# KLM Line

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{{Short description|Group of Soviet ice hockey players}}
{{Multiple issues|
{{Cleanup|reason=tone|date=July 2021}}
{{More citations needed|date=July 2021}}
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{{multiple image
| footer    = From left: Krutov in 2011, Larionov in 2008, Makarov in 1979
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| total_width = 400
| image1    = Vladimir Krutov 2011.jpg
| image2    = Igor Larionov retouched.jpg
| image3    = Sergei Mikhailovich Makarov Panini 1979.jpg
}}
'''KLM Line''' is the name given to a group of [forward](/source/Forward_(ice_hockey))s of the [USSR national ice hockey team](/source/Soviet_Union_men's_national_ice_hockey_team) and the Russian club [CSKA](/source/HC_CSKA_Moscow) in the 1980s. The [line](/source/Line_(ice_hockey)) was composed of left [wing](/source/Winger_(ice_hockey)) [Vladimir Krutov](/source/Vladimir_Krutov) (1960–2012), [centre](/source/Centre_(ice_hockey)) [Igor Larionov](/source/Igor_Larionov) (born 1960), and right wing [Sergei Makarov](/source/Sergei_Makarov_(ice_hockey)) (born 1958). "KLM" comes from the first letters of the players' last names.{{efn|Another group sometimes known by the same acronym is a lineup combination of the [Dallas Stars](/source/Dallas_Stars), which particularly stood out in the [2003–04 season](/source/2003%E2%80%9304_NHL_season), composed of [Niko Kapanen](/source/Niko_Kapanen), [Jere Lehtinen](/source/Jere_Lehtinen) and [Brenden Morrow](/source/Brenden_Morrow).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Dallas Stars |url=https://hotrod903.tripod.com/nhl/index.blog/15560/sloppy-and-chippy-hockey-results-in-a-74-dallas-victory/ |access-date=2022-05-18 |website=hotrod903.tripod.com}}</ref>}}

In Russia, the KLM Line is widely considered to be the best offensive lineup ever.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/14178731/nhl-russia-greatest-hockey-players-told-russian-great-sergei-gonchar|title=LeBrun: Russian star picks Russia's greatest players|date=November 20, 2015|website=ESPN.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/09/sports/hockey/vladimir-krutov-wing-for-soviet-hockey-teams-in-the-80s-dies-at-52.html|title=Vladimir Krutov, Wing for Soviet Hockey Teams in the '80s, Dies at 52|first=Douglas|last=Martin|date=June 8, 2012|via=NYTimes.com}}</ref> In the 1990s, Larionov became part of another notable ice hockey unit, the [Russian Five](/source/Russian_Five) of the [Detroit Red Wings](/source/Detroit_Red_Wings).

==Origin==
It was a long tradition in the [Soviet Union](/source/Soviet_Union) to discover and promote such ranks over the years. In the 1940s and 1950s, there were [Yevgeni Babich](/source/Yevgeni_Babich), [Vsevolod Bobrov](/source/Vsevolod_Bobrov) and [Viktor Shuvalov](/source/Viktor_Grigoryevich_Shuvalov). In the 1960s, there were [Konstantin Loktev](/source/Konstantin_Loktev), [Alexander Almetov](/source/Alexander_Almetov) and [Veniamin Alexandrov](/source/Veniamin_Alexandrov); [Boris Mayorov](/source/Boris_Mayorov), [Vyacheslav Starshinov](/source/Vyacheslav_Starshinov) and [Yevgeni Mayorov](/source/Yevgeni_Mayorov); [Vladimir Vikulov](/source/Vladimir_Vikulov), [Viktor Polupanov](/source/Viktor_Polupanov) and [Anatoli Firsov](/source/Anatoli_Firsov). In the 1970s, there were [Boris Mikhailov](/source/Boris_Mikhailov_(ice_hockey)), [Valeri Kharlamov](/source/Valeri_Kharlamov) and [Vladimir Petrov](/source/Vladimir_Vladimirovich_Petrov), who were then included in the ''KLM series'' 'that dominated the Soviet and international scene during the 1980s'.

The Russian national coach [Viktor Tikhonov](/source/Viktor_Tikhonov_(born_1930)) first discovered the talented skater and [left-handed shooter](/source/Winger_(ice_hockey)) [Sergei Makarov](/source/Sergei_Makarov_(ice_hockey)).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thestar.com/sports/hockey/2016/11/13/russian-gretzky-makarov-enters-hockey-shrine.html|title='Russian Gretzky' Makarov enters hockey shrine|date=November 13, 2016|website=thestar.com}}</ref> Tikhonov then brought him to [HC CSKA Moscow](/source/HC_CSKA_Moscow).

[Vladimir Krutov](/source/Vladimir_Krutov), a left [wing](/source/Winger_(ice_hockey)), was discovered by [Valeri Kharlamov](/source/Valeri_Kharlamov). Krutov had been educated and trained at CSKA and supported the army club at the time.

Voskresensk-born [Igor Larionov](/source/Igor_Larionov), the later [center](/source/Centre_(ice_hockey)) of the series was discovered by [Nikolay Epshtein](/source/Nikolay_Epshtein) while playing for [Khimik Voskresensk](/source/Khimik_Voskresensk).

==Soviet national team==
Each of them won numerous prizes and championships, but they were particularly strong as a team: together with the defenders [Viacheslav Fetisov](/source/Viacheslav_Fetisov) and [Alexei Kasatonov](/source/Alexei_Kasatonov) they formed the first block for years of the [Soviet national team](/source/Soviet_national_ice_hockey_team) and were instrumental in their victories at that time.

When these three players entered the ice hockey scene during the [1981 Canada Cup](/source/1981_Canada_Cup), they were 21 (Krutov and Larionov) and 23 (Makarov) years old, but they were already stars. They scored 22 points (11 + 11) in seven games during the tournament and were the unit of measurement within the Soviet group. So they also won the final against Canada with 8–1. They also beat the best of the NHL in the [1979 Challenge Cup](/source/1979_Challenge_Cup_(ice_hockey)) by winning the final, decisive game 6–0.

In the [1984 Canada Cup](/source/1984_Canada_Cup), the ''KLM series'' collected another 18 points (10 + 8) in six games. However, they lost the semifinals to Canada 2–3 in overtime.

In [1987](/source/1987_Canada_Cup), played the ''KLM series'' again at the [Canada Cup](/source/Canada_Cup_(ice_hockey)) and fought a duel with the storm series for [Goulet](/source/Michel_Goulet) - [Gretzky](/source/Wayne_Gretzky) - [Lemieux](/source/Mario_Lemieux) from the Canadian national team. The ''KLM series'' scored 32 points (15 + 17) in reaching nine games.

In the late 1980s, Tikhonov began preparing to replace the ''KLM series'' with a new trio: [Mogilny](/source/Alexander_Mogilny) - [Fedorov](/source/Sergei_Fedorov) - [Bure](/source/Pavel_Bure), which, however, did not last long due to the departure of all three hockey players in the [NHL](/source/NHL).

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

Category:Ice hockey in the Soviet Union
Category:Ice hockey strategy
Category:Ice hockey terminology

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [KLM Line](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KLM_Line) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KLM_Line?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.