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September 2nd, 1972
An aura of confidence, almost to the point of arrogance, was in the air as the fans gathered at the Montreal Forum for the first match-up in an eight-game series between the Soviet Union and Canada. Though the Soviets were utterly dominant at the international level, they had never faced a full team of proper professionals. The one occasion that Canada brought any professional players to an international competition was at the 1969 Izvestia Trophy tournament; having brought only five pros, Canada would finish second, playing the USSR to a 2-2 draw. Following a decision by the IIHF to ban professionals from the World Championships, Canada withdrew from the tournament entirely, not returning until 1977. This series in 1972 was thus the very first time that the Canadians were sending their best players to face off against the best from the Soviet Union.
Expectations from North American journalists were expecting Team Canada, comprised solely of top NHL players, to dominate the series, with more than a few predicting an eight-game sweep. The first game in Montreal, however, would go to the Soviets by a score of 7-3. The visitors would take two of four in Canada, with Game Three finishing a tie. After a Soviet victory in Game Five, the Canadians would win the next three, with Paul Henderson's iconic goal in the last minute of Game Eight sealing the series. Though the Canadians claimed victory, the Soviets still proved themselves to be equal to Canada's best thanks to their rigorous training and team mentality.
Despite the Soviets gaining more recognition for their team structure, individuals still shone. One of those that gained considerable attention during this tournament was Valeri Kharlamov. Having played for CSKA Moscow (a.k.a. the Central Red Army team) for the past few years, Kharlamov had become one of the stars of both the Soviet league and the national team. Though he would not end up the leading scorer for his team in the Summit Series (that honour would go to Alexander Yakushev, with 11 points), Kharlamov was nonetheless a major threat every time he stepped on the ice. So dangerous was Kharlamov that in Game Six, Bobby Clarke was directed to give the Russian star a two-handed slash on the ankle to slow him down – a slash some would argue changed the fortunes of the series entirely.
Following the Summit Series, several NHL teams were keen on trying to secure Kharlamov's services. At 24 years of age during the tournament, Valeri was entering his prime years, and had shown that he could not only match up to the National Hockey League's top stars, but confound them to such a point that it took illegal means to stop him. Despite all of the efforts by professional teams in North America, whether they be WHA or NHL, Kharlamov would return to the Soviet Union, continuing to play at the highest level for both club and country until his untimely death in a car accident in 1981.
Indeed, by the time of his death, no Soviet-trained player had crossed the Iron Curtain, with only a select few Czechoslovak defectors making the switch. There would not be a proper Soviet player in the NHL until 1982-83, when Victor Nechayev made his debut for the Los Angeles Kings. The best the USSR had to offer wouldn't leave for the NHL until the later part of that decade, either by mutual agreement or by defection. But what could have happened if Kharlamov himself made the jump? What kind of an impact could he have had playing against top North American opposition game in and game out?
WHAT MUST BE CONSIDERED, AND WHAT MUST CHANGE: With many of the scenarios I have done so far, there only needs to be one small change, such as a "yes-or-no" decision or a random tumbling of the lottery balls. This scenario, however, is as outlandish as it gets. The truth of the matter is, Valeri Kharlamov had very few opportunities to defect from the Soviet Union, and even if he had the chance, there was absolutely nothing to suggest that he would even want to do so in the first place. He was treated relatively well in the USSR, and by the time that there was any crack in the relationship between him and the national team (or CSKA), he was 33 years old. In fact, it was shortly after the first crack being formed – his exclusion from the Soviet Union's 1981 Canada Cup roster – that he would pass away. Simply put, there was never a realistic way for Kharlamov to defect, and there likely wasn't any reason for him to leave.
In order for this scenario to become remotely workable, the first signs have to pop up immediately after the conclusion of the '72 Summit Series. As a starting point in this hypothetical scenario, rather than focusing their attention on the rough play of the Canadian team, coaches Vsevolod Bobrov and Boris Kulagin would instead pin the blame on Kharlamov's lack of fitness in the final two games, having missed Game Seven following the slash from Bobby Clarke. Though he would continue to be a key player for CSKA Moscow, when it came time for him to be called up to the Soviet national team for international events, he wouldn't be a certain inclusion. He would miss out entirely on the 1973 World Championships in Moscow, which the host team would handily win. After leading the Central Red Army team in goals in the 1973-74 season, Kharlamov would be selected to the Soviet squad for the 1974 World Championships, to be held in Helsinki, Finland.
THE DEFECTION: Now, I cannot possibly predict all the specifics of how this defection would go, but I can make a few guesses based on all of the info that is out there, whether it be about, the hockey world at the time, or the principle of defection in general. (And indeed, there is a ton of guesswork here.)
Firstly, as Kharlamov and the Soviets play the 1974 Worlds, there is a small collection of NHL and WHA scouts making the trip over. Very few of them have any idea that Kharlamov is even entertaining the possibility of defection, and are more concerned with some of the other players at the tournament. The WHA representatives, in particular, are very active in their observation, as they attempt to stock their fledgling league with international talent to become more competitive. Among the heavily-courted players are Sweden's Lars-Erik Sjöberg and Anders Hedberg, who would both soon sign with the Winnipeg Jets, and Czechoslovakia's Vaclav Nedomansky, who would ultimately be the first-ever Eastern Bloc player to defect in the summer of that year.
Another team that has interest in this tournament is the Cleveland Crusaders, who actually hold the rights to Kharlamov thanks to the 1972 WHA Player Draft. In the 70-round draft to fill out team rosters, the Calgary Broncos, who would become the Crusaders before even playing a game in the league, took Kharlamov with a late pick. Knowing that they are being beaten to key international stars, the Crusaders' management team makes a desperate play for the Soviet superstar, using all legal channels available. Of course, when they are inevitably told "no" by the USSR, the Crusaders resort to more clandestine measures, contacting Kharlamov through an intermediary. To their surprise, they get a response, indicating that Valeri would consider moving.
The Crusaders' brass, including owner Nick Mileti and coach John Hanna, would work on a plan to bring Kharlamov over to North America via defection. Originally, the plan would be slowly worked on, with the team aiming to make their move in a year's time. The targeted event would be the 1975 World Hockey Championships in West Germany, which would be the first realistic opportunity for the plan to be executed. As news of several European signings in the WHA break over the next month or so (including the defection of Vaclav Nedomansky to the Toronto Toros), the plans are sped up. Instead of taking place in 1975, the plan is targeted for the WHA's version of the Summit Series in September of '74 against the Soviets.
The first two games of the '74 Summit Series go off without a hitch. The first game on September 17th ends in a 3-3 draw, but the Canadians win the next fixture in Toronto two days later. In that game, Kharlamov is given little ice time, playing only 8 minutes as the WHA players win 4-0. Not wanting to arouse even the slightest hint of suspicion, Kharlamov remains quiet, but the intermediary employed to convey the Crusaders' messages to him signals that the team believes now is the time for him to make his move. Only two games remain in Canada: one in Winnipeg on the 21st, then another one two days later in Vancouver. Kharlamov, unbeknownst to anyone but those in on the plan, decides to make his move in Winnipeg.
I know not how the defection itself would go. It could be a frantic escape from Soviet officials through the streets of Winnipeg a la the Stastny brothers, or it could be as simple as taking a wrong turn off the team bus, like Sergei Fedorov did. All that matters is that it be executed perfectly, without so much as a mistake. It was certain that several Soviet officials would be present to make sure nobody even dared to try and defect, and there would possibly be a heightened sense of security within the USSR's camp, considering their fellow Eastern Bloc members Czechoslovakia had lost a key player due to defection. No matter the specifics of the plan, it ends with Kharlamov, against all conceivable odds, managing to end up with Nick Mileti and John Hanna in Cleveland a few short days later.
CALCULATING KHARLAMOV'S STATS: In projecting how Valeri Kharlamov would perform in North America, I stuck to a few rules to translate his regular season stats in the Soviet Union to the NHL and WHA.
Firstly, the main rule I stuck to was that Kharlamov's total of games played mirrored the percentage of games that he had actually played in real life. If he played 90% of games in a season in the Soviet Union, then he would play 90% of games in the North American season. Goal, assists, and PIM totals were also scaled up similarly.
Secondly, I adjusted Kharlamov's assist totals by 150% prior to the above conversion. The Soviet leagues, as far as I understand, did not count second assists (see Post #9), and so in order to compensate, I assumed that Valeri would have half as many second assists as first assists.
Thirdly, I made two basic assumptions for conversion to NHL and WHA points. My first assumption was that Soviet totals would be converted 1:1 to the WHA. To get the NHL figures, however, I looked at every season in which a player ended up in the top 10 in points in the WHA, then went to the NHL the next year. The average amount of NHL points compared to WHA points came to about 68.67%, and so I would use that figure to convert Kharlamov's totals to the NHL. (There were some outliers, such as Andre Lacroix going from an 88-point season in the WHA to a 17-point year, and Wayne Gretzky's total actually rising from 104 to 137, but in my mind, the average listed above is fair enough.)
1974-75 (CLEVELAND CRUSADERS, WHA): Though not quite a heavy hitter in the hockey world, Cleveland has, for one brief moment, become the centre of the hockey universe.
Sure, the Toronto Toros were the first to successfully bring over an Eastern Bloc player, having acquired Vaclav Nedomansky following his defection from Czechoslovakia in June, but even he was small potatoes compared to the Crusaders getting Valeri Kharlamov. Kharlamov wasn't from just any Eastern Bloc country, but the Soviet Union itself. Managing to get a player straight from the USSR was almost unthinkable, and yet the Crusaders' management team found a way to pull it off. Having been a middling team in the attendance standings, the Crusaders would rise very near to the top of the league in 74-75's rankings. The intrigue surrounding a Soviet player was strong, and enough of a draw to make the Crusaders a potential powerhouse at the gate.
The anticipation of seeing Valeri Kharlamov play on North American ice soon turns into a source of pride for Cleveland fans, and a source of dread for opponents. Kharlamov turns out to be just as good as advertised, and even the hard checks of North American skaters – many of whom are targeting him due to his Russian heritage – aren't enough to stop him. Though he isn't even in the top 20 in goals in the WHA, his impressive playmaking makes him a constant threat on the ice, and his linemates see their goal totals drastically rise as a result. The Crusaders as a whole benefit as well, finishing 2nd in the East Division with 87 points. This not only clinches them a playoff spot, but puts them 7th in the overall standings.
The Crusaders would be drawn in the first round of the WHA playoffs against the Quebec Nordiques, who had finished 2nd Overall in the League. Though the Crusaders had Kharlamov, the Nordiques had two major scoring threats of their own in Serge Bernier and Rejean Houle. If Kharlamov was shut down, the Crusaders were toast, but the Nordiques would still be dangerous if only one of their two stars was neutralized. As it turned out, Quebec could do nothing to slow down the Russian rookie, as Valeri would notch eight points in what would be a five-game series win for the Crusaders. Cleveland would have no such luck in their second series, as they were pitted against the defending champions, the Houston Aeros. The high-flying Aeros, with playmaker Larry Lund and three members of the Howe family (Gordie, Mark, and Marty), would run roughshod over the Crusaders, claiming the series in five games.
At this point, one NHL team had seen all they needed to see of Kharlamov: the Philadelphia Flyers. Having scouted the Russian extensively over the past year, General Manager Keith Allen and head coach Fred Shero plead their case to the team owner, Ed Snider, who is extremely reluctant to agree to any deal for Kharlamov. After several meetings, Snider eventually relents, and allows the team to make a rare trade between the NHL and WHA. Going to Cleveland would be winger Gary Doernhoefer and an undisclosed amount of cash, while Valeri would join the NHL's defending Stanley Cup champions.
So, why Philadelphia? Firstly, they were actually the first team to take a chance at drafting a Soviet player in the OTL, selecting Dinamo Riga player Viktors Hatulevs in the 9th Round of the 1975 NHL Amateur Draft. Secondly, Fred Shero, himself the child of Russian emigrants, was one of the very first North American coaches to travel to the USSR and scout the Soviet teams extensively. Finally, owner Ed Snider, of Jewish Russian descent, wasn't completely against bringing over a potential defector, believing that anyone who does leave the Soviet Union is doing so for a better life.
1975-76 (PHILADELPHIA FLYERS, NHL): Kharlamov had already made history just by stepping on the ice for the Cleveland Crusaders, but now, he was on an NHL team, becoming the first Eastern Bloc-trained player to do so. In the immediate aftermath of the trade, Kharlamov would face hostility from within the Philadelphia locker room, especially from the captain, one Bobby Clarke. While Kharlamov seemed to publically want to move on from what happened in the '72 Summit Series, relations between him and the team started off poorly. Valeri would have one backer in particular, that being Fred Shero, who remained confident that the Russian would be a key player for the defending Cup winners.
Though he has clear talent, Kharlamov would start the season on the second line with Orest Kindrachuk and Don Saleski. Not only did Clarke have two fantastic wingers in Bill Barber and Reggie Leach, but he wouldn't have anything to do with Kharlamov when placed on a line with him. As time went on, Valeri would prove that while not quite a world beater at this point, he was still a sure-fire NHLer, racking up 68 points over 76 games. By the end on the year, while not everybody was warm to him, Kharlamov had at least cemented his spot on the Flyers.
One of the biggest factors for Kharlamov winning over the other players on the team would be the infamous game in January of 1976 against CSKA Moscow, his old Soviet club team. The Red Army team had complained about Kharlamov's presence on Philadelphia, and nearly boycotted the game; only the threat of their tour money being withheld could force CSKA onto the ice. Though Valeri, through his interpreter, stated that he had no grudge against CSKA themselves, he maintained that he wanted to prove his worth as a Flyer, and would not hold back against his former team. Indeed, Kharlamov would shine in the game, and eventually delivered a massive hit to his former linemate, Vladimir Petrov. The hit caused CSKA, who had been angry all game about the physical play and laissez-faire officiating, to leave the ice and never come back.
The Flyers would be dominant in the Campbell Conference, claiming 119 points to top the table. This gave them a bye to the quarter-finals, where they would face the Toronto Maple Leafs. Toronto, though not quite the powerhouse of the previous decade, still had some top talent in the likes of Lanny McDonald and Darryl Sittler. Indeed, Sittler had just set a new NHL points record with 10 in a single game against Boston in February. Lanny and Darryl, however, were no match for the multiple weapons that Philadelphia had in their line-up, and despite fighting hard to bring the series to a seventh game, it would be Philly who prevailed.
The Flyers would face the Boston Bruins in the semi-finals, and Boston seemed to gain the upper hand after a 4-2 away win in Game One. Once Fred Shero put Wayne Stephenson in net, however, fortunes changed drastically. Philly would win the next four in a row, including a 6-3 win in Game Five that saw Reggie Leach put up a quintet of goals. Philly now had the Montreal Canadiens to deal with in the Stanley Cup Final, and if one team could quiet the Flyers' attack, it was the Habs. Ken Dryden led the league in wins (42), goals against average (2.09), and shutouts (8) in 75-76, and had become more consistent in the playoffs this year. Indeed, Philadelphia would not have an answer for him, as the Habs rattled off four wins in a row to claim the Stanley Cup.
For Philadelphia, it was a bitter disappointment not to claim their third Cup in a row, and immediately, fingers began to be pointed at Kharlamov. According to a writer in the city at the time, Valeri, being Russian, did not understand what the Stanley Cup really meant to the North American players, and thus couldn't be trusted in the playoffs. Immediately, Fred Shero would defend Kharlamov, saying that he showed "the heart expected of a Philadelphia Flyer". Having finished 2nd Overall in the league, Philadelphia would get the 17th pick in the 1976 Amateur Draft, selecting blue-liner Mark Suzor.
1976-77 (PHILADELPHIA FLYERS, NHL): With reaction to his first year in Philadelphia mostly negative despite his stats, Valeri Kharlamov would concentrate on improving for the upcoming season. Already being used to year-round training thanks to his time in the Soviet Union, Kharlamov would work directly with Fred Shero to get himself more acclimated to the Flyers' style of play. He had already showed some flashes of the grit that had defined the "Broad Street Bullies", especially in the game against his old team, CSKA Moscow. He would have to continue to fight back, however, to deal with the myriad slashes and cheap shots that he had received since his defection. Even if he had left the USSR, he was still hated by the North American players, who felt their jobs were now in danger of being given to any European players that might want to take their chance in the NHL or WHA.
Given the assignment of left wing on a line with Rick MacLeish, Kharlamov would thrive. The Russian would see his goals total rise to 47, second only to MacLeish on the Flyers. Valeri would not grab as many assists as he had the previous year, but 37 was still a respectable amount. So effective was Kharlamov that he would be selected to the Campbell Conference team for the 1977 All-Star Game. He would be the second European player to be nominated to an All-Star team, the first being Swedish blue-liner Borje Salming of the Maple Leafs. Salming and Kharlamov seemed to get along well during the break, with the Swede giving Valeri some extra tips on how to better deal with North American players.
Once again, the Flyers come out of the regular season with top spot in the Campbell Conference, recording 114 points. And once again, they get a bye to the quarter-finals, where they face the Toronto Maple Leafs. Bernie Parent is back in as starter for Philly, but this doesn't last long, as he is pulled in Game Two, the Flyers' second straight loss. And just as it went the previous year, Wayne Stephenson would come in and turn the team's fortunes around as Philadelphia would win the next four to take a six-game victory.
Next up, once again, were the Boston Bruins. Boston was reeling from no longer having superstar defender Bobby Orr, who was now in Chicago; even with the injuries he had accrued, Orr was still a sure bet to tilt the game in his team's favour whenever he took the ice. Boston still had the likes of Brad Park, Jean Ratelle, and Peter McNab to lead the way, and they also had Gerry Cheevers back full-time in goal. Cheevers would learn from the mistakes of the year prior, and put up a scintillating .934 save percentage in the series, which would end in a four-game sweep for Boston. For the first time since the 72-73 season, the Flyers would not play in the Stanley Cup Final, instead forced to watch from their homes. Philly would get the 17th Pick in the 1977 Amateur Draft, selecting Winnipeg Monarchs blue-liner Kevin McCarthy.
It had been two years without a Cup, and despite the improvement in Valeri Kharlamov's regular season stats, he just couldn't keep it up in the playoffs. Once again, the calls for Kharlamov to be dumped were being sounded in local media, and hockey writers across the continent were holding him up as an example of how European players would never be able to adjust to the North American game. Even Philadelphia players – Bobby Clarke chief among them – were beginning to publicly state that Valeri wasn't a good fit for the team. Once again, though, the off-season would pass without a deal made, as the management group held firm on having the Russian as a member of the club.
1977-78 (PHILADELPHIA FLYERS, NHL): At this point, Kharlamov knew that the knives were out for him in Philadelphia, and the only way he could secure his place on the squad going forward was to have a very good year. It was (literally) painfully obvious that no one would step up to defend Valeri as they would a Canadian or American player, and it resulted in some injury troubles for the Soviet winger. Kharlamov's determination would not allow him to back down, and he racked up a career-high 78 penalty minutes, but that same determination allowed him to set personal NHL bests in both assists and points. His 82 points actually put him second on the team behind Bobby Clarke, despite being relegated to the second line.
With the boost in production from Kharlamov, the Flyers remain in the thick of the race in the Patrick Division, and eventually claim the division title with 113 points. They once again get a bye to the first round, where they square off once again with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Despite having faltered in the playoffs in the past two years, Bernie Parent is once again given the starting job to open the series, and once again, he is pulled in favour of Wayne Stephenson in Game Three. Stephenson turns the team around in Game Four, but Toronto claims the next two to win the series in six games. The Flyers' consolation prize is the 15th Overall Pick in the 1978 NHL Amateur Draft, which sees the team take Steve Tambellini of the WCHL's Lethbridge Broncos.
Kharlamov, once again, proves poor in the playoffs, only recording a pair of assists. The local media is now at their limit, and calls for boycotts of the Flyers began to surface if the team kept the Russian around. With the team being unable to reach the semi-final for the first time in six years, Kharlamov's last defender in the city, Fred Shero, would be sacked, as owner Ed Snider and GM Keith Allen bowed to public pressure. Kharlamov himself would see his three-year contract expire, as the Soviet defector would leave the team to become a free agent.
Kharlamov's NHL future was, for a very brief period of time, uncertain. That period of time would come to an end with the hiring of Fred Shero as GM and head coach of the New York Rangers. Shero, one of Valeri's most vehement defenders in Philadelphia, would convince the ownership group that Kharlamov was worth a shot. Fred's pitch was that while his playoff numbers seemed bad, he was a regular season threat, and had he played a full year in 77-78, he could have been a 100-point player. His regular season totals, Shero argued, would be more important, considering the Rangers had missed out on the playoffs entirely last year; if they were going to make it to the post-season at all, they would need somebody who could produce in the first 80 games.
1978-79 (NEW YORK RANGERS, NHL): Immediately, the signing of Valeri Kharlamov by the New York Rangers is met with some skepticism by the Rangers' faithful. Kharlamov, after all, had been run out of town by the Flyers, and if New York was going to go anywhere in the playoffs, they would need someone who would step up in big games. Skepticism would only increase when it was reported that Fred Shero would start Kharlamov on the first line with veteran centreman Phil Esposito and former WHA star Anders Hedberg. Shero proclaimed that though Kharlamov could score goals, he was best suited to be a playmaker for the other two.
As the season went on, the nervousness from Ranger fans surrounding Kharlamov would disappear, as the Kharlamov-Esposito-Hedberg line proved to be effective. As predicted, it was the Russian doing most of the playmaking, while his linemates grabbed the bulk of the goals. Valeri's 49 assists would lead the entire team, while his 76 points would put him two behind Esposito and Hedberg for the team lead. Valeri wasn't the only player having a solid season, as second-line and third-line players stepped up in a big way for the Rangers. The team's heavy scoring depth played a huge part in New York managing to finish in 2nd in the Patrick Division (and 4th in the NHL) with 97 points.
The Rangers, due to their 4th-place finish in the league, would be granted a bye to the quarter-finals, where they would be drawn against none other than the Philadelphia Flyers. The return of Kharlamov and Shero to their former home was most certainly the big story of the series, with the two getting distinctly different receptions from the Philly crowd. While Shero was given a hero's welcome, the Soviet star was greeted with a shower of boos, and even a battery or two chucked from the stands. Once again, Kharlamov would be stymied in the post-season, with Flyer players making sure to finish checks on him, legal or not. As it turned out, Philadelphia paid so much attention to Kharlamov that they forgot about the other players on the team. New York would win the first two at home, then follow those up with two on the road for a four-game sweep.
Next up for the Rangers were their city rivals, the New York Islanders. The Islanders had been the top team in the league in the regular season (both in points and in goal scoring), and had the second-lowest goals against total. While the Rangers could compete with the Islanders in their attack, their weak goaltending would be the major factor that the Islanders could exploit – or so everyone thought. John Davidson would manage to outduel both Glenn Resch and Billy Smith, keeping the Rangers in every game, while the Rangers' offensive units would grab goals in key moments to give their team a shock six-game series win.
It was time for the Stanley Cup Final, and the Rangers were out to break a 39-year drought. Standing in their way were the Montreal Canadiens, one of the two dynasties of the 70s alongside the "Broad Street Bullies" in Philly. Montreal was much like the New York Islanders in that they had great offence and great defence, but the Rangers knew that if they could take down the Islanders, they could do the same to the Habs. The Canadiens learned from the mistakes of the Rangers' cross-town rivals, however, and after a Game One loss, the Habs would never let New York get comfortable again. Montreal would end up with yet another Stanley Cup, winning the series in five games.
For Fred Shero, it wasn't quite a perfect start to his Rangers tenure, but he took the team to the Cup Final – not a bad achievement at all, considering the team had finished out of the playoffs altogether the previous year. And as for Kharlamov, he had immediately become a relied-upon player, connecting well with his Rangers teammates. Once again, he was less effective in the playoffs, as teams continued to put pressure on him in key games – none more so than the Flyers, with several dirty hits going unnoticed by on-ice officials. His 9 assists in the post-season showed that at the very least, Valeri had something to offer at all times of the year. The Rangers, thanks to their finish in the regular season standings, would select 14th Overall in the 1979 Entry Draft, taking winger Brian Propp out of the WHL's Brandon Wheat Kings.
1979-80 (NEW YORK RANGERS, NHL): The 1979-80 season presented a new wrinkle across the entire National Hockey League. The NHL, after having 17 teams the past few years following the absorption of the Cleveland Barons by Minnesota, would expand to 21 teams following the inclusion of four teams from the WHA: The Edmonton Oilers, the Winnipeg Jets, the Hartford Whalers, and the Quebec Nordiques. Though there were some new teams added to the mix, the regular season schedule would stay the same length at 80 games.
This was good news for Valeri Kharlamov. Now 31 years of age, injuries incurred thanks to being targeted by North American players had started to take their toll. Though Valeri was still a solid player for New York, his point totals were starting to dwindle. For the first time in North America, he would be unable to crack the 20-goal mark, and his point total had dropped to a career low of 60. He would still be a top-6 player for the Rangers, but his spot on the first line had been taken by rookie Brian Propp. Propp would go on to finish second on the team in points with 75, and would also finish 4th in Calder Trophy voting for Rookie of the Year.
Propp's ascension helped the Rangers stay competitive in the new NHL landscape, as they would finish with 98 points, good for 2nd in the Patrick Division, and 5th in the NHL. As a result of all the new teams added, the playoff format would be changed, with the top 16 teams getting in. 1st seed would play 16th, 2nd would face 15th, and so on in the first round, with teams getting reseeded in each round so that the highest seed faces the lowest. Because of their finish, this would pit the Rangers against the Los Angeles Kings in a best-of-five series.
The perceived biggest key for the Rangers in facing Los Angeles was shutting down the Kings' superstar, Marcel Dionne. Dionne had finished atop the NHL scoring table alongside rookie Wayne Gretzky with 137 points, and if he was allowed to create a chance in New York's zone, the Rangers were screwed. Fred Shero, however, decided that it was too much effort to contain Dionne, and instead told his team to focus on overwhelming L.A.'s defenders. What resulted was a wild, high-scoring series, which the Rangers would win in four games.
The Rangers' first best-of-seven series would be against the Boston Bruins, who had some trouble in beating the Pittsburgh Penguins in the previous round. Boston was in no way interested in an offensive series, and showed it by winning the first two games at home, holding the Rangers to a pair of goals in each contest. New York would respond by taking the next two games, before the two sides split Games Five and Six, each side winning on home ice. The deciding game would be exactly what the Bruins didn't want – an offensive slug-fest that saw Brian Propp score with only 24 seconds left to give the Rangers a 6-5 win, and the series.
The semi-final round was a re-match with the Philadelphia Flyers, who had clearly paid attention to what the Rangers were capable of in their first two series, and looked to slow the game down in order to prevent New York from getting their attack in gear. The plan worked to an extent, as the two sides split the first four games, each side winning once at home and once on the road. Philly would win Game Five, but New York would take a high-scoring Game Six 6-5. Game Seven would go back to the Spectrum, where the Flyers would finally put the nail in New York's coffin with a 5-2 win. The Rangers were out, having mounted a respectable run in the new NHL.
After a few seasons of being a playoff bust, Valeri Kharlamov had finally proven that he could be effective in the post-season. His genius was infrequent, but it seemed like at any point, he could single-handedly take over a game for the Rangers. This was evident in both of the first two series, particularly in Game Four against Los Angeles and Game Five against Boston, both of which ended with Valeri potting a goal and adding two assists. Naturally, Kharlamov was once again targeted by his former teammates in Philadelphia, and was thus less able to have an effect on the scoresheet.
Having finished in 5th in the NHL, the Rangers would get the 17th pick in the 1980 NHL Draft, which they would use on Red Deer Rustlers centreman Brent Sutter.
1980-81 (NEW YORK RANGERS, NHL): The 80-81 season for the New York Rangers got off to a terrible start, as several players went down due to injuries. Valeri Kharlamov was not immune, as he would leave the team's game against Toronto on October 11th thanks to a questionable hit by Rick Vaive. The compounding injury problem led to a terrible first twenty games, and Fred Shero would resign from both the GM and coach positions in Late November. Craig Patrick would step in as GM/coach, and managed to right the ship enough to get the team in the playoffs. The Rangers would finish the season in 10th place in the NHL with 82 points.
The Rangers' aging line-up was set to face off with the newly-relocated Calgary Flames, who had many of their players in the prime of their careers. New York was basically limping in to this series, with all of Kharlamov, Ulf Nilsson, Ron Duguay, and Walt Tkazcuk missing significant amounts of time. Phil Esposito, meanwhile, had retired mid-season, playing only 41 games. The Flames would take advantage of their energy (and the Rangers' fragility), and claim the series in five games. Kharlamov, who one Calgary beat reporter had described as "enigmatic", had yet another flash of brilliance in the lone Rangers win in Game Three, recording a hat trick, and adding an assist.
For their regular season finish, the Rangers would receive the 12th Overall Pick in the 1981 Entry Draft. They would use it on yet another forward, claiming Oshawa Generals winger Tony Tanti. Tanti had just come off an 81-goal season, good for second in the OHL.
1981 OFF-SEASON: The 1981 off-season is a pivotal one for Valeri Kharlamov, both in this timeline and the original. After three years in New York, Kharlamov has declined physically. He has spent a year plagued by injuries, most of which have come from enduring years of dirty hits in the WHA and NHL. The time is coming for him to think about ending his career, and according to local sources in New York, he is planning on calling it a day after the 81-82 season. He has signed a one-year contract extension with the Rangers, allowing him to make the choice at the end of the campaign whether to continue playing or not.
In real life, he had been planning to retire following the 81-82 season with CSKA Moscow, but would never get that chance. Kharlamov would be one of the passengers in a fatal car accident, alongside his wife Irina (who was driving), and a cousin of hers. News of the accident shook Soviet hockey to the core; even as he was approaching the end of his playing career, he had become one of the symbols of the game in the USSR, and his contributions for the national team made him a God-like figure following the accident.
Even if his family, particularly Irina, had been allowed to join him in the United States following his defection, it would be extremely unlikely for this accident to happen; in fact, his defection allows him an opportunity that most would find unthinkable in this new timeline. In late August, Kharlamov is invited to the Team United States training camp in preparation for the upcoming Canada Cup. The news is taken by Soviet hockey officials as a slap in the face, and they threaten to boycott the tournament if Valeri is included in the U.S. roster. Whether out of respect for his country of birth, or due to wanting to be healthy for the NHL season, Kharlamov declines the offer, and instead heads to training camp with the Rangers.
1981-82 (NEW YORK RANGERS/QUEBEC NORDIQUES, NHL): Despite being healthy enough for the beginning of the season, Kharlamov would quickly find himself dropped to the third line, and occasionally even scratched. His spot on either of the top two lines had been taken by Brian Propp and Don Maloney, both of whom were producing at point-a-game paces. Valeri, to his credit, would make no fuss over his spot in the line-up in public, although he did seem to have concerns over whether his future was in New York – or whether he had a future on the ice at all.
Kharlamov's expendability would be highlighted on March 8th, 1982, when he was awarded to the Quebec Nordiques to complete a trade from late December. Dean Talafous, who was supposed to be sent to the Nordiques in that trade, refused to report to the team, and after a stand-off of more than two months, his place would be taken by the Soviet winger. Kharlamov, unlike Talafous, would be more than willing to report, hoping for a chance to prove he was still capable of being a solid NHLer. Unfortunately, Kharlamov would find himself in another third-line role, thanks to Quebec having an extremely strong offensive core. Nonetheless, even as a third-liner, Valeri would show occasional flashes of brilliance, and would be first in line to sub in for any of the three Stastny brothers whenever they got injured.
The Nordiques would finish 4th in the Adams Division with 83 points, pitting them in the first round against their provincial rivals, the Montreal Canadiens. Because of a change to the playoff format, the top team in each division now face the 4th-place team, while the 2nd-place and 3rd-place team squared off. Montreal may not have been as dominant as they were in the 70s, but they were still a formidable foe, led by future Hall-of-Famer Guy Lafleur. The series would require all five games, as the two split each of the first four games. Game Five would end only 22 seconds into overtime, as Dale Hunter would score to give the Nordiques a shock win, eliminating the Habs.
The Division Finals would see Quebec face off against the Boston Bruins, who had eliminated Buffalo in the first round. Once again, the series would go the distance, only this time it was seven games that were played. The seventh game would be a close one, but Quebec's two power-play goals would seal the deal, as the visiting Nordiques claimed a 2-1 victory, and a 4-3 series win. Having advanced out of their division, Quebec's next test was against the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions, the New York Islanders. Though the Nordiques were not short on confidence due to eliminating two strong teams in Montreal and Boston, knocking off the Islanders was too tall an order; New York would go on to win the series in a sweep, advancing to their third-straight Cup Final.
With the New York Rangers: 57 GP, 12 GOALS, 29 ASSISTS, 41 POINTS, 34 PIM
With the Quebec Nordiques: 11 GP, 2 GOALS, 6 ASSISTS, 8 POINTS, 20 PIM
The Nordiques were certainly disappointed, but none more so than Valeri Kharlamov. Given a chance to prove he could still make a difference in the NHL, Kharlamov was instead relegated to a depth role in the playoffs. When it was announced that the Nordiques would not re-sign the Russian, Kharlamov would choose to hang up the skates, ending a career that spanned sixteen years: eight in the Soviet Union (including seven at the highest level with CSKA Moscow), one in the WHA, and seven in the NHL. There was little attention paid to the announcement that Kharlamov would retire, but within hockey circles, there was certainly an understanding that by showing up in North American hockey in the first place, he had blazed a new trail.
Cleveland Crusaders, WHA (1974-75): 67 GP, 33 GOALS, 78 ASSISTS, 111 POINTS, 76 PIM
Philadelphia Flyers, NHL (1975-1978): 220 GP, 101 GOALS, 128 GOALS, 229 POINTS, 152 PIM
New York Rangers, NHL (1978-1982): 261 GP, 69 GOALS, 149 ASSISTS, 218 POINTS, 186 PIM
Quebec Nordiques, NHL (1982): 11 GP, 2 GOALS, 6 ASSISTS, 8 POINTS, 20 PIM
VALERI KHARLAMOV AFTER HOCKEY: Though his playing career would come to a close in 1982, Valeri would not be finished making an impact in North American hockey.
His experience playing in the Soviet Union affords him a wealth of knowledge that North American coaches would not have, for the most part. (There would be exceptions, notably Fred Shero, who took the time to go over to the USSR and examine the style of play in person.) Of particular interest to bench bosses in the NHL would be the advanced conditioning techniques that Soviet players, particularly those in the Red Army team, had trained under. In the years following his on-ice retirement, Kharlamov would be employed by NHL teams to help develop their training regimes. As the decade goes on, year-round training and nutritional plans become the norm across the entire NHL.
Of additional interest to NHL teams is Kharlamov's status as a Soviet defector. Having seen that Kharlamov could come over and acquit himself well against North American talent (and hold his own in the face of extreme aggression from NHL players in those years), the USSR would actually be scouted out further, as teams hoped to lure more talent over to Canada and the United States. Valeri would be used by the New York Rangers to help lure a few players over, but very few Soviet players would be willing or able to make the same move that Kharlamov himself had done. Only one player would make the jump to the Rangers, that being Nikolai Drozdetsky, who would play two uninspiring years for the team from 1987-89 before heading over to Sweden to resume his career.
And speaking of the Soviet Union, his reputation in his homeland would be forever changed. As it stands in the OTL, Kharlamov is held up as one of the shining jewels of the Soviet era, a player who dominated both in the USSR and internationally. His early death would contribute heavily to his mystique, marking him forever as a hero who left this world far too soon. With his defection, just about everything that makes him a demi-god is erased. For the rest of the Soviet Union's existence, he is branded a traitor and an egomaniac, who turned his back on his country for his own benefit. There is no trophy named after him, no division in the Kontinental Hockey League bearing his name, and no dramatic film in his honour. Indeed, after his defection, it is uncertain whether he would ever return to Russia at all, even after the Soviet Union's demise.
As for his reputation in North America, he is primarily remembered as the very first to make the jump directly from the Soviet Union. His one WHA year marks the coming of a potential superstar, but his seven NHL seasons tell the story of a player that certainly could be a good NHLer, but not quite the dominant force that the '72 Summit Series makes him out to be. A good chunk of this is due to him being a target of Canadian and American players, who feel resentful of the continuing influx of European players coming over to North America; thanks to the constant cheap shots and close checking, Kharlamov's effectiveness is dulled. Nonetheless, his status as the very first defector in the NHL, and his flashes of amazing talent shown during his time there, are enough to warrant Hockey Hall of Fame consideration. After years of debates over his merit, Kharlamov would finally be inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2009, 35 years after his defection.
KHARLAMOV'S EFFECT ON HIS TEAMS: Having a Soviet defector on their roster was a big enough change for the teams that employed Valeri Kharlamov. But team-by-team, there were different reactions to his presence, and different outcomes in this timeline.
The first team that Kharlamov joined was the team that drafted him in the inaugural WHA Draft, the Cleveland Crusaders. Having a player of Valeri's skill level is obviously helpful to the team's on-ice efforts, but the fact that he suited up for the Crusaders made the Cleveland team a brief powerhouse in the WHA attendance rankings. That effect would not last, however, as the Crusaders would transfer him to Philadelphia in exchange for Gary Dornhoefer and cash. Though the cash kept the team afloat for a few years, and Dornhoefer was a top player in the WHA in this timeline, it just wasn't enough to compare to the impact that Kharlamov had. The Crusaders would not move to Minnesota this time around, but they would not be one of the teams selected to migrate to the NHL after the WHA's closing in 1979.
Kharlamov in Philadelphia would be a study of just how difficult it can be to play in the city. Valeri went in and played solid hockey in the regular season, managing just over a point per game in three years with the Flyers. He played with the grit expected of a "Broad Street Bully", not shying away from contact; he was even willing to deliver a huge hit on his former line-mate Vladmir Petrov when the Flyers faced off against CSKA Moscow in 1976. Despite how well he had played in the regular season, however, the fact that he couldn't keep it up in the playoffs would be his lasting legacy in the city of Philadelphia. It would also sour the management group on former USSR players entirely, until the drafting of Lithuanian-born Dainius Zubrus in 1996.
While not quite as powerful a regular season force in New York as he was in Philadelphia, Kharlamov would finally find his game in the post-season, at the cost of his health. He would end up helping the team make a Stanley Cup Final appearance in 1979, and kept the team competitive throughout his tenure. Most importantly, however, because of the effect of having Valeri on their team, the Rangers move back in the draft, and instead of getting Doug Sulliman and Jim Malone, they get Brian Propp and Brent Sutter. Sutter doesn't stay long (taking Sulliman's place in a trade with Hartford in 1981), but Propp would become the symbol of the 80s Rangers. This also counts as a sort of parting shot from Kharlamov to the Flyers, who drafted Propp in the OTL; Kharlamov moving indirectly deprives Philly of a player who would help the team to two Cup Final appearances in the decade.
His short time in Quebec is of little consequence. He only plays for the team for all of 11 games, and isn't very effective in the playoffs due to his health deteriorating over the years. Instead, following his career, he returns to New York to take a role as an off-ice advisor; not only does he help the Rangers improve their strength and conditioning programs as mentioned earlier, but he also works as a go-between for the team as they look to reach out to other potential defectors from the Soviet Union.
DEFECTION IN HOCKEY: As it stood, the defection of Vaclav Nedomansky was something of an early warning shot to the Czechoslovak hockey world. Though defections would be rare over the years immediately following the switch, the late 70s and early 80s would see a collection of players make the move over to North America, with the Stastny brothers at the top of the list. Czechoslovakia, however, was merely a Soviet satellite state; not a single player would directly move from the USSR itself to join a North American team without any kind of government approval. By the time Russian players started to arrive en masse in the NHL in the late 80s, they were almost all approved transfers, with only Alexander Mogilny (1989) and Sergei Fedorov (1990) choosing to defect – a point in time when the end of the Soviet Union was almost inevitable.
With Valeri Kharlamov now choosing to make the jump, the situation changes somewhat. Having lost out on one of their stars, the Soviet Union becomes much more militant in dealing with top hockey players, as they cannot risk another talent like Kharlamov fleeing for North America. For the Yakushevs, Tretiaks, Mikhailovs, and Petrovs, defection is outright impossible, as the government pulls out all the stops to make sure that they stay in the country. Players on the periphery of the national team, particularly those who are cast out before their 30s, are most tantalizing to NHL and WHA scouts. Though some more resources would be spent on monitoring the stars, those periphery players could possibly slip through the cracks, as bolting for North America is seen as a superior option to playing in a country where the national team has cast them aside.
Even with this in mind, the list of potential defectors is incredibly small – probably enough to count on one hand. Though some players were certainly cast off by the national team in their prime, quite a few of them were either part of a Red Army club (which included CSKA Moscow and SKA Leningrad) or a KGB-sponsored club (primarily Dynamo Moscow), and thus there was no way to contact them about defection without their respective forces knowing about it. Instead, players from Soviet clubs with no direct connection to Russian armed/police forces would be contacted.
Though I could not predict everybody who would make the move in this timeline, I can give an example of someone who may be targeted: defenseman Yuri Fedorov. Fedorov played for Torpedo Gorky, and only made sporadic appearances for the national team in his late 20s. Whether he would actually make the move is uncertain, but as a low priority for the Soviet national team, he would be more likely an option than the star players, who would be extensively monitored so as to intercept any attempt by NHL or WHA team personnel to communicate with them.
In the 80s, the dam wouldn't burst, but it would spring a few leaks. Soviet players would begin to pop up in the NHL via different methods. Some would outright defect, some would find workarounds to get out of the Soviet Union (such as Victor Nechayev, who married an American woman who had been studying in Leningrad), and some, particularly later in the decade, would be granted permission by the government to play in North America (such as Sergei Priakhin, Slava Fetisov, and the KLM line). When at the beginning of the 80s, there would be only enough Russians to count on one hand (or even one finger, if nobody follows Kharlamov to the NHL), Soviet players would become much more common by the end of the decade.
This one is the article that I'm least confident about, less due to writing style than the subject matter. I've tried to cite as many sources as I could, but if there is something I missed or got terribly wrong, please let me know.
Also, I'm sorry for linking to HFboards, but that was the best source I could find for the Soviet league not counting second assists.
Next month, a more recent Russian superstar, and a classic Mike Milbury blunder – What if the Alexei Yashin trade never happened?


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210 Ann Street
Municipal Address:
210 Ann Street, Belleville, ON K8N 5G2
Legal Description:
Lots 14 and 15, East Side of William Street and Lots 14 and 15, West Side of Ann Street, Registered Plan Number 1
Heritage Landscape
Date Designated:
July 16, 2007, By-Law #2007-122
Key attributes of the garden that express its historical association with the Corby family include:
- the plaque marking the park's donation by the family near the fountain, a replacement of an earlier plaque; and
- the stone signs marking the southwest and northeast entrances to the park with the Corby name, installed for Canada's Centennial in 1967.
Key attributes of the garden that express its contextual value as a cultural landscape and an anchor for the Old East Hill include:
- its location, orientation, and dimensions;
- its park-like setting, including its mature trees;
- its lighted curvilinear pathways, passing near a central fountain;
- a central fountain;
- its regularly spaced benches, allowing visitors to take in the scene; and
- its wide assortment of rose bushes, perennials, and annuals.
The Corby Park has significant historical value in its association with the Corby family. The land was donated to the City in April of 1905 by Senator and Mrs. Henry (Harry) Corby for the sole use of its citizens as a public park, which opened in July of that year. The Corby family has played a significant role in the City's development through the Corby Distillery, their involvement in politics at various levels of government, and various other contributions such as the City's first library.
The property also has significant contextual value. For over a hundred years, it has been a place where people have been able to enjoy quiet reflection in a picturesque recreation area. On the occasion of Canada's Centennial in 1967, the garden was transformed from one containing trees, shrubbery, and an ornamental fountain into a unique rose garden containing over 2000 rose bushes of 65 varieties. The garden is unique in the province because of the wide variety of rose bushes, as well as other perennial and annual flowering plants. It contains two Northern Catalpa trees that are approximately 130 years old, some of the oldest of their kind in Ontario. Because of its central position, the garden is strongly linked to its surroundings, and has become the heart of the "Old East Hill" historic district.

subset: commoncrawl


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I offer more than just taking photos. My joy of photography also includes an interest in camera technology and photographic equipment.
You have questions about digital cameras? Or about imaging software? About the theoretical and practical use of image processing or colour management? In personal or group courses I will explain photographical connections as well as technical and artistic knowledge.
I will support companies of the photo business in advisary service or in product presentation, e.g. on trade fairs. Besides I offer courses, lectures and practical trainings not only for companies but also for vocational schools and colleges.


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Clearing Old Patterns to Experience Excellence | Full Moon Workshop with Desiree Pais
Join Desiree Pais for a Full Moon Workshop to clear our old patterns so you can experience your excellence. Aligned with Regulus, a Royal Persian star with a triple 1.3 magnitude star, flashing white and ultramarine, this Full Moon in Virgo invite success to those who dare to take chances on their dreams, while strategically clearing from the subconscious blocks that hold you back from your Excellence.
Kundalini Yoga + Meditation + Gong
"The Cosmos work for those who have discipline, who have longing and who have some goal to reach in their lives, and make a constant, constant, constant effort to reach it." – Yogi Bhajan


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Type: Bug
Status: Resolved
Resolution: Fixed
Affects Version/s: Minecraft 18w09a, Minecraft 18w10b, Minecraft 18w10c, Minecraft 18w10d, Minecraft 18w11a, Minecraft 18w14a, Minecraft 18w14b, Minecraft 18w15a, Minecraft 18w16a, Minecraft 18w19b, Minecraft 18w20c, Minecraft 18w21b, Minecraft 18w22a, Minecraft 18w22c, Minecraft 1.13-pre1, Minecraft 1.13-pre2
Fix Version/s: Minecraft 1.13-pre4
Environment:Windows 10
Java 1.8.0_25 64bits
Intel Core i5 6600K
Confirmation Status:
Since 17w47a, blue wither heads can fly away through blocks on the first tick(s?). When looking at the first screenshots provided, we can think that the two neighbouring wither skulls are close enough to the edge of the 3x3x1 bedrock surface to shoot blue wither heads away from the surface. But in fact, those blue wither heads are just going through blocks. When looking at the next screenshots, you can notice that the wither can shoot projectiles underneath the 3x3x1 surface. This wasn't the case before 17w47a.
Steps to reproduce:
- Build a 3x3x1 bedrock/barrier area
- Put a fence 2 blocks underneath the middle block of the 3x3x1 surface
- Put an obsidian block 1 block higher from the middle block of the 3x3x1 surface (or a normal block but don't forget the water on the wither main head to prevent it from blowing it up)
- Spawn a wither on the fence (horizontally)
- Place blocks around the 3x3x1 surface and hit the wither with projectiles (snowballs)
I've provided screenshots and a world download to help people reproduce this bug .


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Amazing Panda Adventure
High in the Himalayan mountain jungles of China, American naturalist Michael Tyler (Steven Lang) is in charge of protecting the giant pandas on a Chinese government preserve. When his son Ryan (Ryan Slater) arrives from the U.S. to visit him, his dad virtually ignores him. But Ryan convinces his dad that he should go with him into the jungle on an urgent mission. They are accompanied by a young Chinese girl interpreter, Ling (Yi Ding), and an elderly Chines naturalist named Chu (Huang Fu). Before long, they find themselves in a dangerous cat-and-mouse game with two greedy Chines poachers who have captured a mother panda and her cub. When Ryan's dad is injured and returns to the preserve, Ryan, Ling and Chu continue to search for the missing pandas. This thrusts them into dangerous confrontations with the Chinese poachers. They have some suspenseful, exciting adventures and the mountain scenery is spectacular. However, the story is rather predictable and lacks any creative turn of events. But its action and suspense will likely be a hit with young people.
Dove Review
The story features the need for saving prized animal species from extinction. It also dramatizes the importance of fathers making time to know and communicate with their children. At first, Michael feels he is under too much pressure to spend time with Ryan, but eventually realizes that Ryan desperately needs his attention and love. Refreshingly, the dialogue is virtually devoid of offensive language with the exception of one mild crudity and the word "God" used as an exclamation. Although Ryan and his cohorts have to fight off the poachers and resort to kicking and hitting them with sticks, this moderate violence is a legitimate part of the story. It is unfortunate, though, that the nude Ryan and Ling are shown submerged in a pond where they exchange a few mild suggestive remarks about nudity. It's also unfortunate that Ryan joins some village natives in drinking some rice wine. Even with these flaws, the film has no seriously offensive elements and contains a number of positive features. It is appropriate for youngsters from about 6 to 12 years of age. Carrotblanca THE AMAZING PANDA ADVENTURE is preceded by a short new cartoon entitled CARROTBLANCA. It is a parody on the film CASABLANCA and many of the cartoon characters impersonate the characters in that 1940s movie. Most of the old Loony Tune cartoon characters are present, including Bugs Bunny himself who impersonates Humphrey Bogart. Daffy Duck, Tweety, Yosemite Sam, Sylvester and Pepe Le Dew also make appearances. It is fairly entertaining, but may have limited appeal for children because they will not be familiar with the original CASABLANCA characters.
Content Description
Crude Language: Once - MIldObscene Language: NoneProfanity: Once - Regular (God)Violence: Several times - Moderate (Hand fighting, gang fights with kicking and striking with sticks, man shot in leg; children fall in roaring river, wagon wrecked)Sexual Intercourse: NoneNudity: NoneHomosexual Conduct: NoneSexually Suggestive Action/Dialog:Once (sexually suggestive remarks about nudity)Drug Abuse: Few times - Boy and village natives drink rice wine.Other: None


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How-to Boost Handwriting Publishing Exercises for Adults
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RUN ON is a theatrical comedy delivered by three of the top Christian performers as they hysterically share a stage ad tell of their own prodigal journeys. Though each story is from a unique personal experience, they weave seamlessly together to form the oldest human story of all, the futility of trying to "run" from God.
David A.R. White (In the Blink of an Eye, Mercy Streets) shares his story of how he left his Mennonite community in Kansas and came to Hollywood at the age of 19. Tommy Blaze, a comedy veteran (The News, David Letterman) shares his story of his marriage difficulty and trying to get a divorce that God wouldn't allow. Lastly, Brad Stine, "God's Comic," one of the most well known Christian comics in the country shares his experience of being called to "ministry" and ending up in the belly of a whale.
All in all, this is a perfect show to inspire seekers of Christ as well as mature Christians relating to the difficult and sometimes perilous journey known as our faith. You'll laugh as you see yourself, you may shed a tear over the pain, and you'll find healing and inspiration from one of the freshest and most unique comedy projects the Christian world has ever created.
Interested in movie licensing for your ministry?
Purchase your movie license for RUN ON for your next church movie night NOW!
DVD/Blu-Ray must be purchased separately and buying options on pureflixalliancestore.com are for the legal rights to show the film for public exhibition. Multi-film license packages are also available at pureflixalliancestore.com.


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Aired 2 years ago - Jul 05, 2017
Charley searches for a more permanent home for Micah. A whitefly infestation threatens the farm. Nova adjusts to a new editor who wants her to change her approach. Darla makes a decision that has serious consequences.
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"A rocket launcher. One shot from this should kill any enemy."
"いわゆるバズーカとよばれるロケットランチャーである これならどんなヤツでも一撃でたおせるだろう "
The R. Launcher (ロケットランチャー roketto-ranchā ) is a very powerful weapon featured in Resident Evil 2.
The weapon is loaded with two rockets and is found near the end of either player's B Scenario, thrown to the player by Ada to defeat the mutated T-103 known as T-00. .
An infinite ammo version can be unlocked after finishing the Scenario A of either Leon or Claire in less than two and a half hours without saving and with an A or B ranking. The launcher will then be available in the item box and using it will instantly lower the player's ranking to a B, even if the player meets all other requirements to obtain an A ranking.
In the later releases of Resident Evil 2, an infinite ammo version of the R. Launcher is automatically available and located in the item boxes along with the infinite gatling gun and infinite sub-machine gun if the player chooses to play Arrange Mode at Rookie difficulty. Using any of these will instantly lower the player's ranking to a B.
An R. Launcher loaded with five rockets appears in Chris Redfield's inventory in the Extreme Battle minigame. An additional launcher with ten rockets can be found in the other side of the bridge in Sewer B1, near the area where the Eagle Medal was normally located.
- Tahara, Seiji (田原 誠司), ed (1998). BIOHAZARD 2 Official Guide Book. Japan: Famitsu.


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Eagle Ridge Resort, Bangalore
Ranked 348 of 3230 hotels in Bangalore
off Begur- Koppa Road, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560068
Phone Number 0-9845028063
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What travellers are saying about this hotel
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Value For Money:
Reviews (73)
Top Reviews
Nice place for group day outings
We were a group of 10 friends and got a great deal for a day outing package. We chose the Lunch+Hi Tea Combination Access to Resort: It is a bit far off from main city on Begur road. But the roads are pretty good, if you go by Bannerghatta road Checking In: When you enter resort, you'll be greeted with nice villas on both sides and greenery all over. Security escorted us to the parking area. Check-in process was fast and smooth. We had some special request which owner (Ronja) graciously accepted. We proceeded to restaurant for our welcome drink. No one offered it to us, but after Reading reviews we knew that we have to ask for it explicitly Facilities availed: We directly jumped into the swimming pool. It was a medium size pool with separate pool for kids. But, the water wasn't too clean especially kid pool water was murky. TT room didn't have TT ball, bats were worn out and net was a little loose. Carom and Foos ball was okay. My daughter totally loved jumping on trampoline. There wasn't much for small kids. There were some toys kept in open but all were broken. There were 2-3 small cycles though. I could see a badminton court with net but no clear lines for boundary. There was also a nice wooden swing near sitting area to relax Lunch & Tea: Food was average, nothing great but not extraordinary too. There was a bit of crunch initially for sitting space and long queue but soon it was manageable Improvement areas: We were refused entry to Billiards room saying it is a paid activity. Deal website clearly mentions it as included as a part of package. But we didn't argue. Facilities need to be maintained better - Cleaner pool, better maintained TT room, need more entertainment options for small kids. Someone should have shown all the activities but we were left alone to figure it out Having said that, it was an awesome deal for the small amount we paid. If you are in a big group you'll totally enjoy it. I found the ambience good and safe for families too.
Good resort for a weekend getaway around Bangalore
We went for a outing to this resort after checking multiple resorts in Bangalore. All the places we checked either had bad reviews or were too expensive, this places just had it balanced right. Once we went, we were so happy to have opted for it. As we were all girls we were concerned about the safety, and this place was very safe with a good crowd. The accommodating rooms are kind of apartments with a kitchen area and common hall with attached bathrooms, so it was super spacious. They had a fridge inside. The bathrooms had a bathtub (not all). Place was very clean and beautiful. They had a swimming area and other outdoor games facility. Breakfast was included with the menu and had good enough options to choose from. The other food from the restaurant menu was good and worth it as well. Very happy with the place.
rooms are reasonable, but service not up to mark
I am staying at Eagle Ridge Resort Bangalore since last 5 years. It is all my business trips. Reception staff is exceptionally very good. However, room service is not up to the mark. Room rates are reasonable. Rooms are too tiny but comfortable. It is in the heart of the city. Not advisable for pure veg or Jain people. Very good in this price range.
We stayed at this hotel in the month of November. It was a holiday trip with family. The city was very good. The surroundings of the hotel were very good. The reception and the front office of the hotel were very good as the staff's were cooperative and friendly. The staff's at the hotel were very good. The services provided were excellent and they were helpful. The room was good. The food and drink was excellent since it had many varieties in its menu, complimentary breakfast was provided. The amenities provided were good and up to the mark. There was WiFi facilities provided. There were activities provided and were good. It was a holiday trip with friends. The overall experience was very good.
Eagle Ridge is an excellent weekend getaway. It is...
Eagle Ridge is an excellent weekend getaway. It is close to the city (about an hours drive), so you don't spend too much time getting there. The resort itself is like a breath of fresh air - clean, green and quiet. There are independent bunglows located at some distance from each other, which offers much solitude and rest. The resort is ideal for a family getaway or for a larger group. It works out economical and the resort staff will setup treasure hunts etc if requested. The food is good and so are the facilities available. All in all, the perfect weekend getaway.
Eagle Ridge Resort is ranked #348 among the 3230 hotels in Bangalore with an average rating of 4.8 out of 7. It is one of the 334, 3-star Resorts in Bangalore. On HolidayIQ, it has a total of 16 photos and 73 text reviews. it is rated top for its Food & Drink, Service and Appearance.
The online booking price of the hotel ranges between Rs 3,900 to Rs 7,100 per night. The hotel offer 30 rooms to check availability or to avail complimentary breakfast, we recommend contacting the hotel to check if the final tariff includes it.
The ambience and the location of the hotel makes it a suitable option for variety of travellers. Couple (38%) and Group (34%) are the most common type of travellers that like to stay here. 62% of guests enjoy the hotel's relaxed environment, whereas 14% have rated the ambience as romantic.
Although the hotel is a suitable stay option throughout the year for travellers, book your accommodation in the months of Oct, Nov and Dec for the best experience.
Eagle Ridge Resort is located at Hosur Road . Basavanna Temple (2 Kms), Gottigere Lake (2 Kms), Nabo Nagar Siddhivinayak Temple (3 Kms), Kalena Agrahara Lake (3 Kms) and Hulimavu lake (3 Kms) are some of the popular sightseeing attractions located near the hotel.
The hotel ensures you are well taken care of during your stay. By providing free wifi access, the hotel makes sure you are always connected to the internet. It has a lovely outdoor swimming pool where you can take a quick dip or just relax your muscles after a long day of sightseeing.
Other amenities include Laundry Services, Restaurant, Doctor On Call, Room Service and Breakfast Services. For checkin and checkout time, we suggest contacting the hotel.
If you are in need for airport transfers or require a car for sightseeing around the city or you have to do an early check-in, then we recommend contacting the hotel directly and requesting for these additional services. All of the available amenities ensure your stay is enjoyable and free from any hassles.
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Posted on 29/10/2015 by admin | 0 comments
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Restaurant operators, whether they are global brands, franchisees, or independents, are investing heavily in a wide variety of digital technologies. That's great – but their customers really, REALLY wish they would speed these initiatives up. In fact, the race to satisfy these expanding digital expectations will directly impact restaurants' ability to grow, or even maintain, customer loyalty and market share going forward.
That's the conclusion of a recent study conducted by Incisiv and sponsored by Windstream Enterprise and BRP Consulting. The study's survey of 1,225 restaurant patrons and 60 restaurant IT decision makers revealed a core issue: diner's expectations for a quality digital experience – from selecting restaurants via research on their phones, to mobile order-ahead, to using guest Wi-Fi after they arrive – is outpacing the ability of restaurants to deploy digital solutions to meet these needs.
Key high-level findings of the study, titled Restaurant Digital Crossroads: The Race to Meet Guest Expectations include:
The gap between execution and expectations
The study's unique methodology, which compares diner expectations to restaurants' ability to deliver, reveals a wide and growing gap. Over the next 24 months, that gap will reach 29% in mobile/web order-ahead; 20% in contactless/mobile payment ability; and even 15% in simple Wi-Fi availability. Smaller gaps exist in every phase of the dining journey, and restaurants have a lot at stake in closing them. The good news is, many restaurant operators are making concerted investments in the right technologies.
Encouraging signs for restaurant operators
The overall good news is that restaurant operators are largely attuned to what's happening in this digital evolution – and are planning, on average, a 2-4x increase in digital technology deployments over the next 24 months. This level of investment will put unprecedented (and unexpected) demands on a restaurant's entire IT platform, especially their network and communications infrastructure.
It's a fascinating and opportunistic time for key industry stakeholders. Every restaurant operator interested in seeing how their brand and technology strategy compares to guest expectations and competitors can download the complete Windstream Enterprise-BRP Consulting digital restaurant study, which includes details on both the survey methodology and survey findings.
Scott Langdoc served as the Senior Vice President and Practice Lead at BRP Consulting and has 28 years of management and technology experience, including as a retail and hospitality IT executive, store systems vendor technology leader, industry strategy consultant, and global market research analyst. Scott has held retail and non-retail CIO positions, including Raley's Supermarkets, PDQuick, and USCS International. He was CTO at retail vendors Fujitsu Retail and ParTech, Inc. He ran the retail industry practices at AMR Research (acquired by Gartner) and founded both IDC's global retail practice and the strategic consultancy firm RetailCENTRIC. He specializes in strategic planning, cloud transitions, N-channel technology architectures, customer-facing systems, food safety, and consumer engagement.
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The Secret World of Arietty (Kari-gurashi no Arietty)
dir. Hiromasa Yonebayashi, written by Hayao Miyazaki
Studio Ghibli/Walt Disney, 94 min.
Release Dates: 7/17/10 (Japan), 2/17/12 (US)
Starring (US dub cast): Bridgit Mendler (Arietty), Will Arnett (Pod), Amy Poehler (Homily), David Henrie (Shawn), Carol Burnett (Hara)
Young Arietty, the daughter of loving parents Pod and Homily, is a Borrower—a race of miniature people who live in the baseboards of human houses and "borrow" cast off items for their needs: a single sugar cube, a sheet of tissue paper, pins. They spend their time avoiding menaces such as cats, crows, insects, and above all else, being seen by the giant "human beans." However, one day, a sickly young boy named Shawn arrives in the house they share with his aunt Jessica and their housekeeper, Hara. Shawn catches a glimpse of Arietty when she is out on her first "borrowing" expedition with her father, and thus begins an unlikely friendship that will change her, and her family, and his own life.
The story is based on the 1952 children's novel by Mary Norton, The Borrowers.
The Secret World of Arietty, or Arietty the Borrower, is not the first of its kind: a film penned by Hayao Miyazaki and directed by someone else. The last such film was the heartwarming coming-of-age tale Whisper of the Heart (1995), which, with its memorable take on "Take Me Home Country Road," still remains one of the great anime stories about the birth of a young artist. Arietty is not quite the equal of that masterwork, but there is plenty here to savor nonetheless.
Miyazaki's animation, at its best, has always been able to convey a sense of wonder and grandeur. That tradition continues in Arietty, though not through grand vistas, soaring flights, and surreal sights: this time, it is by magnifying the ordinary household and its environment to a place full of danger, adventure, and life. Leaves shimmering with dew and rainwater are canopies for the tiny Arietty. Nails hammered into the wall are steps, and the side of a cabinet a tall cliff. An intricate dollhouse is a luxurious mansion. Much work was clearly done examining the physics of smallness: cups and teapots are filled with single droplets, sounds like refrigerator hums and footsteps become ominous echoes. For the Borrowers, the world is both scary and (for Arietty, at least) full of exciting possibility. This sense of scale is perhaps the film's greatest success, and rightly so: if this aspect did not work, nothing else would have. It helps the audience take Arietty and her family's predicament seriously. The first twenty minutes—Arietty's first "borrowing" expedition with her father—convey the necessary tension, secrecy, and urgency.
After that sequence, the plot slows down to a more leisurely pace, focusing on the growing relationship between Arietty and the sickly human boy who has been brought to live in the house, Shawn. Since this is a film that does not rely on the grand gesture or the surreal, their friendship is conveyed through relatively quiet and restrained means: a sugar cube with a tiny note. Conversations in the field and through screen windows. These moments, accompanied by the gorgeously haunting Celtic soundtrack by French singer/composer Cecile Corbel, are beautiful in their simplicity and directness, free of the increasingly surreal accoutrements of Miyazaki's recent works. (The use of insert songs, however, are not quite so successful and tend to be a bit overbearing—one of the signs that this is not a Miyazaki-directed film. He never uses insert songs.) The plot only seems to hiccup in the final act, when the Borrower family is about to leave, but this is more than made up for in the film's final scene before credits, which earns its warmth and tenderness. It is, in fact, a little more natural than the final scene of Whisper of the Heart, which contains one of Miyazaki's all-time left field conclusions. (Those who have seen the film will know what I mean.)
Disney usually picks solid voice actors for the dub, and this is no exception. Arietty, played by 20-year-old Brigit Mendler, sounds like a real teenager and like most Ghibli heroines is risk-taking and spunky enough to keep the otherwise languid plot moving. Her interaction with her parents, Homily (Amy Poehler) and Pod (Will Arnett), is natural and believable, which adds great credibility. Arnett does not use his usual comic talent here, opting instead to intone his deep manly baritone. Poehler is put to great use as the frazzled and easily frightened Homily, reminding me of the freak out moments in her role as Leslie Knoppe in Parks and Recreation. Carol Burnett, as the suspicious housekeeper Hara, gives a great comic performance filled with different moods ranging from suspicion to frantic exasperation, though her motivation for ruining the lives of "the little people" seems underdeveloped. Shawn's American voice actor, David Henrie, conveys a sense of melancholy and helplessness at his possible death that teeters on maudlin at times—the only somewhat uneven voice acting performance in an otherwise solid cast. He is also supposed to be 12 years old, but sounds much older. (Then again, if he had the sort of voice heard in shows like, for instance, Naruto, that would be far worse, so this is a minor complaint at most.)
Ultimately, Arietty is best understood as a small-scale coming-of-age story, both for Arietty and Shawn. Their encounters are relatively brief, and so don't quite hit the deep longing that Whisper of the Heart tap into so well, save perhaps for the one scene where Shawn talks about his impending operation. Then again, not all films need to: as a depiction of the wonders of the ordinary world, as a light-hearted adventure, and a portrait of two young people becoming unlikely friends, Arietty is more than competent. This would be a triumph coming from any other studio, and it's only with Ghibli that it is simply a solid entry alongside formidible masterpieces and classics: a testament to the studio's greatness and consistency. They just know how to make 'em, is all.
The Secret World of Arietty is currently playing in US theaters nationwide.
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7 thoughts on "Review: The Secret World of Arietty"
Hmm, I found the name changes. They don't bother me too much, to be honest, since in almost all the cases the names are for characters that aren't really named in the book—the central characters (Arietty, Pod, and Homily) are the same, and it doesn't affect the flow of the story too much. I wasn't able to find a list of dialogue changes, though. Having the Boy/Sho/Shawn's fate being more uncertain would be a somewhat more bittersweet ending, but it wouldn't affect my opinion of the story overall much.
I will definitely watch the subtitled version if it comes out in the theater sometime, though. It usually is out somewhere in limited release alongside the dub. I hope it's not too far away from where I am now…
It is interesting to see what you thought of the American dubbing as I have actually watched it with English dubbing so it would be interesting to compare the two.
A good film though – something which seems very akin to that of classic Disney, though that might be the English story poking through.
Pingback: The Critique of Hayao Miyazaki – Filmorg
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Costs of Poor Workplace Communication
Poor communication in the workplace leaves in its wake low motivation, poor productivity and high employment costs.
Why Communication Practices Are Important
Good communication practices are at the heart of every successful business. Communication serves two essential functions in every organization. It disseminates the information needed by employees to get things done and builds relationships of trust and commitment. Without it, employees end up working in silos with no clear direction, vague goals and little opportunity for improvement. Successful projects and change programs are a rarity and real leadership is scarce.
Staff morale plummets when communication is ambiguous, unfocused, lacking in important details and does not allow for genuine two-way dialogue. Critically, the impact of poor communication hits customers and suppliers. They begin to feel disenfranchised and take their business elsewhere.
Not long ago, the ability to communicate well was viewed as a "soft" skill that was nice to have, but considered not really necessary. In today's rapidly changing business climate, it's a mandatory requirement for everyone, from top level executives to the people on the shop floor. Organizations that fail to convey clear strategies and processes and engage employees in shared goals are likely to lose to companies with more effective communication practices.
The Business Impact of Poor Communication
We all feel the personal costs of poor communication when a manager is rude or when we are not invited to an important meeting. However, what are the tangible costs of not paying attention to the quality of communication practices in your workplace? Below we list the key business costs as a result of poor communication practices. The items on the list may convince you to take a closer look at the practices in your organization.
Increased employee turnover
People voluntarily leaving is a significant cost to any employer. Employee replacement costs can be as high as three times the person's annual salary. A Watson Wyatt study found that companies that communicate most effectively are more than 50% more likely to report turnover levels below the industry average compared with only 33% for the least effective communicators.1
Increased absenteeism
Inadequate, inefficient and insensitive communication severely impacts employee motivation. This in turn drives the employee's decision to come to work each day. One company study revealed that 18% of the variation in sickness and absence rates across the company was due to variations in communication practices. A more general study showed that where employees feel fully informed, absence rates are below average.2
Poor customer service
Poor communications with employees lead to frustrating communications with customers. Employees who lack guidance from management and are locked out of genuine dialogue about their job struggle to know how to satisfy customers and lose the commitment to do so. In the case of legal firm, Slaw, the company reports that 40% of malpractice claims against real estate agents involve communication errors with the client.3
The link to the bottom line is well-established. A well-known study of retailer, Sears, revealed that a five-point improvement in employee attitude results in a 1.3% increase in customer satisfaction, which then drives an 0.5% increase in company revenue.4
Ineffective change management
Change in business structures, systems and processes is accelerating. Yet well more than half of change programs fail to meet their objectives. Important here is the communications skills of managers in being able to deal with resistance to needed changes. A Towers Watson survey reveals only three out of 10 employees report their manager as effective at dealing openly with resistance to change. Companies with highly effective communication practices are more than three times as likely to employ managers skilled in change communications as less effective organizations.5
Failed project delivery
Two in three projects begun meet with project failure. The cost of project cost blowouts, budget overruns and project cancellations to business and governments is massive. Poor communication is cited as the main cause of failure for IT projects by 28% of respondents in a survey conducted by a national association of IT professionals.6
Greater incidence of injuries
Occupational health and safety accidents and stress related illnesses cost organizations and taxpayers billions of dollars each year. Inadequate communication is a major factor in many of these incidents. For example, the US Joint Commission for Hospital Accreditation reported the primary root cause of inadvertent patient harm was communication failure in over 70% of cases.7
Higher litigation costs
Employees feeling stress from poor relationships at work is a key driver of company law suits. One survey puts the proportion of employees suffering relationship stress at 16%.8 Putting in place collaborative communication systems and processes for resolving conflict assists greatly in reducing the high cost of law suits. One study reports that organizations implementing collaborative conflict management systems reap savings in the order of 50% to 80%.9
Lower shareholder return
The amalgamation of all of the losses resulting from poor communication practices cited above impacts the actual and perceived value of companies. A Towers Watson study concludes that companies with highly effective communication practices enjoy 47% higher total returns to shareholders compared with firms that are least effective at communicating.5
This is not the end of the story. Other costs impacting companies include dampened innovation, lower employee productivity and increased incidence of product defects. Communicating effectively both internally and externally to the organization and at all levels of management, without doubt, impacts cash flow and revenue. Communication practices also affect the balance sheet, with the top communicating companies experiencing some 30% higher market valuation compared with their poorer communicating cousins.1
How are your organization's communication practices? Are your managers and employees equipped with the skills and knowledge to communicate effectively? How are you measuring both the level and quality of communication in your organization and the impacts of poor practices? We invite you to investigate the communication resources and tools in this section as you embark upon improving communications in your organization.
(For a comprehensive literature review, see Laurel English.10)
End Notes:
- "Connecting Organizational Communication to Financial Performance – 2003/2004 Communication ROI Study" (2003). Watson Wyatt & Company, 3 November 2003
- Brown, A., Duncan, A., and MacDonald, F. (2003). "Proving Communication Impacts Business Performance", Strategic Communication Management, Vol. 7, No.6, pp 28-33
- Pinnington, Dan (2011). "Communication-Related Errors Are the Most Common Cause of Real Estate Claims", Slaw online legal magazine,
- Rucci, A., Kirn, S., & Quinn, R. (1998). "The Employee-Customer Profit Chain at Sears", Harvard Business Review, Vol 76, No 1, pp. 82-98
- "Capitalizing on Effective Communication – How Courage, Innovation and Discipline Drive Business Results in Challenging Times" (2010). Towers Watson, originally published by Watson Wyatt Worldwide,
- "Survey: Poor Communication Causes Most IT Project Failures" (2007). Computerworld Inc.,
- Leonard, M., Graham, S. and Bonacum, D. (2004). "The Human Factor: The Critical Importance of Effective Teamwork and Communication in Providing Safe Care", Quality and Safety in Health Care, 13, 85-90,
- WarrenShepel [online] (2005). Health & Wellness Research Database,
- Ford, John (2000). "Workplace Conflict: Facts and Figures",
- English, Laurel (2005). "Tying Employee Communications to Organizational Value: In Search of the 'Missing Links'" http://www.english-communications.com/downloads/capstone.pdf
Are you aiming to embed good communication practices in your organization or department? Let our best practice guide show you how to bring about lasting behavior change in your workplace.