One notable exception during the Czechoslovak era was Vladimír Dzurilla. At the 1976 Canada Cup, he stole the show and stunned the North American audience by shutting down a roster of Canadian stars. Due to the Iron Curtain, he never got a chance in the NHL, but he was on their radar. Dzurilla collected medals at World Championships and Olympics, and to this day, many consider him the greatest Slovak goalie ever.