A unique day at the Red Machine Junior training camp!

Yesterday, the players attended a lecture and a video analysis session covering the legendary 1972 Super Series between the USSR and Canada. They analysed these matches alongside Alexander Yakushev, one of the event’s stand-out figures and the Soviet national team’s leader and top scorer. It was then that the entire hockey world became acquainted with Yak-15. Alexander participated in all of the series’ eight games, scoring seven goals and tallying 11 points - more than any other Soviet player. Five of his seven goals were registered in the concluding three games of the series.

Yakushev began the series playing on the famous line with Evgeny Zimin and Vladimir Shadrin. Our young players were able to watch on the screen how their attacking plays were built, how players found open ice, created space and made decisions while facing the best NHL professionals.

Alexander explained how the Soviet team prepared for an unknown opponent, adapted to a completely different style of hockey and withstood the intense speed, physical play and pressure.

Watching archival footage is one thing, but pausing the action to hear Alexander himself explain why he drove to the net at a specific moment, how he worked with his teammates and what split-second decisions were required is something else!

This served as an invaluable experience for our players. It’s important not only to know the history of Russian ice hockey, but also to understand the mindset, training methods and winning ways of its legends. Days like this are remembered for a lifetime! Thank you, YAK-15!