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The Green Unit was the top five Soviet players who dominated international hockey for nearly a decade. (So named for being the only players to wear 'green' jerseys during practice). Two-fifths of the 'Greens' played for us, while Makarov was in Calgary and the other two-fifths in New Jersey. Igor Larionov had long maintained there were only four 'Greens,' (four who fought for the right to play in North America, while the fifth, Alexei Kasatonov, towed the Soviet hardline).

As we prepared to leave our Manhattan hotel, Igor Larionov called his old friend "Slava" Fetisov to arrange a green reunion.

Larionov: "We're just leaving Manhattan now, should be at the Meadowlands in about an hour. We'll be staying at the Marriott. Pick us up there and we'll go for lunch. Oh, and don't bring Alexei."

Slava Fetisov was the skilled anchor on the Soviet blueline. After all those years trying to escape an autocratic system, he knew exactly why his defense partner wasn't welcome.