Larionov, nicknamed "The Professor" because of his cerebral style of play (and the fact that he wore glasses off the ice), was recognized as one of the best players in the world well before he made his NHL debut with the Vancouver Canucks in 1989, when he was almost 29 years old. Despite the late start, Larionov played 14 seasons in the NHL and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2008.
He starred in the Soviet Union for three seasons with his hometown team, Khimik Voskresensk, and eight seasons with CSKA Moscow, where he centered the famed "KLM Line" with Vladimir Krutov and Sergei Makarov on his wings. Together with defensemen Viacheslav Fetisov and Alexei Kasatonov, they formed the five-player "Green Unit" (named for the color of their practice jerseys) that dominated in the Soviet League and internationally with the national team.
Larionov, nicknamed "The Professor" because of his cerebral style of play (and the fact that he wore glasses off the ice), was recognized as one of the best players in the world well before he made his NHL debut with the Vancouver Canucks in 1989, when he was almost 29 years old. Despite the late start, Larionov played 14 seasons in the NHL and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2008.
He starred in the Soviet Union for three seasons with his hometown team, Khimik Voskresensk, and eight seasons with CSKA Moscow, where he centered the famed "KLM Line" with Vladimir Krutov and Sergei Makarov on his wings. Together with defensemen Viacheslav Fetisov and Alexei Kasatonov, they formed the five-player "Green Unit" (named for the color of their practice jerseys) that dominated in the Soviet League and internationally with the national team.
In addition to helping the Soviet Union win the 1981 Canada Cup by getting five points (four goals, one assist) in seven games, Larionov won gold medals with the Soviet Union at the 1984 Sarajevo Olympics and the 1988 Calgary Olympics and won bronze with Russia at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics. He was also part of gold-medal winning teams at the 1982, 1983, 1986 and 1989 IIHF World Championships.
After pushing the Soviet government to join the NHL, Larionov received permission in 1989 and had 644 points (169 goals, 475 assists) in 921 regular-season games with the Canucks, San Jose Sharks, Detroit Red Wings, Florida Panthers and New Jersey Devils before retiring in 2004.
Larionov had his most NHL success with Detroit, where he had 397 points (89 goals, 308 assists) in 539 games during eight seasons and helped the Red Wings the Stanley Cup in 1997, 1998 and 2002. Reunited with Fetisov, they played together on the Red Wings' "Russian Five" unit with forwards Sergei Fedorov and Vyacheslav Kozlov and defenseman Vladimir Konstantinov.
The Stanley Cup made its first visit to Russia in 1997 when Larionov, Fetisov and Kozlov brought it to Moscow.
Larionov was 41 when he became the oldest player to score a goal in the Stanley Cup Final. He scored twice in Game 3 of the 2002 Cup Final against the Carolina Hurricanes; the second goal came at 14:47 of the third overtime and gave Detroit a 3-2 victory. Larionov finished with four points (three goals, one assist) in five games in the series.
He is one of six players (along with Fetisov, Joe Sakic, Sidney Crosby, Scott Niedermayer and Corey Perry) whoíve won the Stanley Cup, the Canada/World Cup of Hockey, the World Championship and IIHF World Junior Championship and earned a gold medal at the Winter Olympics.
NOTES & TRANSACTIONS
- WJC-A All-Star Team (1980)
- USSR First All-Star Team (1983, 1986, 1987, 1988)
- WEC-A All-Star Team (1983, 1986)
- USSR Player of the Year (1988)
- Played in NHL All-Star Game (1998)
- Claimed by San Jose from Vancouver in Waiver Draft, October 4, 1992.
- Traded to Detroit by San Jose for Ray Sheppard, October 24, 1995.
- Signed as a free agent by Florida, July 1, 2000.
- Traded to Detroit by Florida for Yan Golubovsky, December 28, 2000.
- Signed as a free agent by New Jersey, September 10, 2003.
- Officially announced retirement, April 20, 2004.
