockey player. Yevgeny began his sports career in Magnitogorsk, where his father, who himself played hockey in his youth, put his son on skates from the age of three.
Among the trophies of Yevgeny Malkin there is the title of the "best newcomer of the season" (2004), and the Golden Helmet prize, which is awarded to the best striker, awards of the Russian and world championships, only Olympic gold has not been conquered. Like many other famous hockey players in Russia, Eugene successfully performed in the overseas hockey league.
NHL stars
With the fall of the Iron Curtain, Soviet hockey players had a unique opportunity to try their hand at the most titled and famous hockey league, which collected the cream of world hockey in its teams. The famous hockey players of the USSR and Russia showed themselves differently in the NHL. For some, this was the beginning of a dizzying career (Pavel Bure, Vyacheslav Fetisov, Igor Larionov, Sergei Fedorov), while others were lost in the harsh world of the NHL, where the fittest survive (Viktor Nechaev, Sergei Mylnikov,
Famous Russian hockey players in different ways ended up in the clubs of the national overseas league: some simply fled the country Sergei Fedorov), others were looking for an opportunity to officially leave their native walls (Sergei Pryakhin, Sergei Starikov, Vyacheslav Fetisov). Today, for young and promising athletes, such detective stories seem unrealistic: to get into the NHL, you only need your own talent and perseverance.
Modern stars of Russian hockey in the NHL
Today, Russian hockey players have a large representation in the overseas hockey league. They successfully play in various American and Canadian clubs, earning the respect and honor of local fans. Nikita Soshnikov, Dmitry Orlov, Mikhail Grigorenko - famous Russian hockey players spend a lot of effort and energy to defend their right to play in the main teams of the NHL.
Many of the legionnaires are regularly called up to the Russian national team to participate in the European and world championships, as well as Olympic tournaments. It is difficult to imagine the Russian national team without such NHL stars as Alexander Ovechkin, Pavel Datsyuk, Nikolai Kulemin.
NHL Hockey Hall of Fame
The first representative in this hall was our renowned goalkeeper, later Valery Kharlamov and Vyacheslav Fetisov joined him. Only the most outstanding players from all over the world get into this hall. Igor Larionov was also awarded this honor for his great contribution to the development of world hockey.
There is also the coach of the USSR hockey team, Anatoly Tarasov, in this hall. Despite his ambiguous and not always simple relationships with both players and party officials, without whom no sport in the former Soviet Union did without, he was highly appreciated by overseas specialists, especially after a series of matches with representatives of the NHL star team.
The future of Russian ice hockey
Despite a number of failures that the Russian hockey team suffered at the last Olympic tournaments, fans do not lose hope that their idols will still manage to become the best national team in the world. Such glory, which was the national team of the Soviet Union, just does not go to anyone. To truly become champions, star names are not enough. Daily hard work, loyalty and dedication to the chosen profession are the invariable components of success.
Every year the lists of all hockey players in Russia (famous and novice players) are replenished with new names that the country can rightfully be proud of. Perhaps it is the new generation of hockey players who have replaced the "old guard" who will be able to regain the former glory and respect that the players of the USSR national team were rightfully proud of. And our contemporaries will also begin to devote songs, as they did to their titled predecessors.