[Flashpoint]

This was mentioned in the HOF inductees thread, but I genuinely feel it deserves it's own thread.

Pinder and Boomer scoffed at his induction on Monday, and couldn't be bothered to pronounce his name right, but I tend to think CP skews slightly older than most sports media sites, and I'm hoping there is a bit of appreciation to be found here for one of the most talented players who ever played... and still demonstrated those talents in his mid thirties.

I recall one night in Los Angeles where he was in on a 2 on 1 with Gilmour, and pulled back for a slapshot, did a complete 360 and put it right on the tape of Killer open side. Killer didn't score, and in the post game interview said he'd never seen anything like it.

The HHOF left him out for 20 years, (I always called it the "NHL hall of fame"), but in his prime many considered Makarov to be the equal of any of Canada's greats. It always pissed me off they would bring in role players or NHLPA "good guys" at the expense of one of the best players the world has ever seen.

Even if you were to set aside the Gold medals, USSR "Master of Sport" accolades, you STILL had to marvel at what a guy in his 30s was able to do.

He had 30 goals and 68 points at the age of 36 for crying out loud.

It's great to see him finally get the accolades he deserves for what he was as a hockey player, and hope some of you remember what he brought to the Flames when he was here.

As a kid, he was the guy you watched when you wanted to pick up some crazy new pond hockey move to try out on your buddies.

Makarov was the guy who could make the crazy pond hockey moves in the NHL

He was awesome.