Soviet Stars May Get a Shot at NHL

A quartet of Soviet superstars on the Red Army’s hockey team may be discharged by the start of next season so they can join NHL clubs that covet their talents, the government daily Izvestia said.

The newspaper reported Monday that Vyacheslav Fetisov, Igor Larionov, Sergei Makarov and Vladimir Krutov, all members of the Army Central Sports Club team’s “first-string five” and top players on the Soviet national team, want to leave the armed forces.

The State’s Sports Committee official in charge of ice hockey, Vyacheslav Koloskov, strongly indicated that they will get their wish.

“We don’t have the right to hinder players from accepting profitable offers from overseas,” Koloskov told Izvestia in an interview.

He said all five starters for the Army Central Sports Club and Soviet national teams had received official invitations from NHL clubs. Makarov, he said in particular, “is being greatly awaited by the Calgary Flames.”