President of the Russian Hockey Federation (RFH) Vladislav Tretiak On the air, congratulated the two-time Olympic champion and nine-time world champion Alexander Maltsev on his birthday.
On April 20, Maltsev turned 75 years old.
— What was special about Maltsev? He has a very brilliant mind, he would be a very good chess player. He knows the balance of power on the ground. Where the puck is, he gets there early, that’s why he’s scored so many goals. At all the world championships he was simply a diamond. His element is European hockey, he has simply worked miracles.
He played for Dynamo and the national team. He and I are the same lovers of our clubs. Naturally, it was an honor to play for the national team. Maybe he was called up to CSKA, but no one knows for sure. Only Tarasov, who is not here now, can say that. I think they didn’t call me because Dynamo was also a military team. He was an officer, it would be difficult for him to move to another team.
He knew how to find mutual understanding with other players, no matter where he was. This is its very strong characteristic. Not many people have talked about it, I probably said it first. He even came to CSKA, and we only took him to away matches, for example the 75/76 Super Series. We were then allowed to strengthen our squad with two hockey players against the NHL. Valery Vasiliev and Maltsev came to us from Dynamo. They strengthened our team and joined the team. They have already played with some national team players. If CSKA entered the national team as whole units, then it was more difficult for him, he had no unity. He was distinguished by the fact that he could quickly adapt to any connection. Although he is a star himself, it is also important who his teammate is.
I wish Alexander Nikolayevich good health. Unfortunately, the big sport doesn’t give hockey players much health; they worked hard, including Alexander. I wish him good health and say words of gratitude to him for what he did for Soviet hockey and what he does today for Dynamo; he devotes himself wholeheartedly to this sport,” Tretiak said on the air of “Everyone for the match!” program on the channel.
Maltsev, as a member of the USSR national team, won gold at the 1972 Olympics in Sapporo and the 1976 Games in Innsbruck, and the hockey player also won nine world championships. At club level, Maltsev played for Dynamo Moscow from 1967 to 1984, won the USSR Cup with the club, became multiple Russian Championship medalists and participated in the 1979/80 Super Series. As part of CSKA, Maltsev took part in the 1975/76 Super Series.
Source : MatchTV
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