Opening in 1956, the film follows the boyhood of Kharlamov, whose mother was born in Spain, set against the chaotic energy of the Running of the Bulls and hinting at the path that will shape a legendary hockey career.
By 1967, the story moves to Moscow, where a talented young player meets the legendary coach Anatoly Tarasov and begins a journey that will test his devotion to the sport. Tarasov initiates a road of discovery, sending Valeri along with his friend to the town of Chebarkul in Chelyabinsk Oblast, where they join the local team “Zvezda” and learn to adapt to a tougher game. The youngster overcomes the harsh realities of a lower-league system, proving his skill and grit, and returns to the capital at the season’s end. It is then that Tarasov invites him to join HC CSKA Moscow, beginning a rigorous evaluation of his character and willingness to devote his life to hockey.
Kharlamov rises through the ranks, ultimately becoming one of the team’s leading attackers for CSKA and then for the USSR national team. Tarasov builds an elite attacking trio that centers around Kharlamov, joining him with Mikhailov and Petrov to form a force on the ice. Yet the ascent is not without political and personal pressure. The curator Balashov pressures Kharlamov to align with the party line, pressing him to sign papers against his coach, a move the player resists, later recounting to Tarasov that he would not bend to such demands.
Amid the professional climb, the film also threads in Kharlamov’s romance with Irina Smirnova, a love that offers support during his most challenging moments. The tension surrounding Tarasov’s leadership intensifies following a controversial match between the USSR and Spartak Moscow, where Tarasov’s protest leads to the team walking off the ice. The fallout leaves Kharlamov shaken and, in a biographical shift, leads to a serious leg injury in a car accident a few years earlier. After surgery, he begins a painstaking rehabilitation, determined to be ready for the first Summit Series against the Canadian professionals in 1972.
With Kharlamov on the road to recovery, a new coach named Bobrov is appointed to lead the national team and to ensure Valeri is included in the historic Canadian expedition. Tarasov himself accompanies the team to the airport, parting words lingering as the players head to a defining clash.
Arriving in Montreal, the Soviet team faces a brimming challenge as Canada’s side exudes confidence. A Canadian journalist, Michael Garner, is on the scene while TV pundits and newspaper bets loom large, underscoring the high-stakes tension surrounding the series. A caricature pushed under Bobrov’s door mocks the Soviet players, signaling a mixture of scorn and bravado that frames the on-ice drama.
When the puck finally drops, Kharlamov’s speed and skill become pivotal. He pushes through rough play, including a costly slash aimed at his previously injured knee, and refuses to leave the game. Returning after a moment of doubt, he contributes to a late offensive surge, and his teammates rally around him as the Soviet team seals the moment with a decisive seventh goal. In the end, the USSR triumphs with a decisive 7:3 score, a victory underscored by Kharlamov’s leadership, resilience, and the unwavering collective effort of the team.
