He was among the first to draft players from the Soviet Union, including CSKA Moscow star Sergei Makarov in 1983, but Soviet players were not released to Western teams until 1989.
El foi un dos primeiros en elixir xogadores da Unión Soviética, incluíndo á estrela do CSKA Moscova Sergei Makarov en 1983, mais aos xogadores soviéticos non se lles permitiu ingresar en equipos occidentais ata 1989.