Vladimir Putin scores 8 suspiciously easy goals against ex-pro hockey players

Vladimir Putin
(Image credit: Screenshot / RT)

Russian President Vladimir Putin's exploits are many and manly, according to Vladimir Putin. He (purportedly) discovered ancient Greek ruins on a diving trip, tracked polar bears in the arctic, and thwarted a would-be tiger attack. And on Saturday, Putin's legend grew yet again when he netted eight goals in an exhibition hockey match featuring some former NHL players, according to state-run media.

As with some of Putin's other alleged exploits, though, this one may not be as impressive as it sounds at first. Video of the match shows Putin scoring not on overpowering slapshots, but rather on simple shovel passes that somehow kept escaping perplexed defenders.

This isn't the first time Putin has taken to the ice for some dubious stick handling. In 2012, he scored a game-winning shootout goal when an otherwise competent goalie flubbed a routine save.

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Jon Terbush

Jon Terbush is an associate editor at TheWeek.com covering politics, sports, and other things he finds interesting. He has previously written for Talking Points Memo, Raw Story, and Business Insider.