Fans are closely following the scandal surrounding the goalkeeper of the Russian national team Ivan Fedotov. The silver medalist of the 2022 Olympics was detained on suspicion of evading the army. Further, this story began to acquire absolutely wild details – the keeper became ill in the military registration and enlistment office and he was taken to the hospital by ambulance.

Public opinion is divided on this issue: some fans see Fedotov’s persecution as CSKA’s revenge for signing a contract with Philadelphia, while others believe that Ivan himself is to blame, because he could have resolved the issue a long time ago without taking the situation to the extreme.

Of course, losing a year for a professional hockey player can be fatal, although a lot depends on motivation. The story of the legendary defender Nikolai Sologubov is a vivid confirmation of this.

Not thanks, but in spite of

Possessing excellent physical fitness, the 24-year-old intelligence officer Sologubov completed his service in Khabarovsk in 1948. At this age, young athletes are approaching the peak of form, but for Sologubov this prospect seemed unrealistic. The Great Patriotic War did not pass without a trace for the great master.

Sologubov received four terrible wounds at the front and even ran into a mine, resulting in broken tibia and fibula, as well as a crushed ankle. Doctors wanted to amputate his foot because of the threat of gangrene, but this was avoided.

It is difficult to live normally with such terrible injuries, but for Sologubov this did not become a reason for abandoning hockey.

Change of sport

After the war, Sologubov was engaged in bandy and played for the Khabarovsk House of Officers. At the same time, “Canadian hockey” was gaining immense popularity in the country. Sologubov learned the latest news about the game with the puck from newspapers or watched matches on TV.

Excellent physical data and high sports results of Sologubov impressed everyone who saw his game live. Including the leadership of the CDKA, which eventually recommended the hockey player to coach Anatoly Tarasov.

Yuri Ovchukov, Viktor Tolmachev, Vladimir Brezhnev, Anatoly Drozdov, Oleg Zaitsev, Eduard Ivanov, Viktor Kuzkin, Alexander Ragulin, Igor Romishevsky, Nikolai Sologubov, Veniamin Alexandrov, Alexander Almetov, Leonid Volkov, Igor Dekonsky, Anatoly Ionov, Konstantin Loktev, Yuri Moiseev , Valentin Senyushkin, Anatoly Firsov, coach – Anatoly Tarasov / Photo: © RIA Novosti / Dmitry Donskoy

So Nikolai changed the sport and began to work with the master of the domestic coaching workshop. Sologubov was close to Tarasov’s technique, even in its most unusual manifestations: classes with world chess champion Anatoly Karpov to develop patience and develop tactical schemes, or visiting the Bolshoi Theater in order to adapt ballet movements for hockey training.

Sologubov absorbed these innovations with pleasure, as a result of which he himself was at the forefront of hockey changes.

Terrible injury

It is now customary to divide defense players into “homebodies” and attacking defenders. And at that time there was only one function – to save the gate. Sologubov, on the other hand, changed the generally accepted rules and began to join the attacks, which immediately brought results. And already in his debut season as part of CSKA, he became the champion of the country. However, the next year, Sologubov’s hockey career could end as quickly as it began. The legendary defender again received a terrible injury, but already on the ice.

– Babich jumped with his skate on the stomach of Nikolai Sologubov. The intestines climbed out, almost died. It’s good that Sologub was so healthy! – recalled the famous hockey player and coach Nikolai Karpov.

Sologubov managed to be saved, but the doctors put an end to the player’s further career. The defender coped with another life test and soon returned to the ice again.

Nikolai Sologubov (left), 1959 / Photo: © RIA Novosti / Vladimir Grebnev

He not only continued to play, but soon became one of the best defensemen in the history of hockey. With the national team, he won the gold of the Olympics, the World Cup and Europe. And also three times he was recognized as the best defender in the world.

After the completion of his playing career, Sologubov’s life changed for the worse. He had no savings left and had to move to an underground garage. In 1988, he died, but a symbolic club of defenders was created in his honor, who managed to score 100 goals.

The story of the legendary defender proves that devotion and love for what you love can overcome any obstacles. Army hockey is not a hindrance.