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Tha_Lux · 10-07-2021, 02:16 AM

Tretiak: the legend

Vladislav Tretiak became a household name in North America after stunning the 1972 Canadian team in the first game. Consistent throughout his career, he possessed cold concentration and machine like efficiency. Regularly baffling the best forwards on the best teams in the world, his gift was an uncanny ability to read where the puck was going to go
He’s been falling down and getting up since his childhood. His mother was his first coach. In 1967 Tretiak then a young goalie was invited to train with Red Army.
“I never considered my hockey training to be complete. I tried to learn a lesson from each day of my life. I consider myself lucky I was always surrounded by good people. My first mentor was Konovalenko. He was a seven time World Champion. He won Olympic gold twice. In his thirties he began teaching the 17 year old Tretiak preparing him for the 1970 World Championship. All he had to say to me with a handshake was “Keep it up, Keep it up.” – Tretiak.
Konovalenko took Tretiak under his wing and showed him the ropes. Tretiak was pressed into service when Konovalenko got clipped by a Swede, at that point the game was 2-1 Russia. The debut ended 4-2 for Sweden. Konovalenko not only made the next start against the Finns it was a 10-0 win Russia won Gold. A radio reporter asked Tretiak “What lessons did you learn?”
Tretiak replied “Thanks to Viktor Konovalenko, I now know what courage is.”
In 1969 Vladislav Tretiak graduated from High School.
He continued his education in Physical Education.
The Red Army team, nicknamed him Druzilla after the Czech star Vlado Druzilla.
In Switzerland in 1971, Tretiak was named the Starter.
Konovalenko faltered and dropped two games to the Czechs. Then beat the Finns and Germans. Set to face the Americans Tretiak developed a cold which the coach Tarasov took him to task for.
1954 was the first time amateurs from Russia faced professionals from Canada, and now it was 1972 and time again.
Boris Mayorov’s Team Comparison,
Area of Comparison                     USSR                     Canada
Physical Training                              5                               3
Puck Control                                     5                              4
Passing                                              5                               3
Attack Zone                                     4                                3
Shooting                                             3                     4
Physical play                                    4                         5
Goaltending                                    3                       5
Defense                                         3.5                   4
Skating                                            4                  4
Individual Puck Handling             4                 4
Shorthanded Play                         4                  4
Offense                                          4                   4
Game Srategy                                5                   5
Total Rating Factor                    53,5               52
Newspapers reported that Tretiak was the Russian weak spot.
It was time to shatter the myth.
On the Henderson goal “I will always say that goal was one if the most maddening I ever let in,” – Tretiak.
Tretiak greatly admires the Canadians
What are goalies made of? In 1971 Jacques Plante gave Tretiak a book, as he befriended him. A soccer keeper moves around 15 times a match, A goalie makes over forty moves. Intensity is the name of the goalies game. Newspapers would paint Tretiak as a villain, claiming he used tricks like hypnosis.
Tretiak has given more back to hockey than he got out of it. He is truly an international ambassador.

As a boy I would watch the Russian games even when they weren't playing Canada, fascinated. He was the goalie I admired most and when i got to play I would emulate him. Him being my childhood favourite was why I chose a very similar surname, changing the I to Y. So as to say I am not Tretiak but he's why I chose Tretyak. Dominik is a nod to my favourite teenage goalie Hasek.

Word Count; 518+

*CptSquall* · 10-09-2021, 11:06 AM

Morning @Tha_Lux

I love this article, it has almost everything it needs from the word count, to the flexing of the history of Tretiak who has seen a small revival of interest in the last decade.

Its only missing one, vital thing to be approved.

It needs to tie into at least one of the leagues on this site, or, even better, your player Dominik Tretiak. Perhaps the story of his father/uncle/someone he was named after inspired him?

As always please reach out to either myself or the other members of the Deep Dive team with any questions.

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