Two New Profiles: March and Fetisov

I'm happy and I'm not happy to announce I have two new profiles for you today.

I'm happy because one profile is of early Chicago Blackhawks standout Harold "Mush" March, which somehow is only fitting for the 1st day of March. The impish March scored some big goals in his career. I'm very pleased with the March biography, if I may be so indulgent to say so myself, and am always happy to keep alive the memories of hockey's long gone era.

I'm not happy because my other profile is of Soviet/NHL legend Viacheslav Fetisov. I had the greatest admiration for Fetisov the hockey player long before he came to the NHL, even though he was then a member of the hated enemy. He was cut from the same cloth as Denis Potvin, and was a standout in the 1987 Canada Cup. I'm a very eager student of Soviet hockey history, and if I may I would like to declare Fetisov the greatest Soviet player ever. He is undoubtedly one of the greatest defensemen in hockey history, Soviet or NHL.

The admiration for Fetisov the person grows exponentially when you learn of his battles for freedom with the Communist government. Fetisov may have been one of the greatest hockey players, but his lasting legacy will always be his successful battle for all Russian citizens to pursue work and life in the western world.

So why am I unhappy? For the same reason why I've taken so long to write the Fetisov biography. I have never felt I had the talent to truly capture just how important Viacheslav Fetisov is, both on and off the ice. I still think that I have failed in accomplishing that, but I present it to you anyways.

What does make me happy is that Fetisov is the 20th international legend featured here. As much as I like to keep alive the memories of hockey players long gone, I also like to remember, and often introduce, European legends.