Valeri Vasiliev

Valeri Vasiliev
Valeri Vasiliev
Born	3 August 1949; Gorky, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
Died	19 April 2012 (aged 62)
Height	5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
Weight	185 lb (84 kg; 13 st 3 lb)
Position	Defence
Shot	Left
Played for	Torpedo Gorky (USSR) ; Dynamo Moscow (USSR) ; Újpesti TE (Hungary)
National team	Soviet Union
Playing career	1966–1984 ; 1989–1990
Men's ice hockey
Representing Soviet Union
Olympic Games

Valeri Ivanovich Vasiliev (Russian: Валерий Иванович Васильев; 3 August 1949 – 19 April 2012) was a Soviet and Russian ice hockey defenceman, who played for Dynamo Moscow. Internationally he competed for the Soviet Union. An eight-time Soviet all-star, Vasiliev was captain of the national team, for which he played 13 years, and was inducted into the International Ice Hockey Federation Hall of Fame in 1998. He was born in Gorky, Soviet Union.

Playing career

Vasiliev played on nine Soviet gold medal teams at the IIHF World Championships. He was named the tournament's best defenceman in 1973, 1977, and 1979 and was a five-time all-star. He was on the gold medal team at the 1972 and 1976 Winter Olympics, as well as at the 1981 Canada Cup, where he captained the winning team.^[1] He also played in the 1972 Summit Series, 1976 Canada Cup, and 1980 Winter Olympics. He coined the phrase "kiss the ice" after winning in 1972 Winter Olympics. He played in the Soviet Championship League from 1967 to 1984, playing more games than anyone else in the league's history.^[2] Vasiliev was inducted into the International Ice Hockey Federation Hall of Fame in 1998.^[3]

In 1978 Vasiliev was awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labour. Vasiliev, who had won the 1978 world championship not long after he had suffered a heart attack, died from heart failure in 2012.^[1]

Career statistics

Regular season

			Regular season
Season	Team	League	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1966–67	Torpedo Gorky	USSR	2	0	0	0	0
1967–68	Dynamo Moscow	USSR	42	2	1	3	28
1968–69	Dynamo Moscow	USSR	34	2	1	3	34
1969–70	Dynamo Moscow	USSR	43	5	2	7	37
1970–71	Dynamo Moscow	USSR	40	2	4	6	36
1971–72	Dynamo Moscow	USSR	31	4	0	4	35
1972–73	Dynamo Moscow	USSR	29	3	1	4	59
1973–74	Dynamo Moscow	USSR	31	4	11	15	42
1974–75	Dynamo Moscow	USSR	34	7	5	12	34
1975–76	Dynamo Moscow	USSR	28	6	15	21	13
1976–77	Dynamo Moscow	USSR	34	3	12	15	21
1977–78	Dynamo Moscow	USSR	33	2	6	8	30
1978–79	Dynamo Moscow	USSR	42	6	14	20	26
1979–80	Dynamo Moscow	USSR	41	8	10	18	26
1980–81	Dynamo Moscow	USSR	43	6	7	13	16
1981–82	Dynamo Moscow	USSR	36	3	12	15	18
1982–83	Dynamo Moscow	USSR	32	5	7	12	16
1983–84	Dynamo Moscow	USSR	44	3	7	10	14
1989–90	Újpesti Dózsa SC	HUN	15	3	5	8	—
1990–91	EC Ratingen	GER-2	15	1	3	4	12
USSR totals			619	71	115	186	485

International

Year	Team	Event	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1968	Soviet Union	EJC	5	2	0	2	2
1969	Soviet Union	EJC	5	1	—	—	—
1970	Soviet Union	WC	6	0	0	0	2
1972	Soviet Union	OLY	2	0	0	0	2
1972	Soviet Union	WC	9	2	2	4	2
1972	Soviet Union	SS	8	1	2	3	6
1973	Soviet Union	WC	10	0	7	7	6
1974	Soviet Union	WC	10	0	6	6	16
1974	Soviet Union	SS	8	3	1	4	7
1975	Soviet Union	WC	10	2	4	6	0
1976	Soviet Union	OLY	6	1	2	3	2
1976	Soviet Union	WC	10	5	2	7	8
1976	Soviet Union	CC	5	0	3	3	6
1977	Soviet Union	WC	10	1	2	3	8
1978	Soviet Union	WC	10	3	3	6	6
1979	Soviet Union	WC	8	1	3	4	0
1980	Soviet Union	OLY	7	2	1	3	2
1981	Soviet Union	WC	8	0	0	0	2
1981	Soviet Union	CC	6	0	1	1	8
1982	Soviet Union	WC	10	1	2	3	0
Senior totals			143	22	41	63	63