Where did ice hockey come from. The Fascinating Origins and Evolution of Ice Hockey: From Ancient Games to Modern Sport

Where did ice hockey originate. How did the game evolve over time. What role did Canada play in developing modern ice hockey. Who invented the sport as we know it today. When was the first organized ice hockey game played.

The Ancient Roots of Ice Hockey: Tracing the Sport’s Earliest Influences

The history of ice hockey is a tapestry woven from various cultural threads, with its true origins shrouded in the mists of time. While the modern game we know today has clear Canadian roots, the concept of stick-and-ball games on ice dates back much further in history.

Archaeological evidence suggests that similar games were played in ancient civilizations. Greek artifacts depict players engaged in stick-and-ball activities that bear a striking resemblance to hockey. Some historians even propose connections to games played in ancient Egypt, though concrete evidence remains elusive.

One compelling theory links ice hockey to the ancient Irish game of hurling. This fast-paced field sport, played with curved sticks and a small ball, shares some fundamental similarities with hockey. As Irish immigrants settled in Canada, it’s possible they adapted their traditional game to the frozen landscape of their new home.

Early European Precursors

Several European games from the Middle Ages and early modern period likely contributed to the development of ice hockey:

• Chamiare (or shinty): A stick-and-ball game played on ice in Scotland during the early 1600s.
• Bandy: Popularized in England in the mid-1700s, this game was played on frozen meadows and ponds.
• Field hockey: The land-based version of the sport evolved alongside its icy counterpart.

These games laid important groundwork, introducing concepts like using sticks to maneuver an object across ice towards a goal.

The Etymology of Hockey: Unraveling the Name’s Origins

The word “hockey” itself has an intriguing history. The earliest known written reference to the term appears in a 1773 English book titled “Juvenile Sports and Pastimes.” However, it’s entirely possible that the name was in use even earlier.

Interestingly, newspaper accounts from Great Britain in the 1840s already mentioned “hockey played on ice,” suggesting the term was well-established by that time. This raises an important question: Did the name originate in England and then travel to North America with settlers, or did it develop independently in multiple locations?

International Claims to Hockey’s Invention

While Canada is most closely associated with ice hockey’s development, other nations have staked claims to inventing the sport:

• Russia: In 1949, a Soviet magazine asserted that ice hockey was invented and perfected in Russia during the mid-19th century. However, most historians view these claims skeptically.
• England: The documented participation of the Prince of Wales in an 1864 ice hockey game lends credence to the sport’s popularity in Britain during this period.

Despite these competing narratives, it’s important to recognize that the evolution of ice hockey was likely a collaborative process, with various cultures contributing to its development over time.

Canada’s Crucial Role: Modernizing and Popularizing Ice Hockey

While ice hockey may not have been invented in Canada, the country undeniably played a pivotal role in shaping the modern game. In the late 19th century, Canada became the epicenter of ice hockey’s evolution, refining rules, equipment, and gameplay.

Key Canadian Contributions

• Standardization of rules
• Introduction of the rubber puck
• Establishment of organized leagues
• Defining team composition (six players per side, including a goaltender)
• Setting net sizes and rink dimensions

These Canadian innovations were gradually adopted worldwide, forming the foundation of modern ice hockey. The sport’s popularity in Canada led to its recognition as one of the country’s national pastimes, deeply ingrained in the cultural fabric of the nation.

International Dominance

Canada’s prowess in ice hockey quickly became evident on the global stage. In 1920, a Canadian team claimed victory in the first-ever ice hockey world championship, held during the Winter Olympics in Antwerp, Belgium. This triumph solidified Canada’s reputation as the sport’s powerhouse and helped fuel its growing international appeal.

The Birth of Organized Ice Hockey: Landmark Moments in the Sport’s History

The transition from informal games to organized competitions marks a significant milestone in ice hockey’s development. While there’s evidence of structured matches earlier in the 19th century, the International Ice Hockey Federation recognizes a specific date as the birth of modern, organized ice hockey.

The First Official Game

On March 3, 1875, two nine-man teams from Montreal’s Victoria Skating Club faced off in what is widely considered the first organized ice hockey game. This match introduced several key innovations:

• Use of a flat, wooden puck (replacing earlier balls)
• Defined goal areas marked by flags
• A structured set of rules governing gameplay

Contemporary newspaper accounts compared the new sport to both lacrosse and shinty, highlighting its unique blend of influences.

Early Equipment and Gameplay

The 1875 game utilized a wooden puck designed to slide along the ice without rising, prioritizing player and spectator safety. This was a significant departure from the wooden or rubber balls used in earlier versions of the sport.

As ice hockey gained popularity, equipment and rules continued to evolve. The introduction of the vulcanized rubber puck, still used today, was a game-changing development that improved gameplay and consistency.

The Spread of Ice Hockey: From Canada to the World

By the late 19th century, ice hockey had firmly established itself in Canada and began to capture international attention. The sport’s expansion was particularly notable in the northeastern United States, where winter conditions were conducive to outdoor play.

Hockey’s American Boom

A report in the 1899 Montreal Gazette highlighted the explosive growth of ice hockey in the New York City area:

“[W]ith no special attempt to reach the sport-loving element, it has advanced steadily, numbering its enthusiasts by thousands last winter, where two seasons ago they could hardly have been counted by hundreds.”

This rapid increase in popularity laid the groundwork for hockey’s eventual professional development in the United States.

European Adoption

While North America was the primary hub of ice hockey’s growth, the sport also gained traction in Europe. The involvement of British royalty, such as the Prince of Wales playing in 1864, helped legitimize hockey and spark interest among the European elite.

As international competition increased, European nations began to develop their own hockey cultures, adapting the Canadian rules to suit local preferences and conditions.

The Formation of the NHL: A New Era for Professional Hockey

The establishment of the National Hockey League (NHL) in 1917 marked a watershed moment in ice hockey’s history. Initially comprised of four Canadian teams, the NHL quickly became the preeminent professional hockey league in the world.

Key Milestones in NHL History

• 1917: NHL founded with four Canadian teams
• 1924: Boston Bruins become the first American NHL team
• Subsequent decades: Multiple expansions increase the number of teams and broaden the league’s geographic footprint

The NHL’s growth reflected ice hockey’s increasing popularity and commercial potential. The league’s success helped standardize professional play and elevate the sport’s profile on a global scale.

The Stanley Cup: Hockey’s Holy Grail

Perhaps no trophy in sports is as revered as the NHL’s Stanley Cup. Originally donated by Lord Stanley of Preston in 1892, the cup predates the NHL itself. Today, it stands as the ultimate prize in professional hockey, with a rich history and mystique all its own.

The NHL’s stewardship of the Stanley Cup has helped maintain ice hockey’s connections to its Canadian roots while promoting the sport’s growth worldwide.

Ice Hockey’s Global Impact: Olympic Glory and International Competitions

Ice hockey’s inclusion in the Olympic Games significantly boosted its international profile. The sport made its Olympic debut at the 1920 Summer Games in Antwerp, Belgium, before becoming a staple of the Winter Olympics starting in 1924.

Olympic Milestones

• 1920: Canada wins the first Olympic ice hockey gold medal
• 1924: Ice hockey becomes part of the inaugural Winter Olympics in Chamonix, France
• 1998: NHL players participate in the Olympics for the first time, elevating the level of competition

Olympic ice hockey tournaments have provided some of the sport’s most memorable moments, including the “Miracle on Ice” at the 1980 Lake Placid Games, where the underdog United States team defeated the heavily favored Soviet Union.

World Championships and Other Tournaments

Beyond the Olympics, international ice hockey competitions have flourished:

• IIHF World Championships: Held annually since 1920, showcasing national team talent
• World Junior Ice Hockey Championships: Highlighting the sport’s future stars
• Canada Cup/World Cup of Hockey: Periodic tournaments featuring the world’s best players

These events have helped spread ice hockey’s popularity to new regions and cultivate a truly global fanbase for the sport.

The Evolution of Ice Hockey Equipment: From Wooden Sticks to High-Tech Gear

The development of ice hockey equipment has played a crucial role in the sport’s evolution, enhancing player performance and safety. From humble beginnings with basic wooden sticks and minimal protection, hockey gear has undergone a remarkable transformation.

Key Equipment Innovations

• Sticks: Progression from all-wood designs to composite materials offering improved shot power and puck control
• Skates: Advancements in blade technology and boot design for better speed and maneuverability
• Protective Gear: Introduction and refinement of helmets, padding, and goalie equipment to reduce injury risks
• Pucks: Standardization of the vulcanized rubber puck, replacing earlier wooden versions

These technological advancements have not only improved player safety but also contributed to the increased speed and skill level of modern ice hockey.

The Impact on Gameplay

As equipment has evolved, so too has the style of play. Modern hockey is faster and more dynamic than ever before, with players able to shoot harder, skate quicker, and withstand more physical contact. This evolution has led to ongoing debates about rule changes to maintain a balance between excitement and safety in the sport.

Women’s Ice Hockey: Breaking Barriers and Gaining Recognition

While often overshadowed by the men’s game, women’s ice hockey has a rich history and has made significant strides in recent decades. The sport’s growth among women has helped broaden ice hockey’s appeal and provided new opportunities for athletes.

Milestones in Women’s Hockey

• Late 19th century: Earliest recorded women’s ice hockey games in Canada
• 1990: First IIHF Women’s World Championship held in Ottawa, Canada
• 1998: Women’s ice hockey debuts as an Olympic sport in Nagano, Japan
• 2015: National Women’s Hockey League (now Premier Hockey Federation) founded in North America

Despite these advances, challenges remain in achieving parity with men’s hockey in terms of professional opportunities, media coverage, and financial support.

Growing Global Participation

Women’s ice hockey has seen rapid growth in participation rates worldwide. Countries like the United States, Canada, and several European nations have developed strong women’s programs, while emerging hockey markets are increasingly focusing on developing women’s teams.

The continued expansion of women’s ice hockey at all levels promises to bring new talent, perspectives, and fans to the sport in the coming years.

The Future of Ice Hockey: Challenges and Opportunities

As ice hockey moves further into the 21st century, the sport faces both challenges and opportunities. Adapting to changing demographics, addressing environmental concerns, and embracing new technologies will be crucial for hockey’s continued growth and relevance.

Key Areas of Focus

• Grassroots Development: Encouraging participation in non-traditional hockey markets
• Sustainability: Addressing the environmental impact of maintaining ice rinks, especially in warmer climates
• Player Safety: Ongoing efforts to reduce concussions and other serious injuries
• Technology Integration: Utilizing data analytics, virtual reality training, and other innovations to enhance the sport
• Global Expansion: Continuing to grow the sport’s popularity in Asia, Africa, and other emerging markets

As ice hockey continues to evolve, it will be essential to balance tradition with innovation, ensuring the sport remains true to its roots while adapting to the needs and interests of new generations of players and fans.

The Enduring Appeal of Ice Hockey

Despite the challenges ahead, ice hockey’s fundamental appeal remains strong. The sport’s unique blend of speed, skill, strategy, and physicality continues to captivate audiences worldwide. As it has throughout its history, ice hockey will likely continue to adapt and thrive, forging new traditions while honoring its rich heritage.

From its murky origins in ancient stick-and-ball games to its status as a global sporting phenomenon, ice hockey’s journey is a testament to the enduring power of human innovation and the universal appeal of athletic competition. As the sport looks to the future, it carries with it the passion, dedication, and spirit of countless players, fans, and innovators who have shaped its remarkable history.

Who Invented Hockey? | HISTORY

Its true origins are murky. But Canada, beginning in the 19th century, gets credit for modernizing—and popularizing—the game we know today.

By: John Banks

Published: April 22, 2022

A very early Greek depiction of a stick-and-ball game that might have been a precursor to hockey. (DEA/G. Nimatallah/De Agostini/Getty Images)

The origins of ice hockey may date to stick-and-ball games played during the Middle Ages or even ancient Greece and Egypt. Some believe the game evolved from the ancient Irish game of hurling. But ice hockey’s beginnings—like those of many other sports—remain murky.

“There’s a painting in the 1500s of people playing something on ice that looks like hockey,” says Phil Pritchard, curator at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto. “They even had sticks.”

The modern sport’s closest ancestor may be “chamiare,” or shinty—a stick-and-ball game played on ice in the early 1600s in Scotland.  In the mid-1700s, a game called bandy was played on ice on the eastern plains of England. In the winter, players competed with iron skates on ice that formed on the flooded meadows and elsewhere. That game spread to London and then in the 1850s to eastern Canada, where it was played by British soldiers. In the 19^th century, Native Americans in Canada played a similar game.

Where Did the Name ‘Hockey’ Come From?

Universal History Archive/Getty Images

Winter river scene&nbsp;<em>with skaters, horse-drawn sled and people playing a version of ice hockey</em>, c. 1660.

The term “hockey,” according to The Canadian Encyclopedia, can be traced to a 1773 book published in England called Juvenile Sports and Pastimes. But the name may pre-date this earliest known reference. A version of the game played on ground—field hockey—evolved during the period, too.

In Great Britain, newspapers as early as the 1840s referenced hockey played on ice. A Scottish newspaper reported in 1842 about a fatality during a hockey game involving about 20 participants skating on a canal: “[T]he ice suddenly broke in, and several were immersed, but rescued, except [an] unfortunate lad.”

In 1864, the Prince of Wales played hockey on a lake with a London skating club. “The game was kept up with great animation until 2 o’clock,” a London newspaper reported, “when the prince and the players repaired to the Fishing Temple, where they partook of a sumptuous luncheon.”

In 1949, a magazine in the Soviet Union claimed the sport was invented and perfected in Russia in the mid-19^th century. But those claims may be dubious.

The First Organized Hockey Game

The first organized ice hockey game, according to the International Ice Hockey Federation, was played on March 3, 1875, between two teams of nine men each from Montreal’s Victoria Skating Club. But there’s evidence organized games were played earlier in the century in Canada and the United States, Pritchard says.

In the 1875 game, the teams played using a flat, wooden block—a cousin of the modern puck made of vulcanized rubber—“so that it should slide along the ice without rising, and thus going among spectators to their discomfort,” the Montreal Star reported. Previously, the game often was played with a wooden or rubber ball.

Added The Star about the first game: “The game is like Lacrosse in one sense—the block having to go through flags placed about 8 feet apart in the same manner as the rubber ball—but in the main the old country game of shinty gives the best idea of hockey.”

By 1899, ice hockey had become popular in northeastern United States. “[W]ith no special attempt to reach the sport-loving element, it has advanced steadily, numbering its enthusiasts by thousands last winter, where two seasons ago they could hardly have been counted by hundreds,” the Montreal Gazette reported about the interest in the New York City area.

Canada Becomes Epicenter of Ice Hockey

Allsport/Hulton Hulton Archive/Getty Images

The Canadian ice hockey team scoring during the final game in which they beat the United States 6-1 to take the gold medal during the 1924 Olympics. &nbsp;

Although ice hockey did not originate in Canada, it became one of the country’s national sports. In the late 19^th century, organized leagues formed in Canada, where rules for the sport evolved—including the size of the net and number of players on ice at one time (six per team with a goaltender). Canadian rules, including the use of a rubber puck, eventually were adopted worldwide.

In 1920, a team from Canada won the first hockey world championship, held at the Winter Olympics in Antwerp, Belgium.

In 1917, the National Hockey League formed with four Canadian teams. In 1924, the Boston Bruins became the first American team in the NHL, which has expanded several times over the years.

For more than 100 years, the NHL has been the world’s preeminent professional hockey league. The NHL even awards its Eastern Conference champion the Prince of Wales trophy, a nod to that 19^th-century royal ice hockey competitor.

READ MORE: ‘Miracle on Ice’: When the US Olympic Hockey Team Stunned the World

Origin Overview – The Birthplace of Hockey

Quotes Prove Ice Hockey’s Origin by Garth Vaughan © 1999

Garth Vaughan, Author

Windsor, N. S., Canada

“Facts do not cease to exist simply because they are ignored.” – Aldous Leonard Huxley

Ice Hockey is a Canadian game. It’s as Canadian as the Maple Leaf. “Go west, young man”, was the advice of wise men to the youth of the Maritimes as Canada began to develop. They should have added, “And don’t forget to look back!”, for had they done so, Canadians wouldn’t still be searching for the Birthplace of Hockey.

Town of Windsor Nova Scotia circa 1836

It would have been obvious that our national winter sport began and developed as the nation did, and in the same direction, from east to west. Ice Hockey, the fastest and most exciting winter game in the world, got its start on the east coast, in Windsor, Nova Scotia. After developing for seventy-five years in Nova Scotia, it began to spread to the west coast; a trip which was to take an amazing fifteen years.

Ice Hockey was not invented, nor did it start on a certain day of a particular year. It originated around 1800, in Windsor, where the boys of Canada’s first college, King’s College School, established in 1788, adapted the exciting field game of Hurley to the ice of their favorite skating ponds and originated a new winter game, Ice Hurley. Over a period of decades, Ice Hurley gradually developed into Ice Hockey.

A man who is still North America’s most quoted author, Thomas Chandler Haliburton, born in Windsor in 1796, told of King’s boys playing “hurley on the ice” when he was a young student at the school around 1800. This is the earliest reference in English literature of a stick-ball game being played on ice in Canada. Haliburton, who wrote the first history of Nova Scotia, was the first Canadian to acquire international acclaim as a writer, and the account of his recollection is therefore of great significance.

Soon after the boys of King’s College School adapted Hurley to the ice, the soldiers at Fort Edward, in Windsor, took up the new game. They carried the game to Halifax, where it gained impetus as it was played on the many and beautiful Dartmouth Lakes, and frozen inlets of Halifax Harbour.

The development of Ice Hurley into Ice Hockey during the 19th Century is chronicled in the newspapers of Nova Scotia.

To quote Thomas H. Raddall, a noted Nova Scotia historical novelist: “When the soldiers were transferred to military posts along the Saint Lawrence and Great Lakes, they took the game with them; and for some time afterwards continued to send to Dartmouth Indians for the necessary sticks.” As would be expected, coincident with the evolution of the game of Ice Hockey, the basic rules and the equipment with which the game was first played also developed in Nova Scotia – wooden pucks; one-piece sticks made by the native Mi’kmaq carvers and world-famous Starr “hockey” skates. When the game was introduced to Montreal in 1875, The Starr Manufacturing Company of Halifax and Dartmouth held the 1866 American and Canadian patents on Starr Hockey Skates, and the Mi’kmaq carvers of Nova Scotia were the undisputed national masters of carving one-piece ironwood hockey sticks. Not only did the Montreal players use Nova Scotia “hockey”skates, “hockey” sticks, and Halifax “Hockey” Club Rules as they learned how to play the game, they were also taught by a “hockey” coach from Halifax by the name of James George Aylwin Creighton. Later Nova Scotian contributions to the game would be the “hockey” net, the position of “rover” and the “forward pass”.

Over the years, the origin of the game has been misunderstood all across the nation and false claims have been made of the game beginning in both Kingston, Ontario and Montreal. These were based on faulty information which resulted from incomplete research. Decades earlier, people knew from whence the game had come.

Dr. A.H. Beaton, secretary of the Ontario Hockey Association in 1898, told the country in a national publication, the ‘Canadian Magazine’, that “Nearly twenty years ago hockey, as a scientific sport, was introduced into Upper Canada from Nova Scotia, the latter being the indisputable home in Canada of this game.”

The roots of the game apparently were lost in the intervening years leading up to the 1940s, because in 1943 when the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association accepted the report of a research committee charged with determining the origin of Ice Hockey, and named Kingston(1886) as the Birthplace of Hockey, an error was made, inasmuch as the committee members had not looked back to Montreal(1875) where the game was played eleven years earlier, let alone further east to Nova Scotia(1800) where it began eight decades before. Had they checked newspapers in the public archives, they easily would have determined that Windsor is the birthplace, and Nova Scotia is the growth-place of the game.

The so-called ‘Kingston Claim’ was based on a game played in 1886 between the Royal Military College and Queen’s University. George Munro Grant, a native of Nova Scotia’s Pictou County was the principal of Queen’s University at that time. For the previous fourteen years he had been preaching at Saint Matthew’s church in Halifax. Dr. Grant would have been acutely aware of the origin of the game of Ice Hockey and the game’s equipment in Nova Scotia.

To further solidify the Nova Scotia connection to the spread of Ice Hockey, it should be pointed out that the young men of RMC were first introduced to the game in 1884, when Cadet #149, Roddy McColl, arrived from New Glasgow. McColl is credited by RMC students with teaching them the game, with hockey sticks and hockey skates brought from Nova Scotia. He acted as Goal Judge in the first Queen’s-R. M.C. games. In an interview in 1936, he stated, “The Nova Scotia boys defeated Kingston in hockey.”

The Kingston Claim cited “Shinny” ( a Scottish field game actually called “Shinty”) as having been played in Kingston as early as 1855. Shinty was played in other places at the same time, including Nova Scotia. Shinty, although ‘Ice Hockey-related’, did not develop into Ice Hockey.

Captain James Sutherland of Kingston, Ontario, who did much to develop Ice Hockey in Ontario, was President of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association in 1943 when a committee was formed to study the origin of the game. Along with journalist and hockey reporter Billy Hewitt, father of famous Hockey Broadcaster Foster Hewitt, and a friend named George Slater of Montreal, Sutherland’s committee of three was not long in presenting its findings based on flimsy evidence, that Kingston was the birthplace of Ice Hockey. The C.A.H.A. accepted the report and thus gave birth to the “Kingston Myth”. Later in life, when he was reminded that the sticks used to play the first games in Kingston had been sent up from Halifax, Captain James Sutherland conceded that the Nova Scotia capital preceded most centres in playing the game. “Otherwise, why send to Halifax for sticks?”, he commented.

Mr. J. C. Beauchamp of Montreal, while preparing to write a book on hockey history in 1940, wrote to Creighton’s Limited of Halifax, distributors of hand-made “Mic Mac” sticks to Upper Canadian hockey clubs: “The making of the first sticks has a most important bearing on the origin and early development of hockey. It may also settle the old controversy as to whether Halifax or Montreal was the birthplace of the game.”

John Regan, a journalist of Halifax who wrote a book “First Things In Acadia – The Birthplace Of A Continent”, in 1936, wrote to Captain Sutherland in 1943 concerning the birthplace controversy with the following interesting remarks. “You probably agree that any account of this national sport should be as complete as possible. Hockey on ice had been second nature with Maritimes, records show, long, it seems before the game became common in centralist communities. Actually, in 1867, Montreal and Toronto vigorously promoted lacrosse as Canada’s national game and sent organizers to the Maritimes and Britain. The Indian game was languidly taken up here; typically tried on skates. Misstatements by Central magazines and broadcasts are quite common but unfortunately there is a tendency to refuse to make corrections. In fact, you can verify that for years, 1860-1890 and after, that thousands of pairs of skates and hundreds of bundles of Indian-made hockey sticks were regularly shipped from Dartmouth, Halifax, and Saint John to sporting goods houses in New England, Montreal, and Toronto for local distribution. Mainly because ice sports in these regions were relatively in infancy, so to speak, and manufacturing had been long overlooked. Hockey or Hurley did not start in the Maritimes at Confederation, but long before.”

Elmer Fergusson, Montreal sports writer and radio sports commentator in the 1940s: “After probing into Maritime Hockey Lore”, he wrote, ” I am satisfied that ice hockey really began in Nova Scotia.”

Foster Hewitt, noted pioneer hockey broadcaster, wrote in his book Down the Ice, in 1936: “Like other evidences of early hockey, it is difficult to confirm the testimony, but it is generally believed that when the young men in Kingston played their early games, the sticks had been imported from Halifax and Montreal. ”

William Kerr, of Montreal, who played for Queen’s University’s first hockey team in 1886, commenting on their hockey sticks which were imported from Nova Scotia for the games, said they were “simply wonderful sticks…such beauties that they were…made of small trees, planed down, with roots for blades; warranted irresistible by any shin!” Kerr went on to explain that an order was sent to the Nova Scotia capital for sticks. What cadet Kerr and others did not know, was that the sticks were not made in the city but were merely distributed from there by the Starr Manufacturing Company and others, which bought them from the Mi’kmaq carvers in Tuft’s Cove, Millbrook, Shubenacadie, Guysborough, and the Annapolis Valley native communities. Starr later produced “Mic Mac” brand sticks which were popular across the country into the 1930s.

J.W. (Bill) Fitsell, hockey historian from Kingston, Ontario, said that Cadet Kerr of the original R.M.C. team ” gave an important clue to hockey history when he reported that some of the senior cadets remembered that Halifax made ‘simply wonderful sticks. ‘” J.W. (Bill) Fitsell, also stated in his 1987 book on hockey history entitled Hockey’s Captains, Colonels and Kings, (The Boston Mills Press), “The three Queen’s – R.M.C. matches, 1886-1888, which followed the first Montreal games by a decade, were of historic significance to the new ice sport. They brought together players from two areas of Canada, Halifax and Montreal, where hockey originated and developed, and also from the two centres where it first spread, Quebec and Ottawa, and produced dedicated players who were dispersed to other non-playing centres throughout North America.”

The C.A.H.A.’s unfortunate 1943 decision to cite Kingston as the Birthplace of Hockey was not based on sound historical fact and was immediately challenged from Montreal and Nova Scotia.

E. M. Orlick, the Assistant Physical Director of McGill University knew that Ice Hockey had been played in Montreal in 1875, eleven years before the Kingston game. Commenting on the C. A.H.A. Committee Report of 1943 which supported the Kingston Claim, Orlich wrote, “No amount of eyewash, backwash, or whitewash can convince any individual, who has seen the evidence in my possession, that Kingston has even the slightest shred of an historical claim, either to the origin of ice hockey, or the proposed Hockey Hall of Fame.” In his article, published in the McGill News, he made a case for the game having started at McGill on the basis that some of the players in that 1875 game were McGill students. That in no way gives McGill a right to a claim, for McGill had neither a team nor an ice rink at the time. The fact is, that the first “organized” hockey game played in Montreal was between teams representing the Montreal Amateur Athletic Association (MAAA) Football Team and the Victoria Skating Club. It was two years after the fact, in 1877, that McGill formed it’s first hockey team.

When Orlich claimed that Ice Hockey started in Montreal in 1875, he may not have realized that it had been played in Nova Scotia for decades before that time. Also, he may not have realized for he never mentioned that a Nova Scotian, one James George Aylwin Creighton, the world’s first “hockey export”, and first hockey coach, had taken the game from Nova Scotia to Montreal and taught it to members of the two teams that played the city’s first game on March 3, 1875, at the Victoria Skating Rink.

Orlich’s article even stated that “there are no records available pertaining to any earlier games” than the 1875 match.

The Boston Evening Gazette, sixteen years earlier, in 1859, printed a story about Winter Sports in Nova Scotia, which told of “hockey” being played in Nova Scotia. Creighton was but nine years old at the time, attending the Halifax Grammar School, practicing figure skating and learning about Ice Hockey which was developing from Ice Hurley at the time. Nova Scotia newspapers of the era had chronicled the evolution of the game during the entire period.

Creighton moved to Montreal from Dalhousie University in Halifax in 1872, taught the game to new friends from then until they played in public in 1875. In fact, the first games in Montreal were played under “Halifax Hockey Club Rules“.

Creighton never did play hockey for McGill, as Orlich, and others since him, would have us believe. It was after Creighton had established Ice Hockey with the Victoria Skating Club and MAAA clubs of Montreal that he enrolled at McGill in 1877 to earn a law degree. Soon thereafter he moved to Ottawa, became Law Clerk to the Senate and, in 1884, began playing hockey with senators, parliamentarians and aides de camp, as well as William and Edward Stanley, the sons of the Governor General of the day. Their team was called the Rideau Hall Rebels and did much to popularize the game in Ontario. Henry Joseph, in an interview in Montreal in 1936 shed great light on the game’s origin. A noted Montreal athlete who played football with Creighton for the MAAA and also played with him in Montreal’s first hockey game in 1875, said that “J. G. A. Creighton was the leading spirit in the introduction of hockey into Montreal” and added that he “could not recall seeing hockey sticks in Montreal before that time, nor anybody playing hurley or shinny on skates“. Finally, Joseph said that “to Creighton should go the credit for the origin of ice hockey in Montreal”.

Dr. C.Bruce Fergusson, Nova Scotia provincial archivist, writing in the Nova Scotia Journal of Education in 1965, concerning ‘Montreal’s Claim’, had this to say: “If Halifax Rules were used in the first game of ‘true ice hockey’, which was played in Montreal in 1875, was it not reasonable to infer that those rules were evolved on ice, not solely on paper, in Halifax?”

Timothy “Ted” Graham, Maritime Champion Amateur Skater of 1887, in a letter written to the Halifax Herald in 1943, concerning the origin of the game, stated simply, “Nova Scotia is the birthplace of hockey, not Ontario.”

William Gill, a scenic artist of Halifax who played hockey on the North West Arm before 1872, said they used : “‘Micmac’ sticks purchased from the Indians at the Halifax Green Market.”

“Old Joe” Cope, highly respected Mi’kmaq historian, hockey stick carver, noted musician, boxer and native elder story teller, moved about the province keeping in touch with members of his Mi’kmaq Nation. In 1943, on reading that Kingston was making a claim to being the birthplace of hockey, wrote to the editor of the Halifax Herald from his home on the reservation at Millbrook, N.S., “Long before the pale faces strayed to this country, the Micmacs were playing two ball games, a field game and an ice game.” The Dictionary of the Mi’kmaq tells that their original ball game was called Oochamkunutk. When they began playing hurley on ice with white men, they called it Alchamadyk.

Rev. J.A. (Jock) Davidson, resident of Kingston, Ontario, commented in a paper he wrote in 1976, “The first organized hockey games played here (Kingston) are shrouded by both the mist of history and the fog of local mythology.”

Dr. Sandy Young, professor of sports history at Dalhousie University, in his book, Beyond Heroes, “The facts lead to one conclusion: While it is true that very primitive forms of hockey-like games are centuries old, THE HOME OF CANADIAN HOCKEY IS NOVA SCOTIA. Other claims cannot be supported by the evidence available.”

Brian McFarlane, host of Hockey Night in Canada for 27 years, hockey historian, and author of a host of books on Ice Hockey, told The Hants Journal of Windsor Nova Scotia, “In all of my years of doing research into the origins of the game, I have never seen anything documented in print about the first games of hurley on ice or hockey until I saw Windsor’s evidence that Thomas Chandler Haliburton recorded regarding the game being played by students of King’s College School on Long Pond circa 1800. No place in Canada is there written evidence of the game being played any earlier, and since hockey developed from hurley on ice in Nova Scotia, until there is such evidence, I endorse and support the claim of Windsor, Nova Scotia to the birthplace of the wonderful game of hockey.”

Scott Russell, Dec. 2000: Co-Host of CBC Hockey Night in Canada and author of ICE TIME: “The birth of hockey actually started at King’s College School around 1800. The boys wanted to adapt the Irish game of Field Hurley to an ice game in the winter months.”

Garth Vaughan, Dec. 2000: Hockey Historian, and author of The Puck Starts Here – The origin of Canada’s great winter game, Ice Hockey: “While Ice Hockey is as Canadian as the Maple Leaf, it is also as Nova Scotian as the Bluenose and the mayflower.”

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ROOTS OF WORLD HOCKEY | Budgetary institution of the Chuvash Republic of additional education “Sports School No. 4”

Hockey, as one of the most popular and visual games, always attracts spectators and fans, as it is distinguished by brightness, excitement and uncompromising struggle. Otherwise, the popular and beloved song with such wonderful words would not have been born with such wonderful words: “Real men play hockey, a coward does not play hockey.” It is often used both before the game and during the breaks of hockey matches.

However, one should not perceive hockey only as a spectacle, hockey is not only crossed sticks, cracking boards and grinding ice under the cheers of the stands, hockey is also a long, delicate calculation, a game akin to chess, where the best players calculate their actions on the court three or four moves ahead.

There are several versions of the origin of hockey. Most experts say: various types of games on grass were the prototype of ice hockey. Hockey has been known since ancient Greece. This is evidenced by the image of hockey players on the bas-relief of the wall of Themistocles. It is believed that the name “hockey” comes from the old French word “hoke” (shepherd’s stick hook).

The first description of the game of field hockey dates back to 1330 and is given in an Italian manuscript.

Two centuries later, ice hockey originated in Holland. This is confirmed by the paintings of famous artists of the XVIII century. In particular, the painting by Romeik Huge “Portrait of a hockey player” is of great interest. The origin of ice hockey in Holland was facilitated by the widespread use of speed skating due to the appropriate natural conditions. Ice hockey took shape as a sport in Canada, but its “progenitors” were ball and stick games on ice, popular in Holland in the 16th and 17th centuries. Ice hockey, similar to modern bandy, was one of the favorite games of the Dutch. This is evidenced by numerous engravings and paintings by Dutch artists of that time.

At the end of the 17th and 18th centuries, interest in ice hockey declined significantly due to the long wars in Europe. And only in the second half of the XIX century. the game is becoming popular again. In England, the most widespread hockey “bandy” (bandy). And although Canada is considered the birthplace of modern ice hockey, the British turned out to be “guilty” of this. From Holland, ice hockey came to England, and from there to Canada.

Already in the 70s of the XIX century. ice hockey was included in the program of all winter sports holidays in Canada. The first hockey rules were formulated by students at the University of Montreal. The role of the gate began to be played by two stones on the ice, with the help of which the dimensions of the space into which the puck could be hammered were determined.

1875 (March 3). The first official hockey match took place in Montreal at the Victoria skating rink, the teams consisted of 9 people, the game was played with a wooden disc, and gates were also used.

1879 Canadian W.F. Robertson formulated the rules of hockey, first proposing to use a rubber puck for the game. The first official rules for the game of ice hockey were published in 1886. The Canadian R. Smith became the author of the new code of rules.

1886 The first international meeting was held between the Canadian and English teams (Canadians won). Championships began to be held annually, and the Stanley Cup was awarded to the winners.

In 1860, an English infantry regiment was sent to Canada, which included bandy hockey players. (Although prior to this, in Montreal newspapers for 1847, it is mentioned that complaints were received in the city court against young people who, at a public skating rink, “chased flat stones with sticks on ice”).

University students played a big role in spreading the game. Hockey was included in the program of all university sports holidays. In the winter of 1879/80. students at the University of Montreal for the first time formulated the rules of the game.

Due to favorable climatic conditions, hockey began to spread rapidly throughout Canada. In 1886, a code of hockey laws was drawn up. The team consisted of 7 field players (goalkeeper, front and back defenders, central and two wingers, as well as a rover (“robber”), who played ahead of the attackers along the entire front at the opponent’s goal). Substitutions were only allowed for the injured.

In 1890, the first hockey association was formed in the province of Ontario and the first championship was held.

In 1893, the Governor General of Canada, the British Lord Stanley, established a silver cup for the annual presentation of his best team.

1899 The world’s first indoor ice hockey stadium with a capacity of 10,000 spectators was built in Montreal. Organized Canadian Amateur Hockey League.

1900 Francis Nelson, a Canadian, invented a net for a gate made from a fishing net. It was an important innovation that forever closed the eternal question: was there a goal? The modern dimensions of hockey rinks (61×30 m) have been established. The game time was divided into 3 periods of 20 minutes. each, the composition of field players was reduced to 6, replacements began to be practiced.

In 1904, the first professional Sault Ste. Marie team was formed in Canada. It brought together the strongest players of that time, including Art Ross, whose name is given to the prize given today to the most productive hockey player in the NHL. In the same year, Canadians came to the conclusion that the ideal size for a hockey rink is 56 by 26 meters. To this day, NHL matches are played on such fields.

At the beginning of the 20th century, to increase speed, professionals began to play in teams of 6 field players. At 1910, the National Hockey Association (NHA) was created. In 1911, the Patrick brothers formed the West Coast Hockey Association (WCAH). In January 1912, the first HAZP match took place in Victoria. It went down in history as the first match on artificial ice.

The Patrick brothers introduced player numbers into hockey, programs for spectators, points not only for goals, but also for assists. In 1911, the Canadians began to play matches for 3 periods of 20 minutes. In 1917, the NHA disbanded. November 22 1917 years can be considered the date of birth of the NHL.

1914 Professional ice hockey clubs merged into the National Hockey League (NHL).

1908 Great Britain, Bohemia, Switzerland, France and Belgium founded the International Hockey Federation (LIHF, after 1979 – IIHF).

1920 was marked by the first meeting in the official tournament of the Olympic Games of the teams of the Old and New Worlds. Canadians once again confirmed their glory as the strongest. Canadians also won at the world championships 1924 and 1928

In 1936 Great Britain wins the Olympic title, taking it away from the Canadians, who have held it for 16 years.

1929 Montreal Maroons goaltender Clint Benedict wore a mask for the first time, and goaltenders were allowed to jump when trying to hit the puck.

1972 Creation of the World Hockey Association.

At the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century, hockey began its victorious march across Europe. 1898 is considered to be the year of the introduction of ice hockey in Sweden. Somewhat later it was transferred to France, Belgium, Switzerland. The spread of hockey was facilitated by playing on relatively small rinks. With the development of refrigeration technology, closed skating rinks began to be built everywhere, including in countries with a warm climate. At 1899 in Montreal was built the world’s first indoor stadium with artificial ice, accommodating 10,000 spectators. At the beginning of the twentieth century. The development of hockey in many countries has reached such proportions that it became necessary to create an international organization.

Where did Salavat Yulaev’s “Brazilian hockey” come from? The phrase was invented by the fans, and the idea – back in the 60s

We are sorting it out together with Bykov, Vasilevsky and Ishmatov.

The phrase about “Brazilian hockey” in Russia has almost become a meme. Of course, she has nothing to do with the Brazilian national team. Its meaning is also quite simple – a bright game with an emphasis mainly on attack and many goals. Recently applied Ilya Vorobyov in relation to his “Metallurg”, though adding that he does not quite like the phrase.

However, the definition itself became stable thanks to Salavat Yulaev. Fans with Brazilian flags still come to the team’s matches at the Ufa Arena. For a deeper dive into the topic “BUSINESS Online” I talked with the legendary coaches and players of “Salavat”.

Photo: Salavat Yulaev press service

“We played total hockey and always looked for happiness in attack”

The phrase about Brazilian hockey was firmly stuck to Salavat at the junction of the 2000s and the 10s. Then the wealthy Ufa club with a chic squad for the first time in its history won the Russian championship in 2008, and then the Gagarin Cup in 2011. The period of the coaching tandem Vyacheslav Bykov and Igor Zakharkin turned out to be especially bright, which led the Russian team to the long-awaited “gold” of the World Championship, which she had not seen for 15 years. That composition of Salavat was one of the best in the history of the KHL and could play in the NHL. The current head coach of the Ufimians who transferred from Washington Victor Kozlov played there in the third link, and in the fourth were Oleg Saprykin and Yakub Klepish . For two seasons in a row, the team had the most goals in the league by a wide margin. Comparisons with Brazilian footballers who have won five World Cups in a flamboyant manner have stuck.

“Brazilian hockey… Of course, it must be said that it is the fans and fans who came up with such a name for the team’s game. I think it was because we played very interesting, spectacular, all-out hockey and always looked for happiness in attack. But, at the same time, it cannot be said that we, headlong, always rushed forward. We have always tried to instill harmonious hockey so that there are no problems at our own goal. Together with Igor Zakharkin, we always proceeded from the potential of the players, depending on which the style and hockey that gave the result was created. At that time, Salavat had a cohort of skillful players capable of playing such total hockey. It is the quality of the players that dictates the style. But for this you need to understand and know all the abilities of the players and the team. Otherwise, you can only get on counterattacks, just drown, ”recalls Bykov.

The eminent coach even now treats the definition slightly condescendingly. But he thanks the fans for such an assessment, because the Brazilians are recognized masters, although of a completely different game. “Brazilian football also meant a total game, where they also paid attention to defense. The quality of the Brazilian players allowed them to play interesting football with an emphasis on attack. Technically gifted Brazilians did masterpieces with the ball,” says Bykov.

Igor Zakharkin (left) and Vyacheslav Bykov / photo: BUSINESS Online

“They came from the KHL orders, just like with criminals”

Of course, it’s not just about the beautiful game, victories and the super team of Ufa. Without fans and commentators, the phrase would not have taken root. The fans cultivated the very idea, turning it into a performance in the stands that continues to this day. They began to come to matches with Brazilian flags and paraphernalia. After all, the main colors of “Salavat” green and blue are identical to the colors of the flag of Brazil. But it is much more interesting that the original idea did not appear in the era of Bykov and Alexander Radulov , and in the already distant nineties.

One of the founders of the idea was Stanislav Staroselsky – an ordinary fan of Salavat. As a schoolboy in the 90s, he went to Ufa matches in the Interethnic Hockey League back in the old sports palace. “All sorts of fan movements were just born, there were no paraphernalia, nothing was sold at all – no jersey, no flags. It was just by chance that the idea was born that the flag of Bashkortostan is very similar to the Brazilian one. Naturally, it was all in a light comic form. We tried to find fabric so that the girls could embroider these stars with a hoop. But it didn’t work out,” recalls Stanislav, who did not abandon the idea.

Photo: Salavat Yulaev press service

He remembered her many years later. Having already matured, he, by a happy coincidence, ended up in Brazil in the fall of 2008, just a few months after the long-awaited first championship of Salavat. There Staroselsky bought several Brazilian flags, with which he began to go to matches. However, in the next season, the Ufa team sensationally flew out of Avangard in the first round. It was so unexpected and Stanislav was so upset that he did not want to bring any more flags. But, by that time, he had already managed to infect his comrades with the idea, who later convinced him himself. After all, then the team was headed by Bykov, the phraseology was fixed for Salavat completely, and the fans with flags signed by all the players of that team were often caught by television cameras.

But the Brazilian invasion of Ufa hockey at one time was prevented not only by the lack of paraphernalia in the nineties, the failure of the team and superstition, but also by the KHL. “A ban has come into force that, allegedly, the flag of a state whose hockey players are not represented in the league cannot be carried into the stands. We began to ban this business in every possible way. We carried them in our pants, the guards did not let us in, we quarreled, cursed. It was decided that if flags are not allowed, then we will make sweatshirts and baseball caps. At one time, our entire row in the sector sat in the same paraphernalia. Then the head of the security service at the arena changed, and we were given the go-ahead again. But we were filmed on cameras, orders came from the KHL to ban, catch, punish. Just like criminals. Then it was officially allowed, and the team continued to play properly. We felt like we were bringing something new. If at least two percent of this phrase came from us, then we will be very pleased,” says Stanislav.

Screenshot: KHL

“Golden era of classic Ufa hockey”

It is also important that in the nineties the Brazilian association did not arise only because of flowers. A graceful attacking style can generally be called the historical concept of the Ufa club. “Initially, in the sixties, an attacking style was cultivated in Ufa. Since the seventies, philosophy has developed thanks to Nikitin and Azamatov. To be honest, to the detriment of defense. But hockey was shown beautiful. Like Brazilians in football – you score as much as you can, and we will score as much as we want,” says Andrey Vasilevsky – senior.

Bykov also talks about the complexity of the game against Salavat. Vyacheslav Arkadyevich is connected with Salavat not only through coaching and the championship. He’s from Chelyabinsk. And hockey in Ufa was born with the help of neighbors in the Urals. “Playing as a junior back in Chelyabinsk, I visited Ufa many times. Indeed, already then, in the 70s and 80s, Salavat always offered very fast hockey, with a large amount of skating. They really excelled in their ability to control the puck. My father, when I left to play in Ufa, always joked: “Look, Slavka, the Bashkirs love horse meat. That makes them run fast.” They really were very fast. A lot of interesting and outstanding athletes entered the international arena from Ufa,” says Bykov.

Nikolai Zavarukhin Sr. (left) and Rafail Ishmatov / photo: BUSINESS Online

tenths. That Ufa hockey could hardly be called interesting, although invited masters from the Baltic states, Moscow, Chelyabinsk, and Leningrad played in the team. Salavat returned to the basics by inviting Chelyabinsk Sergei Mikhalev , who played for the team just in the seventies. The legendary coach only after 30 years will lead Ufa to the championship, and then kept afloat the team, already staffed by pupils. “We did not let the club sink completely,” Vasilevsky recalls.

And the triumph and development of the attacking concept occurred already in the post-Soviet period, when the team was headed by Rafail Ishmatov , also from Chelyabinsk. In the mid-nineties, Salavat reached the highest achievement before the era of multimillion-dollar injections and invitations to superstars, winning the championship bronze three times in a row. “With the advent of the magnificent Ishmatov, attacking hockey developed again, the comparison with the Brazilians again went. A lot of innovative solutions, combinations, training system – everything has been changed. And, again, at 90 percent of the team was staffed with pupils. Only two were foreigners. It was the golden era of classic Ufa Bashkir hockey,” Vasilevsky says nostalgically.

Andrey Vasilevsky and Andrey Vasilevsky Sr. / Photo: press service of Salavat Yulaev

“It’s just life”

It is noteworthy that Salavat still likes to talk about philosophy today. “Historically, we like to tinker with the puck. Sometimes, maybe to the detriment of the result. But this is a very spectacular hockey game. And no matter how the team performed, people left hockey and said that it was nice to watch. And players in this style have always taken root. If a player is technical, combinational, owns the puck, then he joined our team, no matter what state it was in. Probably, since then this style has been developed. It was supplemented by Finnish coaches. We also select players. Rectilinear, running, throwing players into the zone, too, may be needed in some episodes. But we have a slightly different line. We have both a children’s school and a farm club also working to develop the game. We continue to work on the selection. We are very sensitive to this issue. We need fast athletes,” says the sports director of Salavat Yulaeva Vasily Chizhov .

But how is this philosophy instilled and carried through the years and decades? Vasilevsky is sure that the whole point is the continuity of generations, and not some kind of universal model. He himself constantly took to hockey and introduced his sons to adult players – the goalkeeper of Tampa Andrei and the defender of Avtomobilist Alexei . “There is no unambiguous concept of understanding and vision of the game. But it happens that former Salavat players become examples, who grow up with the team, work, live it. They often talk about instructive and difficult moments from their careers. This can predetermine the fate of the pupil. For example, we have a coach Vladimir Ivanovich Vorobyov, a golden man. He often told us that he played in Chebarkul with Legend No. 17 [Valery Kharlamov], and how they were scolded there. Someone will tell you that he played with Radulov, someone in Omsk crossed paths with Yagr – already something. From such practical moments of their experience, coaches convey the hockey mentality. These are all common questions of hockey life. There is no specific hockey model, the scheme by which Salavat played in the seventies and nineties. It’s just life, ”Vasilevsky is sure.

A student of Salavat who took bronze three times in the nineties, and now the coach of Tolpar Rail Muftiev also speaks about the close connection of the first team with the academy: “There was such a philosophy when I played both in childhood and in the adult team . In general, our coach cursed when the puck was thrown back – it was forbidden. So we developed as players, got into the team. Not a single coach broke us, did not force us to play some other hockey. Always played with the puck. Once I watched the match between Ak Bars and Salavat. The most interesting thing is that there were aggressive players in Ak Bars when we crossed paths with them in childhood. Characteristic, militant, selfless. And Salavat still picks up such game players. Maybe it’s hidden on a subconscious level. After all, there is no clear line, the coaches change, but the playing style is preserved, less forceful. At school, everyone tries to keep the passing game. Everything is interconnected. Children look at the main team and try to repeat something. Coaches too. But people change. It cannot be said that someone deliberately led this general line.

“We had our own original hockey”

Ishmatov believes that Ufimsky has lost its game philosophy, which was based on the principles of collective Soviet hockey. However, in his opinion, this applies to all domestic hockey. “The question of philosophy has been troubling me for a long time. For the last ten years, we have had the influence of North American hockey. We took this model – hit, run, fight and so on. My opinion is that the laws of sports games are imprisoned for collective action. There is a lot of individual play in today’s hockey. We lost the philosophy of hockey in Russia and took the North American psychology. I think this is wrong. We had our own original hockey. The philosophy was – to give in time, to open in time. The game developed without the puck. This is the core of hockey. Because from 100 percent of the time, only 10 players can play with the puck. And then, not always. Basically, wins come from tactical learning without the puck. To achieve this, the coach needs to sit and think. This is painstaking work. We have moved away from these things a bit. The success of Salavat came due to the simplicity and correctness of the game of each hockey player. Today I only think about it. This is the right question to ask. This applies to the whole country,” complains Ishmatov.

Photo: Salavat Yulaev’s press service

Condescending to the phrase about “Brazilian hockey”, Bykov also believes that his “Salavat” played in the Soviet way: “This is a more correct wording. Soviet hockey was total. There were strong forwards, and high-class defenders too. I think that it generally came from the generation that started playing hockey. This is the time when bandy was still more popular. Many legendary athletes have come from there. Vsevolod Bobrov also played bandy and football. The Russian, Soviet people quickly liked this sport – sweeping, speed, ability to wield skates, a stick, play a pass. The latter was especially welcomed in Soviet hockey – this is such a socialist orientation that it was necessary to share among themselves. The pass game was very popular. Added a little politics to it. Indeed, from that time on, the desire to play so sweepingly was transferred to ice hockey.

Vasilevsky thinks that “Salavat” began to lose its identity even with a decrease in the role of pupils in the line-up: “After the nineties, leveling began, not a very good trend, as in North American hockey, equipment from other cities, then foreigners. Yes, for entertainment, maybe that’s good. But our homegrown hockey players were left on a starvation ration.”

Josh Ho-Sang / Photo: Salavat Yulaev press service

“We set an example that with a good attitude any boy can be a professional”

On the other hand, in the nineties Ufa never got to the championship. Probably just because of the lack of additional skill. Not a single top club is completed only with pupils. The problem is that after the last championship, Salavat moved away from the idea of ​​​​a super roster, and then the KHL introduced financial restrictions and a salary cap. But young people were no longer given any chances from this, which caused indignation of fans who were not indifferent to local hockey.

But in recent years the situation has changed and Ufa seems to have come to a balance. In “Salavat” signed a brilliant Josh Ho-Sang , a rare type of attacking defender Ryana Merphy , an unyielding check of Evgeny Timkin , retained one of the best Russian centers Alexander Kadeikin and the Grigory Panin honors. At the same time, the first team can no longer be imagined without Danil Alalykin, Alexei Pustozerov , Danila Bashkirova , Shakir Mukhamadullina , which Egor Suchkov can join already this season with Danil Aimurzin and hopefully Rodion Amirov . By playing next to recognized masters, young people will both progress faster and potentially bring results here and now.

“In recent years, with the advent of Tsulygin, oddly enough Lamsa, although he was scolded for the inert conduct of the game, now Viti Kozlov’s pupils of Salavat have again begun to join. It is most important. We show an example that with a good attitude to training and games, any boy, as they called him from Zorge Street, can be a professional hockey player, ”Vasilevsky believes.

Viktor Kozlov / Photo: Salavat Yulaev press service

“I like puck control, short passes”

As a result, “Brazilian hockey” seems to be an echo of the past, behind which there are so many “buts”. Kozlov himself is sure that it is simply impossible to play exclusively in this manner now: “I would like to play such hockey, but you need to proceed from the real situation, in modern hockey you need to play both in attack and in defense, both attack and defense win – this is showed both CSKA and Magnitogorsk. In the NHL, both Tampa and Colorado showed that you need to play both defensively and offensively. All qualified offensive players can execute if given the chance.”

But the head coach also notes that he does not give up the attacking style that is historically characteristic of Salavat: “Our team has changed, many players have come.