Biography

Vladimir Krutov

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Krutov was the left wing of the KLM-Line. His nickname "The Tank" says a lot about his style of playing hockey. He was a hard worker in front of the goal and his ability to score was well known in the hockey world. Joining the Central Soviet Army team in 1977, he won the national title 12 times. His international career with the Soviet Army team included two Olympic Gold, one Olympic Silver Medal, winning the World Championship 6 times and victory in the Canada Cup in 1981. He was named Player of the Year in the Soviet Union 1987 and had several national and international All-Star appearances. After his successful years in Russia, Krutov changed along with his teammate Igor Larionov to the NHL to join the Vancouver Canucks. Of all the Russian players who went to North America that year, Krutov had the worst and shortest stay. Coming untrained and overweight, he had no chance to convince the Canucks of the qualities which he had shown e.g. at the Canada Cup in 1987. After that year in Vancouver with 11 goals, 23 assists for 34 points in 61 games, Vladimir returned to Europe to play for several years in Switzerland and in Sweden. He was working as an assistant coach in Russia before his death.
- IMDb mini biography by: K.P. Manning

Famous Russian ice hockey player
He won Olympic Gold Medals as a Soviet Union Hockey player in the 1984 Winter Olympics (Sarajevo, Yugoslavia) and in 1988 Winter Olympic Games (Calgary Alberta, Canada. He was a member of the 1980 Soviet Union hockey team where they were defeated by the United States team (Lake Placid, New York) and received the Olympic Silver Medal.
He was awarded the Soviet Union Player of the Year in 1987 and was on many international all-star teams.
The Soviet Army Team drafted him into the military where they practiced 11 months a year, two or three times a days, and often confined men to a training camp even if they were married. He was a member of the junior world championship teams in 1978, 1979, and 1980 for the Soviet Union.
In 1989, he signed a three contract for the Vancouver Canucks for 2.3 million a year but left after a season for the Soviet Union. He later played for lower league teams in Switzerland and Sweden and was an assistant coach with his old Soviet Army team. He was director of a Sports School and inducted into the International Ice Hockey Hall of Fame.

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