On this day, Vladimir Krutov, the legendary CSKA and USSR national team forward, two-time Olympic champion, and a member of the most famous five in the history of Russian hockey, would have turned 61.
Vsevolod Bobrov, Veniamin Alexandrov, Anatoly Firsov, Valery Kharlamov... Vladimir Krutov rightfully takes his place in this list of the famous left wing for CSKA and the USSR National Team. Anatoly Tarasov and Viktor Tikhonov put Krutov in the first place, admiring his way of playing – it was multi-dimensional and rational at the same time.
Krutov started skating at the age of 4. He started playing at the Meteor Stadium. Vladimir Nikolaevich Golubev was his 1st coach. Then he trained at the CSKA school under Valery Pavlovich Stelmakhov. He was Valery Kharlamov's fan when being a kid. Moreover, Vladimir Krutov was personally acquainted with Kharlamov, and they were even friends.
Krutov made his CSKA debut in 1977 in a game against “Krylia Sovetov”. He started playing in the forward group with Alexander Volchkov and Vladimir Popov, then with Vyacheslav Anisin and Irek Gimaev. Nikolai Drozdetsky first played in the forward group with Makarov and Larionov on the left wing, and only a little later Krutov played in this place.
He made a vertical ascent in the 1979/1980 Olympic season. On October 5, 1979, his quadruple in the derby with Dynamo helped the CSKA team break down the resistance of the opponent who had taken the lead (7-4).
As a result, in the early 1980s Viktor Tikhonov created a five-man line that became legendary for playing for the USSR and CSKA: Sergei Makarov, Igor Larionov, Vyacheslav Fetisov, Alexei Kasatonov, and Vladimir Krutov. The relationship between the players was so strong that their families made friends.
At two World Youth Championships, Krutov was the tournament's top sharpshooter and forward, throwing into the shade the rising stars Thomas Steen, Jari Kurri, and Hokan Loob.
Moreover, after his hat trick in the exhibition match with the American students (10-3), Tikhonov included the rookie in the Olympic squad. Alas, in Lake Placid, Krutov's goal (he took the first lead) failed to prevent a 3-4 defeat at the hands of the Stars and Stripes. After Lake Placid, the national team was obstructed, but Krutov and Alexey Kasatonov were the only hockey players who were awarded the state award - medal "For Labor Distinction".
At the 1981 World Cup, Vladimir played in a forward group with his namesake Petrov and Sergey Makarov, and at the 1981 Canada Cup, the KLM super line was born, which was dominating world hockey for almost a decade. However, Krutov might not have flown to Canada, having suffered a concussion. In the exhibition games, he was replaced in Larionov's forward group by Valery Kharlamov, whom young Vladimir considered his idol. "If I hadn't recovered, they would have taken Kharlamov to Canada and he wouldn't have crashed in a car accident," Krutov felt sorry for that for the rest of his life.
He was always on the front line, he got it in the neck from his opponents. At the same time Krutov scored the most important goals. His accurate shot against the Czechs at the 1984 Sarajevo Olympics made the opponents shuffle off their sticks and forget about the gold (2:0).
At the 1986 and 1987 World Cups and the 1988 Olympics, Krutov was absolutely the strongest forward. In 1987 he was rightfully awarded the "Golden Hockey Stick" for the best player in Europe.
At the end of the 1989/90 season, Krutov moved to Zurich. He played together with former Dynamo player Yuri Vozhakov. A little later Sergey Pryakhin and Anatoly Chistyakov joined the team.
In 1992 a Canadian coach came to Zurich and refused to work with Krutov. Vladimir moved to Sweden, where he played in the lower leagues until 1996.
In 1996 he returned to Russia. He worked as assistant coach of PHC CSKA (1996-2000), later he was head coach of the CSKA professional hockey club (2001).
Since 2002 he worked as a director of State High School of Sportsmanship.
On May 23, 2010 he was inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame in the Player category.
Krutov worked a miracle as a coach: he helped CSKA remain in the Superleague in 2001 by defeating “Vityaz” in Podolsk 4-3 which no one believed.
He played in veteran tournaments as a member of the USSR Hockey Legends hockey team.
Last years he lived in the town of Khimki near Moscow.
He passed away on June 6, 2012 in the intensive care unit of Municipal Clinical Hospital No. 20 in Moscow.
He is buried in Khimki at Novoluzhinskoye cemetery.
The main trophy of the Night Hockey League is named after Krutov. Krutov's number nine jersey hangs under the roof of CSKA Arena.
CAREER
CSKA, 1979-89. 439 games and 288 goals in USSR championships.
Vancouver Canucks (NHL), 1989-91. 61 games and 11 goals in NHL championships.
HC Zurich, Switzerland 1991-92
Östersund IK, Sweden, 1992-95
Brunflo IK, Sweden, 1995-96
ACHIEVEMENTS
Champion of the Olympic Games in 1984 and 1988. Silver medalist of the 1980 Winter Olympic Games.
World champion in 1981, 1982, 1983, 1986 and 1989. He was the second winner of the 1987 World Championship and the third one of the 1985 World Championship. In the Winter Olympic Games and World Cup tournaments he played 90 matches and he pocketed 59 goals.
1979-89USSR Champion.
USSR Cup winner of 1979 and 1988
Winner of the Cup of Canada in 1981, Canada Cup finalist in 1987, participant of the 1984Canada Cup. In Canada Cup tournaments he played 22 games and pocketed 14 goals.
