Best in history: Vladislav Tretiak, 65 years old
The legendary goalkeeper of the USSR national team and CSKA recognized as the best hockey player of the XX century by the International ice hockey Federation.
MOSCOW, April 25. /TASS/. Three-time Olympic hockey champion Vladislav Tretiak, 65 years old. Tretiak is recognized as the best hockey player of the XX century by the International ice hockey Federation (IIHF) and the best goalkeeper in history. Since 2006, he heads the Federation of hockey of Russia.
Tretiak was raised in a family of a military pilot, worked with his older brother swimming at an early age and owned good horses, thanks to what was a competition in hockey school CSKA, situated near the house on the Leningrad prospectus. Once in the attackers, the dream of all boys, Tretiak, however, soon became a goalkeeper and field players lacked form, and the young boy dreamed about a real hockey ammunition, which is issued only to goalkeepers.
In General, the random appearance in an army school young goalkeeper in the end determined the success of the domestic hockey for almost two decades. Numerous victories of CSKA and the USSR national team in many respects connected with the game Tretiak — having behind a very reliable goalkeeper in the world, can operate bright and attack without worrying for the rears. While it may seem that the level of skill of the Soviet forwards was such that a reliable goalkeeper is not required, but it wasn’t.
A lot of matches and tournaments have been won at the expense of recovery Tretiak, who provided partners with the chance to win in the attack
For the first time the young goalie proved in almost 16 years at the Junior European Championships, where he performed with players under 19 years — coach Nikolai Puchkov, himself a famous former goalkeeper, told about the feed hope the shot is the weekly “Football-Hockey”. In the season 1968/69 Tretiak made his debut in the USSR championship. Against CSKA then defended Nikolay Tolstikov, Victor Tolmachev, and Alexander Pashkov, however, Anatoly Tarasov was released three times on the ice, Tretiak, who debuted the week before 17th birthday, coming on as a substitute in the match with “Motorist”.
The championship ended with a memorable controversial match between CSKA and “Spartacus”, when in the presence of Leonid Brezhnev Tarasov led the team off the ice in protest against the actions of the referee, who disallowed the puck by Vladimir Petrov. Spartak eventually won with the score 3:1 and became champion of the USSR.
The first world championship in 17 years
The following season, Tretiak had played more often, eventually pushing Tolstikova the team and becoming the champion of the USSR — first time 13. In 1970, Tretiak went on his first world championship, which took place in March in Sweden, where he replaced Victor Konovalenko, at the age of 17 after winning the first title in the team.
Just on account Tretyak won 10 world Championships, and also triumphs at the Olympics 1972, 1976 and 1984
In 1972, the 20-year-old Tretyak brilliantly held the super series matches against Canada, having received recognition of professionals and experts of the National hockey League (NHL).
In the first game in Montreal Tretiak missed by 30 seconds, when Phil Esposito finished off the rebound off him the puck, and 7 minutes, the Soviet team lost to the Canadians already 0:2. But young goalkeeper in the future, partners who ended the match with a victory over the pioneers of hockey — 7:3. In the next two games in Toronto and Winnipeg, the organizers recognized the best team of the USSR Tretiak, though he missed four goals (1:4, 4:4).
A goalie who hates to lose
By his own admission, Tretiak hated to lose — it gave him almost physical pain
And let goals against partners often answered a large number of goals, some setbacks Tretiak will never forget — the benefit was much less than brilliant victories.
At the 1980 Olympics in American lake placid, the USSR national team under the direction of Victor Tikhonov was the clear favorite — NHL players then the Game did not go, and among the speakers in Europe, players of the Soviet hockey players were not equal. But the unexpected happened: composed of players of the lower leagues and student, the U.S. team defeated the Soviet team, which will soon be described as a “Red car”. While Tikhonov replaced Tretiak after the first period (when the score was 2:2), but not rescued Vladimir Myshkin. The USSR national team remained in second place, while US still remember the “Miracle on ice”.
Four-time Olympic champion Tretiak to become in the end, it was not meant to be. In 1984, after the Olympic season, and triumph at the Olympic Games in Yugoslav Sarajevo, Tretiak retired in 32 years. Very early for a goalkeeper, but Tretiak was tired — not only from hockey, but from the lifestyle of the player of the Soviet national team, which forced almost the whole year to carry on collecting — away from the family.
Tikhonov did not make the relief for the legend of world hockey, which was famous for the discipline laid down by the father, according to the coach, the rules should be common to all. To violate the hockey players of that time loved to relax after some serious stress, but it was not about Tretiak. Married at age 20, he all free time spent with his family — wife Tatiana and two children. When finally realized that time is just not enough, retired in his Prime and at the peak of popularity.
Now the family Tretyakov has three grandchildren, and Maxim became a goalkeeper, in the season debut in the Continental hockey League in the “Admiral” from Vladivostok.
The departure of the U.S.
In North America Tretiak was a star, although in the NHL never played. Tretiak decides to go to the overseas League, it would be exorbitant contract to the best hockey player in the world Wayne Gretzky, but this is for a Soviet officer was impossible. Tretiak continued to work in CSKA, and also the International Olympic Committee. But in 1990, when the situation in the country began to change, Colonel Tretiak wrote a letter of resignation and went to the United States, where he became a goalkeeping coach of the club “Chicago Blackhawks”.
At the time, Tretiak was not 40 in the NHL seriously offered him a contract, the incumbent goalie, but return he did not, perhaps, realizing that there defeats can be much more than victories. For years, Tretiak was not in demand at home, although the services of his school used a lot of Russian players who played in North America.
Only in 1998, Tretiak was included in the coaching staff of Russian national team at the Olympics in Nagano, where he first played hockey players from the NHL, with Russian representatives which famous goalkeeper contact has been made
Soon Tretiak and began his political career in 2003 in the Saratov region, he was elected Deputy of the State Duma of the Russian Federation. And in 2006 Tretiak was the head of the Federation of hockey of Russia — at a time when domestic major tournaments the national team have not won for 13 years. The arrival of Tretiak largely allowed to end up with regular conflicts between the leading players and the Federation, from-for what the leaders of the team regularly missed major international tournaments.
In 2008, the Russian team regained the world title in the last 10 years won the world Championships four times and twice left without medals. Can’t submit to the Russian team except the Olympic games, where twice in a row followed defeat in the quarter-finals, and world Cup, where last year he was beaten in the semifinals against Canada.
In addition to titles at the world Championships and Olympic games, Tretiak won the Canada Cup in 1981 — the last tournament with the strongest players, where successful domestic team. In 1989, Tretiak went into the Hall of fame of the NHL, in 1997 — only educated the Hall of fame of the International ice hockey Federation (IIHF).
The IIHF also recognized Tretiak as the best hockey player of the twentieth century and included in the symbolic team of the century
Tretiak was awarded the order of Lenin, Labour red banner, Friendship of peoples, “badge of honor”, “For merits before Fatherland” II, III and IV degrees.