Soviet national ice hockey team

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Team Jersey
Association
Most Games
First Game
Flag of Soviet Union USSR 23-2 East Germany

April 22, 1951, Berlin
Largest victory
Flag of Soviet Union USSR 28-2 Flag of Italy Italy

December 26, 1967, Colorado Springs
Largest defeat
Flag of Canada Canada 8-2 Flag of Soviet Union USSR

January 9, 1968, Ottawa;
Czechoslovakia 9-3 Flag of Soviet Union USSR
March 21, 1975, Prague
Canada Cup
Winners: 1 - 1981
World Championships
Gold medalists: 19 - 1954, 1963, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1978, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1986, 1989, 1990
Olympic medal record
Men’s Ice Hockey
Gold 1956 Ice Hockey
Bronze 1960 Ice Hockey
Gold 1964 Ice Hockey
Gold 1968 Ice Hockey
Gold 1972 Ice Hockey
Gold 1976 Ice Hockey
Silver 1980 Ice Hockey
Gold 1984 Ice Hockey
Gold 1988 Ice Hockey
Gold 1992 Ice Hockey

The Soviet national ice hockey team, or USSR national ice hockey team (Russian: Сборная СССР по хоккею с шайбой) was the national hockey team of the Soviet Union.

The Soviets were one the most dominant teams of all time in international play. However the fact that they didn't regularly compete against Canadian professionals prior to 1972 led some North Americans to question Soviet accomplishments.

The Soviet team won nearly every world championships and Olympic tournament between 1954 and 1991 held by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF). The USSR won Canada Cup only one time out of five times competed, in 1981, but the Canadians always had a home-ice advantage in these tournaments.

The Soviets' domination of international hockey from the 1950s to the 1970s was at least partly due to the fact that Canadian professionals were barred from playing in the world championship or Olympics, which were amateur-only. Soviet players in the Soviet elite league played for elite club teams as well, but were considered amateurs because they technically worked in the employ of the Soviet military or other government agencies.[citation needed] In particular the Red Army Moscow club was a highly elite group supported by the Soviet army.[citation needed] Canadians fans saw this a unfair, and wanted a chance for "best-on-best" play.[citation needed] Likewise the Soviet authorities were eager to prove that their players were as good as the Canadians. This led to the highly anticipated Summit Series of 1972.

The closely-fought Summit Series pitted the best Soviet players against a team of Canadian stars from the NHL. The 8-game Series ended with 4 Canadian win 3 Soviet wins and 1 tie. The Canadians claimed victory on the baisis of more wins, allthough the Soviets claimed to have won by international rule because of more total goals scored. The USSR got a revenge in 1974 Summit Series played against Canadian professionals from the WHA, by winning them 4 to 1 plus 3 ties.

Due to the questionable nature of the amateur status of the Soviet team, Canada boycotted international amateur hockey games in 1970-1976. These were due to controversies between the IIHF and the National Hockey League in North America, as well as the fact that there was speculation that the Soviet players received salaries.[citation needed] After that, since 1977, Canadian and other professionals were allowed to play in world championships and olympics, which, however, had not much effect on the performance of the Soviet team. Canadians argued that this was in part due to the fact that these tournaments are usually held during the NHL regular season or playoffs, preventing many or some of the best North American players from participating.

Between 1976 and 1991 Canadian fans had a regular chance to see performances by Soviet clubs and the USSR National Team in head to head series with NHL teams, played on NHL teams' home ice and called Super Series. 14 out of 18 these series were won by the Soviets. Apart from that the USSR Team won the Challenge Cup in New York City against NHL All-Stars in 1979. In the 1987 Rendez Vous, held in Quebec City the USSR lost the first game by 4 to 3, but won the second by 5 to 3, nevertheless these series were declared to have no clear winner.

Contents

Leading scorers (Olympics, World Championships, Canada Cups, 1972 Summit Series)

  1. Valery Kharlamov - 199 points
  2. Aleksandr Maltsev - 198 points
  3. Boris Mikhailov - 180 points
  4. Vladimir Petrov - 176 points
  5. Sergei Makarov - 172 points

  • 1976 - Finished in 3rd place
  • 1981 - Won championship
  • 1984 - Finished in 3rd place
  • 1987 - Finished in 2nd place
  • 1991 - Finished in 5th place

  • 1954 - Gold medal winner
  • 1955 - Silver medal winner
  • 1957 - Silver medal winner
  • 1958 - Silver medal winner
  • 1959 - Silver medal winner
  • 1961 - Bronze medal winner
  • 1962 - Did not participate
  • 1963 - Gold medal winner
  • 1965 - Gold medal winner
  • 1966 - Gold medal winner
  • 1967 - Gold medal winner
  • 1969 - Gold medal winner
  • 1970 - Gold medal winner
  • 1971 - Gold medal winner
  • 1972 - Silver medal winner
  • 1973 - Gold medal winner
  • 1974 - Gold medal winner
  • 1975 - Gold medal winner
  • 1976 - Silver medal winner
  • 1977 - Bronze medal winner
  • 1978 - Gold medal winner
  • 1979 - Gold medal winner
  • 1981 - Gold medal winner
  • 1982 - Gold medal winner
  • 1983 - Gold medal winner
  • 1985 - Bronze medal winner
  • 1986 - Gold medal winner
  • 1987 - Silver medal winner
  • 1989 - Gold medal winner
  • 1990 - Gold medal winner
  • 1991 - Bronze medal winner

  • At the 1984 Canada Cup the Soviets sent a team whose players all shot left-handed.

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