Defenseman Mikhail Tatarinov played parts of four seasons with the Washington Capitals, Quebec Nordiques and Boston Bruins in the early 90s. He was best known in the USSR/Russia a fine playmaker domestically and on the national team.
Born in Angarsk, USSR, Tatarinov began his career with Sokol Kiev in 1983-84 and eventually moved up to Moscow Dynamo. In 1984 he was named the top defenceman at the European Junior Championships. He won a gold medal with the USSR at the 1984 and 1986 World Junior Championships and a bronze in 1985. In 1985 and 1986 the slick blueliner was placed on the tournament all-star team and he was named the top defenceman in 1986. Tatarinov made his debut with the senior national squad at Rendez-Vous in 1987 then became a fixture in the Dynamo line up where he won a championship in 1990. In 1990 he was voted on to the all-star team after helping the USSR win the gold medal at the World Championships.
Chosen 225th overall by the Capitals in 1984, Tatarinov scored eight goals in 65 games as an NHL rookie in 1990-91. In June, 1991 he was traded to the Quebec Nordiques for a draft choice. A few months later he played for the Soviet Union at the Canada Cup. Tatarinov scored 11 goals and was a +8 on the weak Nordiques then played 28 games through assorted injuries while helping the club improve in 1992-93. Tatarinov signed as a free agent with Boston then suffered through an injury-plagued season before retiring in 1994.
