Vsevolod Bobrov

Vsevolod Bobrov was a multi-talented athlete. He was originally schooled in football and bandy, but came into contact with ice hockey on a tour of Britain. He then started playing both sports, hockey in winter and football in summer, for CSKA and later VVS Moskva. Bobrov started his career as a footballer in 1938, playing with Dynamo Leningrad. After World War II, he played with CSKA Moskva, then from 1950-52 with VVS Moskva and he ended his football career in 1953 with Spartak Moskva. He won Soviet football titles in 1946-48 and 1953, and was capped three times. All those three matches were played at the 1952 Olympics and he scored five goals in those three matches. He was also the best goal scorer at the Soviet Championships in 1945 (24 goals) and 1947 (14 goals).

He was much more successful in hockey, winning seven national championships (1948-52, and 1955-56) and topping the scoring list regularly, averaging nearly two goals a game during his career. He was the best goal scorer at the Soviet Championships in 1948 (52 goals), 1951 (42 goals) and 1952 (37 goals). He played most of his career from 1947-57 with CSKA Moskva, with a brief interlude in VVS Moskva from 1951-53.

On the national ice hockey team, he played 59 games and scored 94 goals, winning the 1954 and 1956 World Championships and 1956 Olympics along the way. He was second at the 1955 and 1957 World Championships, also winning European Championships from 1954-56. He was selected as the best forward at the 1954 World Championships and was the best goal scorer at the 1956 Olympics (9 goals, with Canadian Gerry Théberge) and 1957 World Championships (13 goals).

After ending his playing career in 1957, Bobrov then started a successful coaching career, again in both football and ice hockey. Beginning in 1952, he was a player-coach of the VVS Moskva football team. From 1957-60, 1967-69 and 1977-78, Bobrov was a coach of the CSKA Moskva football team, and in 1975, he coached Kayrat Alma-Ata football team. In hockey he coached Spartak Moskva from 1964-67, winning Soviet Championships in 1967 and was runner-up in 1965-66. From 1972-74, Bobrov was also the head coach of the Soviet national team. In that function, he coached the USSR team during the 1972 Summit Series against Canada, and won the 1973 and 1974 World Championships. He also was a runner-up at the 1972 World Championships. Vsevolod Bobrov was selected to the IIHF Hall of Fame in 1997.