There is no need to
introduce North American hockey fans to the famous former head coach of team Canada,
NHL’s Calgary Flames, and national team of Japan - DAVE KING. Nowadays he works
as a scout for the Montréal Canadiens and has frequented the Four Nations tournament
(Karyala Cup) held in Finland where he talked on the problems of Europeans, and in
particular, Russian hockey.
"The contemporary problem of non-NHL hockey is the lack of snipers
who can get results. Many of them play and go on to the NHL. I see middle-aged guys who
try to do their best but in vain because they are not the caliber of Krutov, Larionov,
Makarov (KLM line). That is the explanation of their "physical" fighting style.
They play how they can."
"For example the guys from Finland are taller and bigger than the
Russians. They are more developed. In particular I mean the muscles of the legs, which are
considered as the basis of moving force and skating balance. "
"I’m terribly surprised by the loss of the main aspects of
hockey in the training of Russian players. It’s the development of physical strength.
I remember times in USSR when nearly every player had been a master of skating in all of
its aspects: speed, acceleration, agility and especially balance."
"The only thing that is pleasant to realize is that there is a lot
of young talent to see on the ice before they go to the NHL. The tendency appears to be
that players leave for NHL approximately at about the age of 22 or 23. I think this will
do good for the Russian players and fans as well. "
"Russia greatly misses the famed KLM line
(Krutov-Lirionov-Makarov)."
