Viktor SHUVALOV

Like many other early Soviet ice hockey players, Viktor Shuvalov excelled in football in the summer and ice hockey in the winter. Shuvalov started his career in 1947 with Dzerzhinets Chelyabinsk (now Traktor Chelyabinsk), where he played both football and ice hockey. In 1949 he joined VVS Moskva, where he played until 1953. He then joined CSKA Moskva and he ended his career in 1957-58, playing with SKA Kalinin (now Tver). Shuvalov won five Soviet Championships (1951-53, and 1955-56) and was the best goal scorer at the Soviet Championships in 1950 (31 goals) and 1953 (44 goals, with Aleksey Guryshev).

Internationally, Shuvalov, with his club mates from VVS Moskva and later with CSKA Moskva Vsevolod Bobrov and Yevgeny Babich, were considered one of the best lines in the mid-50s. The trio scored about 200 goals in 50 or so matches from 1954 to 1956. Besides his Olympic gold, Shuvalov was World Champion in 1954 and 1956 and was second in 1955. He also won European Championships in 1954-56.