The Sergei Makarov Web Shrine

I came upon a site last night that is entitled Russian Rocket that I assumed could only be featuring Pavel Bure. However, I was totally taken back when the site loaded and there was an entire website dedicated to Sergei Makarov…the oldest player to ever win the Calder Trophy as the National Hockey League’s Rookie of the year.

Here is my favorite passage from the entire site:

Sergei had problems with the language and his stubborness didn’t help either. The right wing was frequently in conflict with his teammates and with coach Terry Crisp. The tactics of Crisp were based on short shifts, putting the puck deep and getting plenty of shots on goal. In Russia, his line usually had shifts of about two minutes and didn’t play dump and chase hockey. Makarov was very successful with the “Soviet style” of hockey and didn’t believe in dump and chase hockey. He was 31 years old when he arrived in Calgary and didn’t want to, or wasn’t able to, change his game. He told friends that he was stunned about the lack of passing for precision shots in the NHL. He also told a newspaper that he would welcome a trade to the Vancouver Canucks to play with Krutov and Larionov. This was not a good way of breaking the ice between him, his teammates and the coach. Terry Crisp and Sergei Makarov never became good friends.

Take a look at the rest of the site here.