Valeri Ivanovich Vasiliev

 

Position: defense
Shoots: L 
Height: 5-11  Weight: 187 
Born: 8/3/1949 (Gorky, USSR)

IIHF Hall of Fame: 1998

Olympic medals: 2x Gold (1972, 1976); 1x Silver (1980)
World Champion: 8x
(1970, 73,74,75,78,79,81 and 82)
Canada Cup Winner: 1x (1981)

Awards:

  • All-star Team USSR Championship: 8x (1973-1979, 1981)
  • Best defenseman World Championships: 3x (1973, 1977, 1979)
  • All-star Team World Championships: 5x (1974, 1975, 1977, 1979, 1981)
 
Video
 
Biography [Source: 1972summitseries.com]
Considered by many to be the toughest and most physical defenseman in Russian hockey history, Valeri Vasiliev was a punishing hitter who loved the physical play. Valeri reminded people of Hall of Famer Tim Horton.

He didn't have the offensive flair like Alexei Kasatonov or Vyacheslav Fetisov but was better defensively. Opponents hated to play against him because it could be painful. As a surprise to many opponents Valeri was only 6'0" and 190 Ibs but played like a much bigger player. He put several opponents on the injury list during his career.

Valeri was born on August 3,1949 in Bora, just outside of Moscow. He began playing organized hockey as a 12 year old for Torpedo Gorky. He then went on to play league hockey his entire career for Dynamo Moscow between 1967-84. In one year he was actually demoted to the third division for disciplinary reasons following an incident on the national team.

He was one of very few players on the Soviet national team who never played for the Red Army team CSKA. Valeri played a total of 617 games and scored 71 goals. His 617 games is still a league record.

Valeri was a born leader and was a long-time captain of the national team. He was a eight time World Champion (1970, 73,74,75,78,79,81 and 82) and a two time Olympic Gold medallist (1972 and 76). In 1973, 77 and 79 he was voted as the best defenseman of the World Championships. He also made the All-Star team in 1974,75, 77,79 and 81. Valeri represented his country 285 times and scored 43 goals. He was a member of the "super five" together with his partner on the blueline Vladimir Lutchenko and behind the troika of Kharlamov-Petrov-Mikhailov, the predecessors of the Kasatonov-Fetisov -Makarov-Larionov-Krutov unit.

Because of his physical style he loved to play against NHL opposition. He thrived in that environment. He played in the 1972 Summit Series as well as the 1979 Challenge Cup. Valeri had a big part in neutralizing Wayne Gretzky, Guy Lafleur, Marcel Dionne and the other Canadian superstars in the 1981 Canada Cup final.

After his playing career was over Valeri coached the juniors of Dynamo Moscow (1984-89). He then went over to Germany where he coached EC Ratingen (1990) and Bad Reichenhall (1991). In 1996-97 he was the assistant coach for Spartak Moscow. In 1998 he was inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame.

 

Statistics

USSR ChampionshipsRegular Season / Playoffs
SeasonTeamGPGAPtsPIM 
1966-67Torpedo Gorky 2000--
1967-68Dynamo Moscow 4221328
1968-69Dynamo Moscow 3421334
1969-70Dynamo Moscow 4352737
1970-71Dynamo Moscow 4024636
1971-72Dynamo Moscow 3140435
1972-73Dynamo Moscow 2931459
1973-74Dynamo Moscow 314111542
1974-75Dynamo Moscow 34751234
1975-76Dynamo Moscow 286152113
1976-77Dynamo Moscow 343121521
1977-78Dynamo Moscow 3326830
1978-79Dynamo Moscow 426142026
1979-80Dynamo Moscow 418101826
1980-81Dynamo Moscow 43671316
1981-82Dynamo Moscow 363121518
1982-83Dynamo Moscow 32571216
1983-84Dynamo Moscow 44371014
USSR Totals 61971115186485 
Hungarian LeagueRegular SeasonPlayoffs
SeasonTeamGPGAPtsPIM
1989-90Ujpesti TE 15358--
Totals 15358-
National Team
 TournamentGPGAPtsPIM
1970World Championship 60002
1972Olympic Games 20002
1972World Championship 92242
1973World Championship 100776
1974World Championship 1006616
1975World Championship 102460
1976Olympic Games 61232
1976World Championship 105278
1976Canada Cup 50336
1977World Championship 101238
1978World Championship 103366
1979World Championship 81340
1980Olympic Games 72132
1981World Championship 80002
1981Canada Cup 60114
1982World Championship 101230
Totals 281189---------