Photo: S. Ulyanovsky / Public domain (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Valeri Kharlamov is one of those names that still gives me chills. The record labels him American, but he was the soul of Soviet hockey, a Moscow-born forward whose speed and improvisational genius defined CSKA and terrified opponents across the 1972 Summit Series era. Twice his league's MVP, he played the game like jazz. What haunts me is the ending: dead at 33 in a 1981 car crash, his brilliance frozen mid-sentence. Yet the Hockey Hall of Fame and IIHF inductions confirm what fans never forgot. To me he embodies both the dazzle of a true original and the ache of genius taken far too soon.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Valeri Kharlamov
- Name (Japanese)
- ワレリー・ハルラモフ
- Reading
- われりー・はるらもふ
- Born
- January 14, 1948 – August 27, 1981
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Capricorn / Rat
- Origin
- Moscow, Moscow Governorate, Duchy of Moscow
- Height
- 176 cm
- Occupation
- ice hockey player
2. Background
- University
- Russian State University of Physical Education, Sport, Youth and Tourism
Awards & achievements
- 1975 Order of the Red Banner of Labour
- 1972 Order of the Badge of Honour
- 1969 Medal "For Labour Valour"
- 1969 Honoured Master of Sports of the USSR
- 2005 Hockey Hall of Fame
- 1970 Jubilee Medal "In Commemoration of the 100th Anniversary of the Birth of Vladimir Ilyich Lenin"
- 1998 IIHF Hall of Fame
- Medal "For Impeccable Service", 3rd class
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was Valeri Kharlamov born?
January 14, 1948 – August 27, 1981.
Where is Valeri Kharlamov from?
Valeri Kharlamov is from Moscow, Moscow Governorate, Duchy of Moscow.
What does Valeri Kharlamov do?
Valeri Kharlamov works as ice hockey player.
How tall is Valeri Kharlamov?
Valeri Kharlamov is 176 cm.
Ice hockey player — see all → · More people from Duchy of Moscow →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-02
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.