The 1972 summit series between the best from russia and the best from canada turned out to be one of the most significant events, not only in hockey history. Stapleton was on canadas summit series team in 1972 and is alleged to have claimed the puck from paul hendersons. Canada was represented by world hockey association players instead of the national hockey league players that played in the 1972 summit series. According to canadian experts it was a series that wasnt going to be much of a series. This essay will firstly address the reasons on why the summit series was needed to cool tensions. Hockey hall of fame team canada 1972 tribute summit. Summit series 1972 scoring leaders and demographics breakdown. Hockey canada sends its condolences to the friends and family of pat stapleton. Complete stats for every player, season and team that participated in summit series of 1972 and 1974.
The 1974 summit series was the second of two competitions between soviet and canadian professional ice hockey players. Canada was represented by world hockey association players instead of national hockey league players, as it had been in the 1972 summit series. The 1972 summit series between national hockey teams from canada and the ussr was the first time that canadian professional hockey players faced the soviet unions national team. The response from team canada was to clear the bench and cross the ice.
Canada won the series four games to three, with one tie. Unfollow 1972 summit series to stop getting updates on your ebay feed. This essay examines the question, how did the 1972 summit series affect international relations between canada and the soviet union in the 1970s. A local hockey icon and fantastic human being, he will be missed by many. Summit series star, longtime blackhawks defenceman pat. For years, the best amateur teams in canada were easily able to win world championships and olympic gold medals, but by the 1960s this was no longer true. Bobby clarke, alexander ragulin, yevgeny poladjev, vladislav tretiak and an unknown official during game 2 of the summit series on 4 september 1972 at maple leaf gardens in toronto, ontario, canada. Few loved the game quite like whitey, who was so proud to wear. Its become known as the summit series, though four decades ago it was simply called the canadau.
I hadnt known, but stapleton was a leader off the ice for team canada 1972 as the chairman of the board of directors of 1972 summit series hockey team inc. Mostly we remember the eight bitter battles between team canada and the former. The soviet players, who had olympic experience, were amateurs by strict definition only. Kanada vann matchserien, bland annat efter seger i 3. The first four games were played in canada montreal, toronto, winnipeg and vancouver. When you look at tretiak down on the ice in his crease after hendersons game winning goal in game 8, his hockey stick must have felt it. Futurelight summit series extreme cold weather clothing. Forty years later, it remains seared in the canadian consciousness. It was significant to canada because that soviet team had dominated the game for more than a decade already, and went on to last about 30 years. When asked recently which moment he considers to be. Few loved the game quite like whitey, who was so proud to wear the maple leaf in the 1972 summit series and again in 1974 as captain. Hockey historian liam maguire with summit series legend paul henderson. Superseriya sssr canada, known at the time simply as the canadaussr series, was an eightgame series of ice hockey between the soviet union and canada, held in september 1972. The format was the same as the 1972 summit series, with four games across canada.
The format was the same as the 1972 summit series, with four games across canada and. The summit series established common ground, leading to the canada cup, the world cup of hockey and other international competitions and ultimately to having professional players from all. Canadas top amateur clubs found themselves unable to compete with the soviet union and other top european countries and, denied the use of professional players by the. Shop the north face futurelight summit series extreme cold weather clothing designed for high alpine conditions. Your individual skill level does not matter as long as we. Hockey canada sends its condolences to the friends. The series was played at a time when only amateurs were allowed to play in the olympic games. In hockeys 72 summit series between canada and soviet.
He is regarded as the foremost historian on the nhl and canadian hockey in general. Canada russia 72 is shot in a fluid documentary style that effectively captures all the immediacy of the 72 hockey summit s intrigues. It was the summit series, though, that seemed to have captured the attention of the whole. But nearly lost in all the hoopla was the fact the best players in the national hockey league had to rally to beat a team that, only a month earlier, it. Pat stapleton with son mike recalls the epic 1972 summit series with russia during hometown hockey in sarnia dec.
In hockeys 72 summit series between canada and soviet union. Ctaot is a unique tournament in that each player who registers is rated for hockey skill with age and weight being factored into a formula that is then applied to produce 8 balanced teams through our unique dispersal draft. Stapleton was inducted into canadas sports hall of fame in 2005 as a member of the 1972 summit series team, and was elected as an inaugural inductee into. Longtime defenceman and summit series winner pat stapleton.
The 1974 summit series was the second of two competitions between soviet and canadian professional players. It was the first competition between the soviet national team and a canadian team represented by professional players. Despite the soviet union having won nine consecutive world championships between 19, those had come against amateur competition the soviets would have no chance against canadas best nhlers in the 1972 summit series. Stapleton was inducted into canadas sports hall of fame in 2005 as a member of the 1972 summit series team, and was elected as an inaugural inductee into the world hockey association hall of fame in 2010. Bendell has achieved an unsurpassed level of detail in this investigative look at the 1972 summit series. The summit series, or super series known at the time simply as the canada ussr series, was an eightgame series of ice hockey between the soviet union. Why was the 1972 summit series significant to canada. Many believe this special series changed hockey forever. But from the start, the 1972 summit series was all about politics. The 1972 summit series between the best from russia and the best from canada turned out to be one of the most significant events, not only in hockey history, but also in canadian history. Hockey put canadas cold war perceptions on ice the. Also that year canada boycotted olympic hockey because of the definition of amateur athletes, russia went on to win gold, and was later defeated by canada in the summit. This report by the canadian press was first published april 9, 2020. Canada russia 72 is shot in a fluid documentary style that effectively captures all.
The dependable defenceman represented canada again at the 1974 summit series, serving as team captain. The summit series was the first competition between fullstrength soviet and canadian national ice hockey teams, an eightgame series held in september 1972. Players gary bergman and peter mahovlich climbed over the boards, swinging their sticks at the soviet military, trying to. Keith lenn, one of the leading hockey collectors online, has provided 1972 summit with some excellent coverage about hockey cards devoted to the 1972 summit series. Stapleton was inducted into canadas sports hall of fame in 2005 as a member of the 1972 summit series team, and was elected as an inaugural inductee into the world hockey association hall of fame. Whether you are a hockey fan, a sports fan in general, or just love a great story, the 1972 summit series canada vs ussr is a great read. Paul henderson scored the dramatic goal in moscow to give the canadians the series victory.
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