Vladislav Tretiak
Encyclopedia
Vladislav Aleksandrovich Tretiak, MSM
is a former goaltender
for the Soviet Union
's national ice hockey team. Considered to be one of the greatest goaltenders in the history of the sport, he was voted one of six players to the International Ice Hockey Federation
's (IIHF) Centennial All-Star Team
in a poll conducted by a group of 56 experts from 16 countries. He is the current president of the Ice Hockey Federation of Russia
and the general manager of the Russian 2010 Winter Olympic
team.
) and although he initially followed his brother as a swimmer, as a child Tretiak was known to excel at many sports and is remembered for his ambition to master all of them. However, like many children of his generation, he loved hockey and at age 11 entered the Children and Youth Sports School
of the Central Sports Club of the Army
(known by its Russian abbreviation as TsSKA or CSKA), that now bears Valeri Kharlamov's name. His first trainer was Vitaly Erfilov. He apparently started playing goal as a bargain in return for a cherished TsSKA hockey jersey, and because no one else wanted to play the position.
team, CSKA Moscow
. He also played well in the 1972 Winter Olympics
, in which the Soviets took the gold medal.
Tretiak became internationally famous after his outstanding performance in the Summit Series
in 1972, when he helped surprise the world, and more importantly, the Canadian team, en route to a narrow loss to the Canadians. A famous story told of how Canadian scouts seriously underestimated his ability prior to the Series; they witnessed him let in eight goals on a particular night, not knowing that he had been married the previous evening (and most of the team had been in attendance). Out of the entire Soviet roster, Canadian players and fans held Tretiak in the highest regard and respect and Tretiak was one of the most famous players of the Series along with Phil Esposito
, Paul Henderson
, and Valeri Kharlamov. As a result of Tretiak's stellar performance, many NHL
teams wanted to draft him – Montreal
ultimately did, in 1983
– and Tretiak was willing, but the move was blocked by the Soviet government.
During the 1976 Super Series, Tretiak put on a dominant performance against the Montreal Canadiens
, helping them to a 3-3 tie despite his team being outshot 38-13.
Tretiak went on to star for the Soviet Union, helping them win gold medals in the 1976 Winter Olympics
, and again winning gold in the 1984 Winter Olympics
and the 1981 Canada Cup
. Tretiak also back-stopped the Soviets to ten IIHF World Championships victories and nine in the IIHF European Championships. However, in the 1980 Winter Olympics
, the Miracle on Ice
denied Tretiak yet another gold medal. Tretiak was pulled by Viktor Tikhonov
at the end of the first period in favor of Vladimir Myshkin
, after giving up a late goal with only one second left in the period, by Team USA's Mark Johnson. The Soviet team had left the ice for the dressing room, thinking the period was over, so Tikhonov sent out Myshkin, along with 3 Soviet players, to officially end the period. Myshkin remained in goal for the rest of the game because of the uncharacteristic weak performance of Tretiak in the first period. Tretiak, along with many other Soviet players hated the move by Tikhonov. Tretiak himself stated that the move cost him a gold medal, insinuating that he would not have let in the goals that Myshkin allowed; had he won that game, he would only have needed to secure a draw against Finland two nights later to attain his only silver medal.
Though he was only 32 in 1984 and still capable of playing top-level hockey for many more years, Tretiak retired. It is said that the refusal to allow him to play in the NHL and his unwillingness to continue playing for Tikhonov contributed to this decision.
Tretiak was one of the guests who spoke at the ceremony during which the Montreal Canadiens
retired the jersey number of Ken Dryden
on 29 January 2007. Dryden had been one of Team Canada's goaltenders during the 1972 Summit Series, opposite Tretiak.
Tretiak retired in 1984, fittingly following a 2-0 victory over Czechoslovakia. In 1990, Mike Keenan
hired Tretiak as a goaltender coach for the Chicago Blackhawks
, which has allowed him to coach some of the top goalies of the past 20 years, such as Ed Belfour
, Dominik Hašek
, and Jocelyn Thibault
. Keenan was so impressed with Tretiak's abilities in practice that he suggested the 38-year-old might still be able to play in the NHL. Tretiak personally said that coaching was the next best thing to playing in the NHL. Since leaving the Blackhawks, Belfour has worn uniform number 20 as a tribute to Tretiak. Numerous other goalies, including Evgeni Nabokov
, wear number 20 as a tribute to Tretiak.
He was awarded Order of the Red Banner of Labour
(1984). In 1987 Vladislav wrote an autobiography titled "Tretiak, The Legend". He was named to the Hockey Hall of Fame
in 1989, the first Soviet player to be so honored and to be inducted as a player without having played a game in the NHL
. In 2000, he was voted Best Russian Hockey Player of the 20th century. He was a vital cog for some of the most dominant hockey teams in history and is now considered one of hockey's greatest ambassadors.
Tretiak was elected to the State Duma
as a member of the United Russia
party in December 2003, representing the region of Saratov
. He is chairman of the State Duma Committee on Physical Culture, Sport, and Youth. He continues to teach hockey skills in North America and Russia.
On 25 April 2006 (his 54th birthday), Tretiak was elected head of the Russian Ice Hockey Federation, capping his rise to the pinnacle of the Russian hockey elite. He obtained 93 out of the possible 96 votes, with the remaining three voters abstaining. A few days later, on 28 April, the Governor General of Canada
awarded Tretiak the Meritorious Service Medal
in a ceremony at Rideau Hall
. Tretiak earned the award for, among other things, his founding of the Friends of Canada organization to foster good relations between Canada and Russia. He was the first Russian to be conferred this honor.
He also runs a Goalie School at the Canlan Ice Sports in Toronto, Ontario. Called the Vladislav Tretiak Elite School of Goaltending, it is considered one of the most physically punishing goaltending schools in the world, and a student can be refused admittance if he or she is not in top physical condition. He also ran a Goalie School in Montreal during the 90's where he trained many famous NHL goaltenders such as Jose Theodore and Martin Brodeur.
On 28 March 2007, Tretiak went to Ottawa to discuss with Canadian officials about the possibilities of holding another Summit Series
during the summer of 2007, which would be 35 years after the initial event. Russian Prime Minister
Mikhail Fradkov
had also discussed with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper about the possibilities of holding another event. In the end, a series was held in September 2007
between the national junior teams of Canada
and Russia.
were exhibition games between an NHL team and Soviet teams (usually a club from the Soviet Championship League). Tretiak competed in three such series.
Meritorious Service Decoration (Canada)
The Meritorious Service Decorations , available in two forms as the Meritorious Service Cross and the Meritorious Service Medal , are Canadian decorations awarded to those who have demonstrated an outstanding level of service or set an exemplary standard of...
is a former goaltender
Goaltender
In ice hockey, the goaltender is the player who defends his team's goal net by stopping shots of the puck from entering his team's net, thus preventing the opposing team from scoring...
for the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
's national ice hockey team. Considered to be one of the greatest goaltenders in the history of the sport, he was voted one of six players to the International Ice Hockey Federation
International Ice Hockey Federation
The International Ice Hockey Federation is the worldwide governing body for ice hockey and in-line hockey. It is based in Zurich, Switzerland, and has 70 members...
's (IIHF) Centennial All-Star Team
IIHF Centennial All-Star Team
The IIHF Centennial All-Star Team is an all-star team of hockey players from international ice hockey tournaments. The selection was organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation and named in 2008...
in a poll conducted by a group of 56 experts from 16 countries. He is the current president of the Ice Hockey Federation of Russia
Ice Hockey Federation of Russia
The Ice Hockey Federation of Russia is the governing body overseeing ice hockey in Russia.- History :The federation was founded on November 12, 1991 as "Ice Hockey Federation of the Russian Soviet Federated Socialist Republic / Ice Hockey Federation of Russia" established during the existence of...
and the general manager of the Russian 2010 Winter Olympic
Ice hockey at the 2010 Winter Olympics
Ice hockey at the 2010 Winter Olympics was held at Canada Hockey Place, home of the National Hockey League's Vancouver Canucks, and at UBC Winter Sports Centre, home of the Canadian Interuniversity Sport's UBC Thunderbirds. Twelve teams competed in the men's event and eight teams competed in the...
team.
Early years
Tretiak's mother was a middle school physical education teacher (his father taught Russian literatureRussian literature
Russian literature refers to the literature of Russia or its émigrés, and to the Russian-language literature of several independent nations once a part of what was historically Russia or the Soviet Union...
) and although he initially followed his brother as a swimmer, as a child Tretiak was known to excel at many sports and is remembered for his ambition to master all of them. However, like many children of his generation, he loved hockey and at age 11 entered the Children and Youth Sports School
Children and Youth Sports School
Sports school is a type of educational institution for children that originated in the Soviet Union. Sports schools were the basis of the powerful system of physical culture and sports education of the USSR...
of the Central Sports Club of the Army
HC CSKA Moscow
HC CSKA Moscow is a Russian ice hockey club that plays in the Kontinental Hockey League. It is referred to in the West as "Central Red Army" or the "Red Army Team" for its past affiliation with the Soviet Army, popularly known as the Red Army...
(known by its Russian abbreviation as TsSKA or CSKA), that now bears Valeri Kharlamov's name. His first trainer was Vitaly Erfilov. He apparently started playing goal as a bargain in return for a cherished TsSKA hockey jersey, and because no one else wanted to play the position.
International playing career
Despite Tretiak not playing his first hockey game until the age of eleven, he was well-known in the USSR by 1971, when he was named to the Soviet Ice Hockey League's First All-Star Team, while playing for the powerhouse Red ArmyRed Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
team, CSKA Moscow
HC CSKA Moscow
HC CSKA Moscow is a Russian ice hockey club that plays in the Kontinental Hockey League. It is referred to in the West as "Central Red Army" or the "Red Army Team" for its past affiliation with the Soviet Army, popularly known as the Red Army...
. He also played well in the 1972 Winter Olympics
1972 Winter Olympics
The 1972 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XI Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated from February 3 to February 13, 1972 in Sapporo, Hokkaidō, Japan...
, in which the Soviets took the gold medal.
Tretiak became internationally famous after his outstanding performance in the Summit Series
Summit Series
The Summit Series was the first competition between the Soviet and an NHL-inclusive Canadian national ice hockey teams, an eight-game series held in September 1972...
in 1972, when he helped surprise the world, and more importantly, the Canadian team, en route to a narrow loss to the Canadians. A famous story told of how Canadian scouts seriously underestimated his ability prior to the Series; they witnessed him let in eight goals on a particular night, not knowing that he had been married the previous evening (and most of the team had been in attendance). Out of the entire Soviet roster, Canadian players and fans held Tretiak in the highest regard and respect and Tretiak was one of the most famous players of the Series along with Phil Esposito
Phil Esposito
Philip Anthony Esposito, OC is a former Canadian professional ice hockey centre who played 18 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Chicago Black Hawks, Boston Bruins and New York Rangers. He is an Honoured Member of the Hockey Hall of Fame and is considered to be one of the best to have...
, Paul Henderson
Paul Henderson
Paul Henderson is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. A left winger, Henderson played 13 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Detroit Red Wings, Toronto Maple Leafs and Atlanta Flames...
, and Valeri Kharlamov. As a result of Tretiak's stellar performance, many NHL
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
teams wanted to draft him – Montreal
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...
ultimately did, in 1983
1983 NHL Entry Draft
The 1983 NHL Entry Draft was held at the Montreal Forum in Montreal, Quebec, on June 8, 1983. The NHL Entry Draft is the primary means by which players arrive in the National Hockey League. The St. Louis Blues did not participate in this draft, shortly after the league blocked the franchise's...
– and Tretiak was willing, but the move was blocked by the Soviet government.
During the 1976 Super Series, Tretiak put on a dominant performance against the Montreal Canadiens
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...
, helping them to a 3-3 tie despite his team being outshot 38-13.
1976 Winter Olympics
The 1976 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XII Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated February 4–15, 1976 in Innsbruck, Austria...
, and again winning gold in the 1984 Winter Olympics
1984 Winter Olympics
The 1984 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XIV Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated from 8–19 February 1984 in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia. Other candidate cities were Sapporo, Japan; and Gothenburg, Sweden...
and the 1981 Canada Cup
1981 Canada Cup
The 1981 Canada Cup was the second best-on-best ice hockey world championship and involved the world's top six hockey nations. Tournament games were held in Edmonton, Winnipeg, Montreal and Ottawa. The Soviet Union defeated Canada in a single game final to win its first title, while Soviet...
. Tretiak also back-stopped the Soviets to ten IIHF World Championships victories and nine in the IIHF European Championships. However, in the 1980 Winter Olympics
1980 Winter Olympics
The 1980 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XIII Olympic Winter Games, was a multi-sport event which was celebrated from 13 February through 24 February 1980 in Lake Placid, New York, United States of America. This was the second time the Upstate New York village hosted the Games, after 1932...
, the Miracle on Ice
Miracle on Ice
The "Miracle on Ice" is the name in American popular culture for a medal-round men's ice hockey game during the 1980 Winter Olympics at Lake Placid, New York, on Friday, February 22...
denied Tretiak yet another gold medal. Tretiak was pulled by Viktor Tikhonov
Viktor Tikhonov
Viktor Vasilyevich Tikhonov is a Russian former ice hockey player and coach. He was the coach of the Soviet team when it was the most dominant team in the world...
at the end of the first period in favor of Vladimir Myshkin
Vladimir Myshkin
Vladimir Semenovich Myshkin is a former ice hockey goaltender. He was a goaltender for HC Dynamo Moscow and the Soviet Union national ice hockey team in the 1970s and 1980s....
, after giving up a late goal with only one second left in the period, by Team USA's Mark Johnson. The Soviet team had left the ice for the dressing room, thinking the period was over, so Tikhonov sent out Myshkin, along with 3 Soviet players, to officially end the period. Myshkin remained in goal for the rest of the game because of the uncharacteristic weak performance of Tretiak in the first period. Tretiak, along with many other Soviet players hated the move by Tikhonov. Tretiak himself stated that the move cost him a gold medal, insinuating that he would not have let in the goals that Myshkin allowed; had he won that game, he would only have needed to secure a draw against Finland two nights later to attain his only silver medal.
Though he was only 32 in 1984 and still capable of playing top-level hockey for many more years, Tretiak retired. It is said that the refusal to allow him to play in the NHL and his unwillingness to continue playing for Tikhonov contributed to this decision.
Post retirement
Tretiak's wife, Tatiana (born 1950), is qualified as a Russian literature teacher, although she no longer works. He has two children, a son Dmitri (born 1973) who is a dentist and a daughter Irina (born 1976) who is a lawyer. Tretiak hopes that Dmitri’s son, Maxim, born 1996, will follow in his footsteps as a professional hockey player.Tretiak was one of the guests who spoke at the ceremony during which the Montreal Canadiens
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...
retired the jersey number of Ken Dryden
Ken Dryden
Kenneth Wayne Dryden, PC, is a Canadian politician, lawyer, businessman, author, and former NHL goaltender. Dryden is married with two children and four grandchildren and is a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame...
on 29 January 2007. Dryden had been one of Team Canada's goaltenders during the 1972 Summit Series, opposite Tretiak.
Tretiak retired in 1984, fittingly following a 2-0 victory over Czechoslovakia. In 1990, Mike Keenan
Mike Keenan
Michael Edward Keenan is a former head coach in the National Hockey League , most recently with the Calgary Flames, and former General Manager of the Florida Panthers. He is currently working as an analyst for the New York Rangers on MSG Network.Keenan was a player for the St...
hired Tretiak as a goaltender coach for the Chicago Blackhawks
Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They have won four Stanley Cup championships since their founding in 1926, most recently coming in 2009-10...
, which has allowed him to coach some of the top goalies of the past 20 years, such as Ed Belfour
Ed Belfour
Edward John Belfour is a former Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender.Belfour was born in Carman, Manitoba and grew up playing hockey. He played junior hockey for the Winkler Flyers before going to the University of North Dakota where he helped the school win the NCAA championship in the...
, Dominik Hašek
Dominik Hašek
Dominik Hašek is a Czech ice hockey goaltender who is currently with HC Spartak Moscow of the KHL.In his 16-season National Hockey League career, he played for the Chicago Blackhawks, Buffalo Sabres, Detroit Red Wings, and the Ottawa Senators. During his years in Buffalo, he became one of the...
, and Jocelyn Thibault
Jocelyn Thibault
Jocelyn Thibault is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who played 14 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Quebec Nordiques, Colorado Avalanche, Montreal Canadiens, Chicago Blackhawks, Pittsburgh Penguins and Buffalo Sabres...
. Keenan was so impressed with Tretiak's abilities in practice that he suggested the 38-year-old might still be able to play in the NHL. Tretiak personally said that coaching was the next best thing to playing in the NHL. Since leaving the Blackhawks, Belfour has worn uniform number 20 as a tribute to Tretiak. Numerous other goalies, including Evgeni Nabokov
Evgeni Nabokov
Evgeni Viktorovich Nabokov is a Russian professional ice hockey goaltender who is playing for the New York Islanders of the National Hockey League .Nabokov was selected by San Jose in the 1994 NHL Entry Draft...
, wear number 20 as a tribute to Tretiak.
He was awarded Order of the Red Banner of Labour
Order of the Red Banner of Labour
The Order of the Red Banner of Labour was an order of the Soviet Union for accomplishments in labour and civil service. It is the labour counterpart of the military Order of the Red Banner. A few institutions and factories, being the pride of Soviet Union, also received the order.-History:The Red...
(1984). In 1987 Vladislav wrote an autobiography titled "Tretiak, The Legend". He was named to the Hockey Hall of Fame
Hockey Hall of Fame
The Hockey Hall of Fame is located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Dedicated to the history of ice hockey, it is both a museum and a hall of fame. It holds exhibits about players, teams, National Hockey League records, memorabilia and NHL trophies, including the Stanley Cup...
in 1989, the first Soviet player to be so honored and to be inducted as a player without having played a game in the NHL
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
. In 2000, he was voted Best Russian Hockey Player of the 20th century. He was a vital cog for some of the most dominant hockey teams in history and is now considered one of hockey's greatest ambassadors.
Tretiak was elected to the State Duma
Duma
A Duma is any of various representative assemblies in modern Russia and Russian history. The State Duma in the Russian Empire and Russian Federation corresponds to the lower house of the parliament. Simply it is a form of Russian governmental institution, that was formed during the reign of the...
as a member of the United Russia
United Russia
United Russia is a centrist political party in Russia and the largest party in the country, currently holding 315 of the 450 seats in the State Duma. The party was founded in December 2001, through a merger of the Unity and Fatherland-All Russia parties...
party in December 2003, representing the region of Saratov
Saratov
-Modern Saratov:The Saratov region is highly industrialized, due in part to the rich in natural and industrial resources of the area. The region is also one of the more important and largest cultural and scientific centres in Russia...
. He is chairman of the State Duma Committee on Physical Culture, Sport, and Youth. He continues to teach hockey skills in North America and Russia.
On 25 April 2006 (his 54th birthday), Tretiak was elected head of the Russian Ice Hockey Federation, capping his rise to the pinnacle of the Russian hockey elite. He obtained 93 out of the possible 96 votes, with the remaining three voters abstaining. A few days later, on 28 April, the Governor General of Canada
Governor General of Canada
The Governor General of Canada is the federal viceregal representative of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II...
awarded Tretiak the Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Decoration (Canada)
The Meritorious Service Decorations , available in two forms as the Meritorious Service Cross and the Meritorious Service Medal , are Canadian decorations awarded to those who have demonstrated an outstanding level of service or set an exemplary standard of...
in a ceremony at Rideau Hall
Rideau Hall
Rideau Hall is, since 1867, the official residence in Ottawa of both the Canadian monarch and the Governor General of Canada. It stands in Canada's capital on a 0.36 km2 estate at 1 Sussex Drive, with the main building consisting of 170 rooms across 9,500 m2 , and 24 outbuildings around the...
. Tretiak earned the award for, among other things, his founding of the Friends of Canada organization to foster good relations between Canada and Russia. He was the first Russian to be conferred this honor.
He also runs a Goalie School at the Canlan Ice Sports in Toronto, Ontario. Called the Vladislav Tretiak Elite School of Goaltending, it is considered one of the most physically punishing goaltending schools in the world, and a student can be refused admittance if he or she is not in top physical condition. He also ran a Goalie School in Montreal during the 90's where he trained many famous NHL goaltenders such as Jose Theodore and Martin Brodeur.
On 28 March 2007, Tretiak went to Ottawa to discuss with Canadian officials about the possibilities of holding another Summit Series
Summit Series
The Summit Series was the first competition between the Soviet and an NHL-inclusive Canadian national ice hockey teams, an eight-game series held in September 1972...
during the summer of 2007, which would be 35 years after the initial event. Russian Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
Mikhail Fradkov
Mikhail Fradkov
Mikhail Yefimovich Fradkov is a Russian politician and statesman who was the Prime Minister of Russia from March 2004 to September 2007. Fradkov has been the head of Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service since 2007.-Early life:...
had also discussed with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper about the possibilities of holding another event. In the end, a series was held in September 2007
2007 Super Series
The 2007 Super Series was an eight-game Under-20 ice hockey challenge between Russia and Canada. The series was won by Canada, who shocked the Russians with seven wins and one tie . Over the course of the eight games, Canada outscored Russia 39-13. The Series was held from August 27 to September 9...
between the national junior teams of Canada
Canada national junior hockey team
The Canadian men's national under 20 ice hockey team is the national under-20 ice hockey team in Canada. The team represents Canada at the International Ice Hockey Federation's World Junior Hockey Championship, held annually every December and January...
and Russia.
Career statistics
| Season | | Team | | League | GP | W | L | T | MIN | GA | GAA Goals against average Goals Against Average is a statistic used in ice hockey, water polo, lacrosse, and soccer that is the mean of goals allowed per game by a goaltender.... |
SO | PIM Penalty (ice hockey) A penalty in ice hockey is a punishment for inappropriate behavior. Most penalties are enforced by detaining the offending player within a penalty box for a set number of minutes, during which, the player can not participate in play. The offending team usually may not replace the player on the ice,... |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1968–69 | CSKA Moscow HC CSKA Moscow HC CSKA Moscow is a Russian ice hockey club that plays in the Kontinental Hockey League. It is referred to in the West as "Central Red Army" or the "Red Army Team" for its past affiliation with the Soviet Army, popularly known as the Red Army... |
Soviet | 3 | 2 | ||||||||
| 1969–70 | CSKA Moscow | Soviet | 34 | 76 | ||||||||
| 1970–71 | CSKA Moscow | Soviet | 40 | 81 | ||||||||
| 1971–72 | CSKA Moscow | Soviet | 30 | 78 | ||||||||
| 1972–73 | CSKA Moscow | Soviet | 30 | 80 | ||||||||
| 1973–74 | CSKA Moscow | Soviet | 27 | 94 | ||||||||
| 1974–75 | CSKA Moscow | Soviet | 35 | 104 | ||||||||
| 1975–76 | CSKA Moscow | Soviet | 33 | 100 | ||||||||
| 1976–77 | CSKA Moscow | Soviet | 35 | 98 | ||||||||
| 1977–78 | CSKA Moscow | Soviet | 29 | 72 | ||||||||
| 1978–79 | CSKA Moscow | Soviet | 40 | 111 | 2 | |||||||
| 1979–80 | CSKA Moscow | Soviet | 36 | 85 | 2 | |||||||
| 1980–81 | CSKA Moscow | Soviet | 18 | 32 | 2 | |||||||
| 1981–82 | CSKA Moscow | Soviet | 41 | 34 | 4 | 3 | 2295 | 65 | 1.70 | 6 | 0 | |
| 1982–83 | CSKA Moscow | Soviet | 29 | 25 | 3 | 1 | 1641 | 40 | 1.46 | 6 | 2 | |
| 1983–84 | CSKA Moscow | Soviet | 22 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 1267 | 40 | 1.89 | 4 | 2 |
International statistics
| Year | | Team | | Event | GP | W | L | T | MIN | GA | GAA | SO | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1968 | Soviet Union | EJC-A | 1 | 20 | 1 | 3.00 | 0 | ||||
| 1969 | Soviet Union | EJC-A | 2 | ||||||||
| 1969 | Soviet Union | IzvCup | 4 | 160 | 4 | 1.50 | |||||
| 1970 | Soviet Union | EJC-A | 2 | ||||||||
| 1970 1970 World Ice Hockey Championships The 1970 World Ice Hockey Championships was the 37th edition of the Ice Hockey World Championships. 21 nations participated in three different divisions or pools:-World Championship Group A :*Poland demoted to Pool B.... |
Soviet Union | WEC-A Ice Hockey World Championships The Ice Hockey World Championships are an annual ice hockey tournament organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation . First officially held at the 1920 Summer Olympics, it is the sport's highest profile annual international tournament. The IIHF was created in 1908 while the European... |
6 | 215 | 4 | 1.12 | |||||
| 1970 | Soviet Union | IzvCup | 3 | 140 | 4 | 1.71 | |||||
| 1971 | Soviet Union | EJC-A | 3 | 180 | 5 | 1.67 | |||||
| 1971 1971 World Ice Hockey Championships The 1971 World Ice Hockey Championships was the 38th edition of the Ice Hockey World Championships, which also doubled as the 49th European ice hockey championships.The Pool-A, Pool-B and Pool-C tournaments were hosted by the following nations:... |
Soviet Union | WEC-A | 5 | 241 | 6 | 1.49 | |||||
| 1971 | Soviet Union | IzvCup | 3 | 140 | 3 | 1.29 | |||||
| 1972 Ice hockey at the 1972 Winter Olympics At the 1972 Winter Olympics held in Sapporo, Japan, one ice hockey event was held: men's ice hockey. Games were held at the Makomanai Ice Arena and at the Tsukisamu Indoor Skating Rink.-Team USA:... |
Soviet Union | Oly Winter Olympic Games The Winter Olympic Games is a sporting event, which occurs every four years. The first celebration of the Winter Olympics was held in Chamonix, France, in 1924. The original sports were alpine and cross-country skiing, figure skating, ice hockey, Nordic combined, ski jumping and speed skating... |
4 | 240 | 10 | 2.50 | |||||
| 1972 1972 World Ice Hockey Championships The 1972 World Ice Hockey Championships was the 39th edition of the Ice Hockey World Championships. The tournament was held in Prague, Czechoslovakia from April 7 to April 22, 1972, and the Czechoslovakia national team won the tournament, the third time they had done so and first since 1949, ending... |
Soviet Union | WEC-A | 8 | 430 | 15 | 2.09 | |||||
| 1972 | Soviet Union | Summit-72 Summit Series The Summit Series was the first competition between the Soviet and an NHL-inclusive Canadian national ice hockey teams, an eight-game series held in September 1972... |
8 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 480 | 31 | 3.88 | 0 | |
| 1972 | Soviet Union | IzvCup | 3 | 160 | 7 | 2.63 | |||||
| 1973 1973 World Ice Hockey Championships The 1973 World Ice Hockey Championships were the 40th Ice Hockey World Championships and the 51st European Championships of ice hockey. The tournament took place in the Soviet Union from 31 March to 15 April and the games were played at the Palace of Sports of the Central Lenin Stadium in the... |
Soviet Union | WEC-A | 7 | 420 | 14 | 2.00 | |||||
| 1973 | Soviet Union | IzvCup | 3 | 180 | 4 | 1.33 | |||||
| 1974 1974 World Ice Hockey Championships The 1974 Ice Hockey World Championships were the 41st Ice Hockey World Championships and the 52nd European Championships in ice hockey. The tournament took place in Finland from 5 April to 20 April and the games were played in the capital, Helsinki. Six teams took part in the main tournament, all... |
Soviet Union | WEC-A | 8 | 440 | 12 | 1.64 | |||||
| 1974 | Soviet Union | Summit-74 1974 Summit Series The 1974 Summit Series was the second of two competitions between Soviet and Canadian professional ice hockey players. Canada was represented by World Hockey Association players instead of National Hockey League players, as it had been in the 1972 Summit Series. The Soviet team won the series 4-1-3... |
7 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 420 | 25 | 3.57 | 0 | |
| 1974–75 | Soviet Union | IzvCup | 14 | 743 | 40 | 3.23 | |||||
| 1975 1975 World Ice Hockey Championships The 1975 World Ice Hockey Championships were the 42nd Ice Hockey World Championships and the 53rd European Championships of ice hockey. The tournament took place in West Germany from 3 April to 19 April and the games were played in Munich and Düsseldorf. Six teams took part in the main tournament,... |
Soviet Union | WEC-A | 8 | 449 | 18 | 2.41 | |||||
| 1975 | Soviet Union | IzvCup | 3 | 130 | 5 | 2.31 | |||||
| 1976 Ice hockey at the 1976 Winter Olympics At the 1976 Winter Olympics held in Innsbruck, Austria, the USSR team won the Gold Medal in ice hockey. Star forward, Valeri Kharlamov scored the game-winning goal in the final game. Games were held at the Olympiahalle Innsbruck.-Highlights:... |
Soviet Union | Oly | 4 | 240 | 10 | 2.50 | |||||
| 1976 1976 World Ice Hockey Championships The 1976 World Ice Hockey Championships were the 43rd Ice Hockey World Championships and the 54th European Championships in ice hockey. The tournament took place in Poland from 8 April to 25 April, and the games were played in Katowice. Eight teams took part in the main tournament, with each team... |
Soviet Union | WEC-A | 10 | 577 | 19 | 1.98 | |||||
| 1976 1976 Canada Cup The 1976 Canada Cup was an international ice hockey tournament held September 2–15, 1976, in Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal, Winnipeg and Quebec, Canada as well as in Philadelphia, United States. It was the first of five Canada Cup tournaments held between 1976 and 1991... |
Soviet Union | Can-Cup Canada Cup (ice hockey) The Canada Cup was an invitational international ice hockey tournament held on five occasions between 1976 and 1991. The tournament was created to meet demand for a true world championship that allowed the best players from participating nations to compete regardless of their status as professional... |
5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 300 | 14 | 2.80 | 1 | |
| 1976 | Soviet Union | IzvCup | 3 | 180 | 8 | 2.67 | |||||
| 1977 1977 World Ice Hockey Championships The 1977 Ice Hockey World Championships took place in Vienna, Austria from 21 April to 8 May. Eight teams took part, first playing each other once, then the four best teams advancing to a new round. The tournament was also the 55th ice hockey European Championship... |
Soviet Union | WEC-A | 9 | 482 | 17 | 2.12 | |||||
| 1977 | Soviet Union | IzvCup | 4 | 223 | 15 | 4.04 | |||||
| 1978 1978 World Ice Hockey Championships The 1978 Ice Hockey World Championships took place in Prague, Czechoslovakia from 26 April to 14 May. Eight teams took part, with each team playing each other once in the first round, and then the four best teams meeting in a new round. This was the 45th World Championships, and also the 56th ice... |
Soviet Union | WEC-A | 8 | 480 | 21 | 2.63 | |||||
| 1978 | Soviet Union | IzvCup | 3 | 180 | 6 | 2.00 | |||||
| 1979 | Soviet Union | Ch-Cup 1979 Challenge Cup The 1979 Challenge Cup was an international ice hockey series of games between the Soviet national ice hockey team and a team of all-stars from the National Hockey League, held in New York City. It replaced the NHL's all-star festivities for the 1978–79 NHL season.The Challenge Cup, unlike its... |
2 | 120 | 8 | 4.00 | |||||
| 1979 1979 World Ice Hockey Championships The 1979 Ice Hockey World Championships took place at the Palace of Sports of the Central Lenin Stadium in Moscow, Soviet Union from 26 April to 14 May. Eight teams took part, with the first round split into two groups of four, and the best two from each group advancing to the final group. The four... |
Soviet Union | WEC-A | 7 | 407 | 12 | 1.77 | |||||
| 1979 | Soviet Union | IzvCup | 2 | 120 | 3 | 1.50 | |||||
| 1980 Ice hockey at the 1980 Winter Olympics Ice hockey at the 1980 Winter Olympics was held at the Olympic Arena and the Olympic Fieldhouse in Lake Placid, New York. Twelve teams competed in the tournament, which was held from February 12 to February 24... |
Soviet Union | Oly | 5 | 220 | 9 | 2.45 | |||||
| 1980 | Soviet Union | IzvCup | | | 180 | 2 | 0.67 | |||||
| 1981 1981 World Ice Hockey Championships The 1981 Ice Hockey World Championships took place at the Scandinavium arena in Gothenburg, Sweden from 12 April to the 26 April. Eight teams took part, firstly splitting into two groups of two, with the best two from each group advancing to the final group. These teams then play each other in the... |
Soviet Union | WEC-A | 7 | 420 | 13 | 1.86 | |||||
| 1981 1981 Canada Cup The 1981 Canada Cup was the second best-on-best ice hockey world championship and involved the world's top six hockey nations. Tournament games were held in Edmonton, Winnipeg, Montreal and Ottawa. The Soviet Union defeated Canada in a single game final to win its first title, while Soviet... |
Soviet Union | Can-Cup | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 360 | 8 | 1.33 | 0 | |
| 1981 | Soviet Union | IzvCup | 3 | 180 | 6 | 2.00 | |||||
| 1982 1982 World Ice Hockey Championships The 1982 Ice Hockey World Championships took place in Finland from the 15 April to the 29 April. The games were played in Helsinki and Tampere. Eight teams took part, and each played each other once. The four best teams then played each other once more. This was the 48th World Championships, and... |
Soviet Union | WEC-A | 8 | 464 | 19 | 2.46 | |||||
| 1982 | Soviet Union | IzvCup | 3 | 180 | 10 | 3.33 | |||||
| 1983 1983 World Ice Hockey Championships The 1983 Ice Hockey World Championships took place in West Germany from 16 April to 2 May. The games were played in Munich, Dortmund and Düsseldorf. Eight teams took part, with each playing each other once. The four best teams then play each other once more. This was the 49th World Championships,... |
Soviet Union | WEC-A | 7 | 420 | 4 | 0.57 | |||||
| 1983 | Soviet Union | IzvCup | 4 | 220 | 7 | 1.91 | |||||
| 1984 Ice hockey at the 1984 Winter Olympics At the 1984 Winter Olympics held in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia, one ice hockey event was held: men's ice hockey. Most of the games were held at the Olympic Hall Zetra and some of the games in Skenderija II olympic hall.-Medalists:Source:* Gold -... |
Soviet Union | Oly | 6 | 360 | 4 | 0.67 |
Super Series statistics
The Super SeriesSuper Series
The Super Series were exhibition games between Soviet teams and NHL teams that took place on each NHL opponents' home ice in North America from 1976 to 1991. The Soviet teams were usually club teams from the Soviet hockey league. The exception was in 1983, when the Soviet National Team represented...
were exhibition games between an NHL team and Soviet teams (usually a club from the Soviet Championship League). Tretiak competed in three such series.
| Year | | Team | | Event | GP | W | L | T | MIN | GA | GAA | SO | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1975–76 | CSKA Moscow | Super-S Super Series The Super Series were exhibition games between Soviet teams and NHL teams that took place on each NHL opponents' home ice in North America from 1976 to 1991. The Soviet teams were usually club teams from the Soviet hockey league. The exception was in 1983, when the Soviet National Team represented... |
4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 240 | 12 | 3.00 | 0 | |
| 1980 | CSKA Moscow | Super-S | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 300 | 18 | 3.60 | 0 | |
| 1983 | Soviet Union | Super-S | 4 | 0 | 240 | 4 | 1.00 |
Records and honours
- First All-Star in the Soviet League consecutively each year from 1971 until 1984. In those fourteen years, Tretiak won thirteen league titles with the Red Army team, and was named MVP of the league five times
- In 1978, Tretiak was awarded the Order of LeninOrder of LeninThe Order of Lenin , named after the leader of the Russian October Revolution, was the highest decoration bestowed by the Soviet Union...
- First player born and trained outside North America to be inducted into the Hockey Hall of FameHockey Hall of FameThe Hockey Hall of Fame is located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Dedicated to the history of ice hockey, it is both a museum and a hall of fame. It holds exhibits about players, teams, National Hockey League records, memorabilia and NHL trophies, including the Stanley Cup...
; along with longtime teammate Valeri Kharlamov, one of only two Russian players in the Hockey Hall of Fame in the players' category who played exclusively in Russia. In addition, Tretiak and Kharlamov are the only two in the players' category who played their entire careers behind the Iron CurtainIron CurtainThe concept of the Iron Curtain symbolized the ideological fighting and physical boundary dividing Europe into two separate areas from the end of World War II in 1945 until the end of the Cold War in 1989...
. Tretiak is also the only such person to be so honored while living. - When Sports IllustratedSports IllustratedSports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
named its greatest hockey team ever in 2000, it chose Tretiak as the goalie in a lineup that also included Wayne GretzkyWayne GretzkyWayne Douglas Gretzky, CC is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and former head coach. Nicknamed "The Great One", he is generally regarded as the best player in the history of the National Hockey League , and has been called "the greatest hockey player ever" by many sportswriters,...
, Bobby HullBobby HullRobert Marvin "Bobby" Hull, OC is a former Canadian ice hockey player. He is regarded as one of the greatest ice hockey players of all time and perhaps the greatest left winger to ever play the game. Hull was famous for his blonde hair, blinding skating speed, and having the hardest shot, earning...
, Gordie HoweGordie HoweGordon "Gordie" Howe, OC is a Canadian retired professional ice hockey player who played for the Detroit Red Wings and Hartford Whalers of the National Hockey League , and the Houston Aeros and New England Whalers in the World Hockey Association . Howe is often referred to as Mr...
,and Bobby OrrBobby OrrRobert Gordon "Bobby" Orr, OC is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. Orr played in the National Hockey League for his entire career, the first ten seasons with the Boston Bruins, joining the Chicago Black Hawks for two more. Orr is widely acknowledged to be one of the greatest...
.