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| Take a Tour with NHL Stars to Unique Hockey Sticks Museum |
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Alexander Ovechkin
Photo provided by Pavel Lysenkov (Sovetsky Sport)
4800 hockey sticks store hands warmth of Kharlamov, Gretzky, Lemieux, Jagr, Bure… Sovetsky Sport’s correspondent accompanied with NHL stars visited the largest hockey sticks collection in the world
Author: Pavel Lysenkov (Sovetsky Sport: July 31, 2007)
Translated by Alexei Belousenko (Russian Hockey Digest)
A few days ago Sergei Afanasiev, whose collection counts 4800 (!) ice-hockey sticks, has invited Alexander Ovechkin, Evgeni Malkin and other NHLers, that spend time in training camp in St.-Petersburg these days, to his museum.
HERE IS GOING TO BE A MUSEUM
Sergei Afanasiev is not a poor man. In past he was an officer-submariner; presently – president’s advisor of one of the Russian banks. Hockey in general and sticks particularly are his great passion. This hobby has started back in 1972 when his father, head of department in Leningrad’s military sports institute, presented two sticks Koho to 15-year-old Sergei. Professionals played with this type of sticks during Superseries-72, and it was impossible to purchase them in the USSR. With a smile on his face, Sergei admits that every night he jumped out of the bed about three times to touch sports equipment in a closet.
Sergei Afanasiev, owner of the greatest ice-hockey sticks collection
Photo provided by Pavel Lysenkov (Sovetsky Sport)
Nowadays, this is not a hobby any longer, but the largest hockey sticks collection in the world. There are different ways how Afanasiev obtains these “trophies”: he personally brings them from over borders, gets them via intermediaries, buys private collections, and so on… Tremendous help comes from Sergei’s friends – Rene Fasel (IIHF president who named this collection as European museum of hockey), Kimmo Leinonen, Heikki Hietanen (heads of Finnish hockey), Bob Nicholson (president of Hockey Canada), Darren Boyko (vice-president of the Hockey Hall of Fame), Alexander Steblin (ex-president of FHR), Igor Tuzik (vice-president of FHR), Alexander Yakushev, Boris Mayorov, Maxim Sushinsky…
When I was going to Afanasiev, I was told that he has 4500 sticks, but actually there are already 4800. His collection grows hourly. Sticks filled the entire Afanasiev’s summer home in Komarovo village, near St.-Petersburg. Sticks are everywhere! They’re standing against the walls in a garage, laying unwrapped in packages… And what is the most important, every stick is unique and has its own history.
The elite of collection is placed on second and third floors of the house. Here are not only rarities previously belonged to Wayne Gretzky, Bobby Orr, Bobby Hull, Mario Lemieux, Valeri Kharlamov (all names from the hockey encyclopedia can be listed here), but, also Kharlamov’s game worn helmet, Sergei Makarov’s bloody jersey, countless number of pucks and other memorabilia…
Back in 2004 I visited the Hockey Hall of Fame and published in my article about Canadian temple: “Hall of Fame is not just a major point of interest in Toronto, but world’s hockey propaganda. Ask Tretyak or Fetisov how prestigious is to be a hero of such museum. Or, imagine how many kids come to Younge Street everyday; no need to explain to them who is Gretzky, and what team Lemieux is playing. In Russia, perhaps, not each kid knows about Kharlamov or Firsov… What if this type of museum would be organized in Moscow?”
Three years past by, and without any arrangements from authorities or any sensations in media, the Russian Hockey Hall of Fame, its basement, already created. There is no such collection even in Toronto! Going even further, Montreal Canadiens’ management asked Afanasiev to borrow a few sticks for a one hundred-anniversary celebration, and recently, Canadian media was filming a movie about this collection.
S. Afanasiev: I’m planning to buy a house next door to my summer home and establish a hockey museum. Four hundred of square meters will be required if placing shelves tightly. There will be no entrance fees on weekends for all visitors. Please come and enjoy. You can touch the sticks; it’s not prohibited. These sticks hold their energy and mystery.
MIKITA’S CURVE
At first, NHLers didn’t want to go to unfamiliar person’s place, but Alexander Radulov, who went there a day earlier, persuaded other players to visit Komarovo village. Besides Radulov, there were Alexei Semenov, Sergei Gonchar, Viktor Kozlov, Alexander Ovechkin, Evgeni Malkin, and also suddenly arrived Alexei Kovalev (he came to St.-Petersburg for his friends’ wedding)… Seven hockey stars!
Players wanted to take some rest after a practice, even ordered sauna-time in Petersburg. But Afanasiev’s house is supplied with sauna, and guests gladly agreed to use it, while watching a soccer game Spartak – Zenit. After that, hockey players went for a sticks excursion.
S. Afanasiev: Here are Gonchar’s sticks, Ovechkin’s. There are Mikhaylov’s and Bobrov’s gloves that they wore at their last games. Here is Anatoly Tarasov’s jersey with number 15 on a back. He wore it for national team’s practices. Kharlamov’s helmet, which he played at the World Championship on 1973. Tretyak’s grated mask is next to it. Look, this is Pavel Bure’s stick which helped him to score five goals in semifinals at Olympic Games in Nagano in 1998. And this is Sergei Shepelev’s stick that he played in final game at the Canada Cup in 1981 and scored a hat-trick, when we beat Canadians 8:1.
Ovechkin with Kharlamov's sticks
Photo provided by Pavel Lysenkov (Sovetsky Sport)
…Ovechkin took a tour around the house with only towel wrapped around his body after sauna. I’ve known Sasha for a log time, and I assure you that he was amazed and charmed! This excursion entirely swallowed up his attention. Ovechkin was walking around the house with slightly open mouth being in light prostration.
A. Ovechkin: What are these? My sticks? Wow! I used this stick while playing in Dynamo. It was a long time ago! Look at this stick, I played with it at the World Championship in 2003. Remember, when Viktor Tikhonov invited me when I was 17? How did you get them?.. Hah, look, I put my three sticks together: later models have shorter handle. Does it mean that I grow down now?
Sasha, where is the stick that you scored your famous goal to Phoenix’ net?
A. Ovechkin: Washington’s general manager George McPhee took it. The stick is hanging on a wall in his office.
By the way, Sergei Afanasiev continues his tour: Here are presented North American players’ sticks – Stan Mikita, Guy Lafleur, Gordie Howe, Bobby Hull, Bobby Orr… Look at Hull’s stick carefully; you see this special hollow on a handle? This is because two fingers were broken, and a forefinger didn’t bend… And this is Mikita’s stick.
A. Ovechkin: Really!? Such a small stick! But look at the curve! He would get a 10-minute penalty nowadays…
The curve of Chicago’s forward’s stick looks like a semicircle. How to play with it?
Famous Mikita's curve in Ovechkin's hands
Photo provided by Pavel Lysenkov (Sovetsky Sport)
KHARLAMOV’S TROPHY
S. Afanasiev: My major pride – Kharlamov’s sticks. I’ve got ten of them. This stick was prepared for him to play at the Canada Cup in 1981. But Valeri was left out of the national team, and the next day he died in a car accident.
Ovechkin takes the stick with care, looks at it from every angle, cautiously wears on him…
S. Gonchar: Kharlamov’s curve is same as Malkin’s.
S. Afanasiev: Valeri’s curve was changing with time. Could you guys play with this kind of sticks in NHL these days?
A. Ovechkin: They would brake all the time after slap shots. We are having trouble with plastic sticks, but these are made out of wood…
GONCHAR’S MODEL
S. Afanasiev: I’ve got many Gonchar’s sticks.
S. Gonchar: Where from?
S. Afanasiev: Your first coach gave me, and people brought from NHL. As I know, there is a tradition to sell last season game-played sticks in club’s stores. They don’t them, but they are valuable souvenir for fans.
S. Gonchar: Wow, where did this stick come from?! Four years ago I sent it to manufactory in Detroit. I wanted to make several copies of it. Literally, I begged them not to lose a template. And still it got lost! I called them like five times; they kept saying ‘sorry’… And now it’s found! Here, in Petersburg, damn it!..
Sergei Gonchar found his lost stick!
Photo provided by Pavel Lysenkov (Sovetsky Sport)
S. Afanasiev: Actually, I honestly purchased it a half of a year from a company Warrior. This stick was signed off to be thrown away. If you want, I can give it back to you. And, Sasha, would you like Bure’s stick? But not this one, though.
Ovechkin holds Russian Rocket’s stick from Olympics in Nagano.
A. Ovechkin: No, no, no! I’m just playing around. I understand, you need it for business.
STICK IS IN THE HOUSE!
S. Afanasiev: I have a stick Nitro with poisonous-green color. I was watching Olympics on TV and saw this stick in Finnish player’s hands with number 26 on his back. Later I found out, this guy is co-owner of one hockey equipment manufactory, and that stick was a new model line. So, I immediately called to a friend of mine from IIHF that was at the game. He ran down to a locker room of team Finland… Second period this player started with another stick. My friend called me: “Stick is in da house!” – “Good deal!” So, my collection received one more unique trophy.
How did Mikita end up here?
S. Afanasiev: From Sweden, from well-known collector Ulf. He used to work with national team “Tre Kronor” and grabbed Mikita and Hull’s sticks when they trained prior to WHA tour in Europe back in 1974.
How many trophies are in your collection?
S. Afanasiev: 4800 sticks, 8000 pucks, and countless number of different memorabilia.
Tougher than NHL’s Hall of Fame!
S. Afanasiev: They’ve got different principle. They store 54 Gretzky’s sticks in a fridge, that he scored anniversary goals. There are goalies with 894 pucks in the net – that’s how many goals he scored throughout his carrier in NHL. The entire room for one person! But we will have different approach. We will make severa major sectors: “Russians in NHL”, “National teams USSR and Russia”, “International Tournaments”, “Stars of the Past”… Plus a big section – “Sticks Evolution”. I’ve got pretty much everything that was issued around the world. Annually, I prepare exposition during European Champions Cup in Petersburg…
Do you have Jaromir Jagr’s stick that he scored a golden overtime goal in 2005 while playing for Avangard?
S. Afanasiev: Of course, I do. As well as Sushinsky’s stick that he assisted Jagr. Also, I’ve got Jagr’s pen when he was giving autographs. Alexander Steblin took it away from Jaromir (smiling).
How do you purchase sticks over borders?
S. Afanasiev: I went to Montreal during last season. On a way back was carrying about a hundred sticks. (“Wow! Fifty is really heavy”, - NHLers re amazed). Did I have trouble with customs? Of course. Let me not get into details, but I went through border. And collection became richer!
…It was interesting to watch NHLers listening Afanasiev’s stories.
S. Afanasiev: I was at the final game at the World Championship in 2003. Do you remember a golden goal scored by Canadian Carter? He promised me to give me his stick after the game, but he took off. Anyway, I’m sitting there, and all of a sudden I see Mats Sundin, captain of Sweden, is throwing his broken stick over glass board. I’m jumping off my seat, running down… But some kid grabs the stick and starts smashing the stick of the floor. I was watching it, and my heart was broken.
NHLers left Komarovo by late evening, promising to come back…
QUICK QUESTIONNAIRY FOR SERGEI GONCHAR AND VIKTOR KOZLOV
What is important for you in sticks?
S. Gonchar: Very important to play the entire season with same stick standard. If you get used to certain standard, and then, you receive different sticks in the middle of the season, it is tough to rearrange yourself.
V. Kozlov: I agree with Sergei. Standard should be the same; effectiveness depends on this.
What color of tape is better to wrap around the stick – white or black?
S. Gonchar: If using black, than a goaltender sees a moment when the puck leaves the stick with delay.
V. Kozlov: And if using white, than it is easier for a player to view and control the puck. So, it really depends.
What impression did this collection leave on you?
V. Kozlov: It’s amazing to see wood sticks made back in 50-60’s when I wasn’t even born… This is unique museum.
S. Gonchar: I think sticks are best resource to learn history of hockey. Each detail corresponds to its historical moment – here is Bobby Orr’s stick when he scored his “flying” goal, here is Pavel Bure’s stick that he scored five goals into Finns net… All this is our history. Players go, but sticks stay. |
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