| Igor Larionov | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Hockey Hall of Fame, 2008 | |||
 Larionov in 2008 | |||
| Born | (1960-12-03)3 December 1960 (age 64) | ||
| Height | 5 ft 9 in (175 cm) | ||
| Weight | 170 lb (77 kg; 12 st 2 lb) | ||
| Position | Centre | ||
| Shot | Left | ||
| Played for | Khimik Voskresensk CSKA Moscow Vancouver Canucks Lugano San Jose Sharks Detroit Red Wings Florida Panthers New Jersey Devils | ||
| CurrentKHL coach | SKA Saint Petersburg | ||
| National team |  Soviet Union and Russia | ||
| NHL draft | 214th overall,1985 Vancouver Canucks | ||
| Playing career | 1977–2006 | ||
Igor Nikolayevich Larionov (Russian:Игорь Николаевич Ларионов; born 3 December 1960) is a Russianice hockey coach,sports agent and former professionalice hockey player, known as "the Professor". Considered one of the best hockey players of all time, he, along withViacheslav Fetisov, were instrumental in forcing the Soviet government to let Soviet players compete in theNational Hockey League (NHL). During his career, which lasted from 1977 to 2006, he primarily played thecentre position.
Larionov won theStanley Cup three times with theDetroit Red Wings (1997, 1998, 2002) and was inducted as a member of theHockey Hall of Fame on 10 November 2008. He was also a member of Detroit's famedRussian Five line. His international career was recognized with induction into theIIHF Hall of Fame in 2008.
Larionov began his career in theSoviet League withKhimik Voskresensk in 1977–78, appearing in six games. Joining the club full-time the following season, he recorded seven points in 32 games as a rookie. He improved to 45 points in 43 games in 1980–81, garnering the attention ofCSKA Moscow andSoviet national team coachViktor Tikhonov. Tikhonov approached him before a game between CSKA and Khimik early in the 1980–81 season, inviting Larionov to play for him. He notched five assists that game against Tikhonov's team and the following season, joined CSKA Moscow as the top-line centre betweenVladimir Krutov andSergei Makarov.[1] The trio became known as the "KLM Line" and dominated both the Soviet League and international competition.[2] They were joined by defensive pairingViacheslav Fetisov andAlexei Kasatonov to form the five-man lineup known as the "Green Unit", so called for the green uniforms they wore during practice.[3]
Larionov put up 53 points in his first season with CSKA, including a Soviet career-high 31 goals. He was named theSoviet MVP in 1988 following a personal best 32 assists and 57 points. Despite the success, Larionov resisted Tikhonov's draconian coaching style and the Soviet system that had a tight grip on the players' personal lives.[4] He objected that Tikhonov kept his players confined tobarracks (in CSKA's Archangel training facility) for as much as 11 months a year, even when they were married (CSKA was a functioning division of theSoviet Army).[5] He told a Russian magazine that with the players being away from home for so long, "it is a wonder our wives manage to give birth."[6] Larionov also recounted suspicious injections that national team players would receive annually leading up to the World Championships. According to Larionov, he refused an injection prior to the 1982 World Championships and was not asked again.[7]
Larionov led the revolt with Fetisov against Soviet authorities that prevented Soviet players from defecting to the NHL. He had been drafted by theVancouver Canucks in 1985 and openly expressed a desire to move to North America. After talking to reporters about one day playing in the NHL, Tikhonov told Larionov that there was a mix-up with his passport and that he could not join the team for their six-city tour of the NHL in December 1985.[8] He was to be kept off the national squad as well until the lobbying of Fetisov and other players returned Larionov to the team.
After eight years of voicing his discontent,[9] Larionov was allowed to join the Canucks in1989–90. He left the Soviet Union around the same time as several other Soviet players, including all four of his "Green Unit" teammates. They were sold in order to infuse the cash-strapped Sovintersport (the governing body for sports in the former Soviet Union), which would draw a portion of the players' salaries. Larionov was joined in Vancouver by Krutov, and both struggled initially. While Krutov lasted only one year in the NHL, Larionov played three years for the Canucks and got progressively better as he adapted to the North American game. In the1991–92 season, he centered the Canucks' top line, which includedGreg Adams and rookiePavel Bure. Larionov took the young Russian star under his wing that season.
After his three-year contract with the Canucks had expired, Larionov chose to play a year inSwitzerland so that Sovintersport would not continue to draw a portion of his salary. Subsequently, the Canucks left him unprotected in the1992 NHL Waiver Draft and he was claimed by the San Jose Sharks on 4 October 1992.[10] He went to theSan Jose Sharks in1993–94, where he was re-united with Sergei Makarov and helped the Sharks to a record 59-point improvement over the previous season. The Sharks then upset the heavily favoured Detroit Red Wings in the opening round of the playoffs and extended theToronto Maple Leafs to seven games in the Conference Semi-Finals before falling. During the 1994–95 season, Larionov served as analternate captain for the Sharks.
During the1995–96 season, the re-building Sharks traded Larionov along with a conditional draft pick to the Detroit Red Wings for forward sniperRay Sheppard. Red Wings coach and general managerScotty Bowman had specifically targeted Larionov for his all-around game, noting his ability to play both thepower play andpenalty kill with equal success.[11] Larionov was one of the Red Wings' "Russian Five" in the mid-1990s. He and Fetisov were looked on as father figures by the team's other Russian players, which includedSergei Fedorov,Vyacheslav Kozlov andVladimir Konstantinov.
Larionov was an integral part of the Red Wings' back to back Stanley Cup Championships in 1997 and 1998. That summer, Larionov and his Russian teammates made history by bringing the famed Cup home toRussia for the first time ever.[6]
In2000, Larionov signed with theFlorida Panthers, where he was re-united with Pavel Bure. It was a disaster, though, and Larionov was traded back to Detroit before the end of the season. He helped the Red Wings to the 2002 Stanley Cup championship, and made his mark on the2002 Stanley Cup Finals by scoring the winning goal in triple overtime of Game 3 against theCarolina Hurricanes. Detroit would win the series in five games.
He played his final NHL season for theNew Jersey Devils in2003–04, where Viacheslav Fetisov was an assistant coach. He finished his career by playing two games for the Swedish teamBrunflo IK in 2005–06, producing one goal and three assists. Brunflo is the same team that his former linemate in CSKA Moscow and the Soviet Union,Vladimir Krutov, ended his career with ten years earlier.
On the international stage, playing for theSoviet Union, Larionov centeredVladimir Krutov andSergei Makarov on the famed "KLM Line". Along with defensemenViacheslav Fetisov andAlexei Kasatonov, they formed the "Green Unit", so named because they wore green jerseys in practice. All five players also played forCSKA Moscow.[citation needed]
Larionov won two gold medals (1984,1988) for the Soviet Union and one bronze medal forRussia (2002) at theOlympics. At theWorld Championships, Larionov won four golds (1982,1983,1986,1989), one silver (1987), and one bronze (1985). He was an instrumental member of the Soviet squad that won the1981 Canada Cup (this tournament was the coming out of the KLM Line) and played in the1984 and1987 events as well. He then played for Russia in the1996 World Cup of Hockey.[citation needed]
Larionov,Viacheslav Fetisov,Joe Sakic,Sidney Crosby,Scott Niedermayer andCorey Perry are the only six players in the world who have won Olympics Gold, World Championship Gold, a Stanley Cup (IIHFTriple Gold Club), Canada/World Cup, and World Junior Championship Gold.[citation needed]
Larianov's international career was recognized with induction into theIIHF Hall of Fame in 2008.[12]
In 2008, Larionov was inducted into theHockey Hall of Fame. He was the sixth Russian-born inductee, and the fifth-ever player.[13]
In July 2008, Larionov was named director of hockey operations for Russian powerhouse hockey clubSKA Saint Petersburg.[14] He also works as a player agent inBloomfield Hills, Michigan.
In 2011, he was appointed to a three-year term on the Hall Of Fame's selection committee.[15]
In 2020, Larionov was announced the head coach of theRussian junior team. He made his debut as head coach at the2021 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships.[16]
In 2022, Larionov was named head coach ofTorpedo Nizhny Novgorod of the KHL.[17]
In 2025, Larionov was named head coach ofSKA Saint Petersburg of the KHL.
Larionov is married to former figure skaterElena Batanova and has three children, Alyonka, Diana andIgor Larionov II. Currently, he is a professional wine merchant making wines under the labels "Hattrick" and "Triple Overtime" with wines from Australia and California. Other wine labels include "Slapshot" and "IL Triple Overtime." The name Triple Overtime Wine Company roots from Larionov's winning goal in the third overtime period of Game 3 in the2002 Stanley Cup Finals.[18]
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1977–78 | Khimik Voskresensk | USSR | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1978–79 | Khimik Voskresensk | USSR | 32 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1979–80 | Khimik Voskresensk | USSR | 42 | 11 | 7 | 18 | 24 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1980–81 | Khimik Voskresensk | USSR | 43 | 22 | 23 | 45 | 36 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1981–82 | CSKA Moscow | USSR | 46 | 31 | 22 | 53 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1982–83 | CSKA Moscow | USSR | 44 | 20 | 19 | 39 | 20 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1983–84 | CSKA Moscow | USSR | 43 | 15 | 26 | 41 | 30 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1984–85 | CSKA Moscow | USSR | 40 | 18 | 28 | 46 | 20 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1985–86 | CSKA Moscow | USSR | 40 | 21 | 31 | 52 | 33 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1986–87 | CSKA Moscow | USSR | 39 | 20 | 26 | 46 | 34 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1987–88 | CSKA Moscow | USSR | 51 | 25 | 32 | 57 | 54 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1988–89 | CSKA Moscow | USSR | 31 | 15 | 12 | 27 | 22 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1989–90 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 74 | 17 | 27 | 44 | 20 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1990–91 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 64 | 13 | 21 | 34 | 14 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | ||
| 1991–92 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 72 | 21 | 44 | 65 | 54 | 13 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 4 | ||
| 1992–93 | HC Lugano | NDA | 24 | 10 | 19 | 29 | 44 | 8 | 3 | 15 | 18 | 0 | ||
| 1993–94 | San Jose Sharks | NHL | 60 | 18 | 38 | 56 | 40 | 14 | 5 | 13 | 18 | 10 | ||
| 1994–95 | San Jose Sharks | NHL | 33 | 4 | 20 | 24 | 14 | 11 | 1 | 8 | 9 | 2 | ||
| 1995–96 | San Jose Sharks | NHL | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1995–96 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 69 | 21 | 50 | 71 | 34 | 19 | 6 | 7 | 13 | 6 | ||
| 1996–97 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 64 | 12 | 42 | 54 | 26 | 20 | 4 | 8 | 12 | 8 | ||
| 1997–98 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 69 | 8 | 39 | 47 | 40 | 22 | 3 | 10 | 13 | 12 | ||
| 1998–99 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 75 | 14 | 49 | 63 | 48 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | ||
| 1999–00 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 79 | 9 | 38 | 47 | 28 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 | ||
| 2000–01 | Florida Panthers | NHL | 26 | 5 | 6 | 11 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2000–01 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 39 | 4 | 25 | 29 | 28 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 2 | ||
| 2001–02 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 70 | 11 | 32 | 43 | 50 | 18 | 5 | 6 | 11 | 4 | ||
| 2002–03 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 74 | 10 | 33 | 43 | 48 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 2003–04 | New Jersey Devils | NHL | 49 | 1 | 10 | 11 | 20 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2005–06 | Brunflo IK | SWE-3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| USSR totals | 457 | 204 | 230 | 434 | 295 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
| NHL totals | 921 | 169 | 475 | 644 | 474 | 150 | 30 | 67 | 97 | 60 | ||||
| Year | Team | Event | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | Soviet Union | WJC | 5 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | |
| 1980 | Soviet Union | WJC | 5 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 4 | |
| 1981 | Soviet Union | CC | 7 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 8 | |
| 1982 | Soviet Union | WC | 10 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 2 | |
| 1983 | Soviet Union | WC | 9 | 5 | 7 | 12 | 4 | |
| 1984 | Soviet Union | OLY | 6 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 6 | |
| 1984 | Soviet Union | CC | 5 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 | |
| 1985 | Soviet Union | WC | 10 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | |
| 1986 | Soviet Union | WC | 10 | 7 | 1 | 8 | 4 | |
| 1987 | Soviet Union | WC | 10 | 4 | 8 | 12 | 2 | |
| 1987 | Soviet Union | CC | 9 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 | |
| 1988 | Soviet Union | OLY | 8 | 4 | 9 | 13 | 4 | |
| 1989 | Soviet Union | WC | 8 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 11 | |
| 1996 | Russia | WCH | 5 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 2 | |
| 2002 | Russia | OLY | 6 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 4 | |
| Junior totals | 10 | 5 | 7 | 12 | 12 | |||
| Senior totals | 103 | 36 | 51 | 87 | 67 | |||
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| Preceded by | Soviet MVP 1988 | Succeeded by |
