PAVEL BURE

LIFE BEFORE THE NHL

A young Bure plays with pride for his National Soviet Team

Unlike most young boys from small Canadian towns, Pavel Bure did not grow up dreaming of playing in the NHL. Playing for his national team was his greatest aspiration. His boyhood idols were Valeri Kharlamov and Boris Mikhailov, two of the greatest stars of the dominant Central Army and Soviet national teams of the 1970’s.

"I never dreamed about the NHL. Growing up I didn’t hear too many things about it. North America was like a different planet. Kinda like something you read about but a place you never thought you’d go. It was my dream to be a part of the national team and win an Olympic medal because my father went to three Games and didn’t win a gold. My biggest dream was for me and my brother to go to the Olympics and win a gold for the family."

Another dream Bure had was to play for the Central Army team. When he was only 17 years old this dream was realized. It was here that his vast talents gained him national recognition. In 1988-89, Bure earned Soviet Elite League rookie-of-the-year honors with CSKA, then was named the World Junior Tournaments outstanding forward. Pavel Bure shared the spotlight with two other extraordinarily talented teammates named Sergei Fedorov and Alexander Mogilny. Years later Bure and Mogilny would become teammates and represent one of the most feared lines in the NHL. While Mogilny defected to North America in 1989 and Fedorov in 1990, Bure remained in Russia to continue his play for the Soviet junior and national teams.

"I loved my country and playing for my Russian National team brought me a great deal of pride."

He led both teams to the gold in 1990 but became disenchanted with his contract from the CSKA. Along with his father and younger brother Valeri (now playing for the Montreal Canadiens) he slipped off to North America to start his new life with the National Hockey League’s Vancouver Canucks.