The Soviet national ice hockey team was the most dominant amateur hockey team in international play between 1954 and 1991. They dominated nearly every world championships and olympics during this time held by the amateur hockey federation. However, they were only able to win one Canada Cup in 1981. It should be noted that the main rival of the Soviet team, the Canadian national team, always had home-ice advantage in the Canada Cup. Due to the questionable nature of the amateur status of the Soviet team, the Canada boycotted international amateur hockey plays in 1970-1976. These were due to controversies between the amateur hockey federation and the main North American professional hockey federation, and the fact that there was speculation that the Soviet players received salaries. After that, since 1977, Canadian and other professionals were allowed to play in world championships and olympics, which, however, had not much effect on the performance of the Soviet team. This was due to the fact that these tournaments are usually held while the National Hockey League regular season or playoffs occurred, preventing the best North American players from participating. Soviet players never played in the NHL prior to the late 1980s, giving them an advantage in these tournaments.
Top players
Olympic record
- 1956 - Gold medal winner
- 1960 - Bronze medal winner
- 1964 - Gold medal winner
- 1968 - Gold medal winner
- 1972 - Gold medal winner
- 1976 - Gold medal winner
- 1980 - Silver medal winner
- 1984 - Gold medal winner
- 1988 - Gold medal winner
- 1992 - Gold medal winner (as unified team)
Summit Series record
Canada Cup record
- 1976 - Finished in 3rd place
- 1981 - Won championship
- 1984 - Finished in 3rd place
- 1987 - Finished in 2nd place
- 1991 - Finished in 5th place
World Championships record
- 1954 - Gold medal winner
- 1955 - Silver medal winner
- 1957 - Silver medal winner
- 1958 - Silver medal winner
- 1959 - Silver medal winner
- 1961 - Bronze medal winner
- 1962 - Did not participate
- 1963 - Gold medal winner
- 1965 - Gold medal winner
- 1966 - Gold medal winner
- 1967 - Gold medal winner
- 1969 - Gold medal winner
- 1970 - Gold medal winner
- 1971 - Gold medal winner
- 1972 - Silver medal winner
- 1973 - Gold medal winner
- 1974 - Gold medal winner
- 1975 - Gold medal winner
- 1976 - Silver medal winner
- 1977 - Bronze medal winner
- 1978 - Gold medal winner
- 1979 - Gold medal winner
- 1981 - Gold medal winner
- 1982 - Gold medal winner
- 1983 - Gold medal winner
- 1985 - Bronze medal winner
- 1986 - Gold medal winner
- 1987 - Silver medal winner
- 1989 - Gold medal winner
- 1990 - Gold medal winner
- 1991 - Bronze medal winner
See also
Last updated: 08-25-2005 02:25:18
