Anatoli Semenov - Playing Career - Soviet Union

Soviet Union

Semenov broke into the Russian Hockey League in 1979 with Moscow Dynamo and would spend 11 seasons with the club. He was the team's top player for most of the 1980s (succeeding the great Alexander Maltsev, who retired in 1984), as he led them in scoring on three occasions and was named a Russian All-Star in 1985. However, team success would elude him as Moscow Dynamo would traditionally finish runners-up to the powerhouse CSKA Moscow team which was stacked with most of the Soviet Union's top players.

Throughout the 1980s, he also gained attention outside of Russia for his strong performances in international play, often anchoring a secondary scoring unit behind the famed KLM Line. He was particularly strong in the 1984 and 1987 Canada Cup tournaments, finishing 7th in tournament scoring in 1987 against primarily National Hockey League players. He would also help the Soviet Union to a Gold Medal at the 1988 Winter Olympics.

With the impending fall of the Iron Curtain now beginning to allow players to leave Russia, Semenov was drafted in the sixth round, 120th overall, by the Edmonton Oilers in the 1989 NHL Entry Draft. His last season in Russia would be one of his most successful, as he finally led Moscow Dynamo to the league championship in 1990, their first title since 1954.