The team was chosen based on the players' "impact in international ice hockey over a period of at least a decade," with a requirement that they must have performed "at the highest possible level (Olympics, the IIHF World Championship or the Canada Cup/World Cup tournaments)."
The panel comprised 56 ice hockey experts from 16 countries representing a balance between North American and European countries, and included people who have worked in the game for an extended period and whose opinions are widely respected.
All four Russians selected to the team played league hockey with CSKA Moscow, including three years (1978 to 1981) as teammates.
[1] Canada's National Post completely supported the selection and even said: "With Wayne Gretzky, four Russians and a Swede on the Centennial All-Star Team, it's a great one".
Gregory Sandstrom, a Canadian working at the Saint Petersburg State University, said in The St. Petersburg Times that the Soviet domination on the list was fair, and called on Canada to get revenge on Russia at the following Olympic Games—a goal the national team would accomplish with their gold medal victory in 2010.