1974 Canada/Soviet Summit

[Theokritos]

In the era of the Cold War, this rivalry was just too juicy to let go stagnant. Maybe it even prevented a real war?

Do you think the US president was on the verge of launching an attack, but then he thought: "****, if I push the button I'm not going to see those Canadian hockey players playing against the Red Machine any more, I better call the whole thing off. Full retreat!"

 

[LeBlondeDemon10]

Do you think the US president was on the verge of launching an attack, but then he thought: "****, if I push the button I'm not going to see those Canadian hockey players playing against the Red Machine any more, I better call the whole thing off. Full retreat!"

Ha, ha...All I'm saying is that the rivalry possibly acted as a safety valve for the release of tension building up in Western society over the possibility of a Soviet attack. Kind of like how they send prostitutes into the prisons in Spain. It allows the inmates to blow off steam if you know what I mean. A happy prisoner is a prisoner not causing problems, riots, etc...

 

[Zine]

Ha, ha...All I'm saying is that the rivalry possibly acted as a safety valve for the release of tension building up in Western society over the possibility of a Soviet attack. Kind of like how they send prostitutes into the prisons in Spain. It allows the inmates to blow off steam if you know what I mean. A happy prisoner is a prisoner not causing problems, riots, etc...

Yikes!....the Soviet/Canada rivalry wasn't that significant.
Perhaps it was viewed that way in Canada, however I'm sure 99% of Western (or Eastern Block) society didn't even know it existed.

 

[cam042686]

Yikes!....the Soviet/Canada rivalry wasn't that significant.
Perhaps it was viewed that way in Canada, however I'm sure 99% of Western (or Eastern Block) society didn't even know it existed.

Interesting - My impression when I worked on my book "The Forgotten Summit" was certainly the Soviets took the rivalry with Canada more seriously than they did say with Czechoslovakia or Sweden.

Craig Wallace

 

[Zine]

Interesting - My impression when I worked on my book "The Forgotten Summit" was certainly the Soviets took the rivalry with Canada more seriously than they did say with Czechoslovakia or Sweden.

Craig Wallace

That's probably the case in terms of pure hockey supremacy, however the USSR/CSSR rivalry was much more politically heated.

Regardless, I was commenting on the rivalry's impact on cold war society. Outside of Canada, the CAN/USSR rivalry really didn't mean anything culturally.

 

[cam042686]

That's probably the case in terms of pure hockey supremacy, however the USSR/CSSR rivalry was much more politically heated.

Regardless, I was commenting on the rivalry's impact on cold war society. Outside of Canada, the CAN/USSR rivalry really didn't mean anything culturally.

I understand what you are saying now. Thank you for the clarification.

Craig Wallace

 

[cam042686]

Just thinking here. Don McLeod was Team Canada's 2nd string goalie. Before 197273 he was a career minor league goalie who had flopped in his few NHL chances. He had a mediocre 1972-73 season in Houston and then stunned everyone with a great 1973-74 season and playoff. Then Houston made no effort to resign him (what did they see?) He had a poor training camp and was very shaky against the juniors. He played poorly in Game 3 of the series against the Soviets, and against the Finnish National Team. He played well against Sweden and was again shaky in Prague against the Czechs.

Was he perhaps the worst ever professional goalie to wear the Maple Leaf in a major tournament/series?

Craig Wallace

 

[yave1964]

My book on the 1974 Canada/Soviet summit series is now for sale. It is the first detailed account of that forgotten series and includes photos, interviews with Team Canada players, media reports, and details of Team Canada's games against the Western Canadian Junior All-Stars, Finland, Sweden and Czechoslovkia.

Hope you check it out!

Craig Wallace

http://www.lulu.com/content/5929153

Just found a copy of your book, looking forward to starting it this evening. Thanks!

 

[Yakushev72]

Ha, ha...All I'm saying is that the rivalry possibly acted as a safety valve for the release of tension building up in Western society over the possibility of a Soviet attack. Kind of like how they send prostitutes into the prisons in Spain. It allows the inmates to blow off steam if you know what I mean. A happy prisoner is a prisoner not causing problems, riots, etc...

What are the chances that President Nixon even knew that the series was taking place, much less that it "took steam" off of the Cold War? You are affording it way more prominence than it ever had. International sports competitions between the Soviets and the US were commonplace in a wide range of sports during that era. Outside of Canada, it is unlikely that there was any level of consciousness among NA sports fans that the series was taking place. The only thing noteworthy about the '72 and '74 series was that, among NA major sports leagues, only the NHL/WHA had foreign competition (the Soviets) that were fully capable of beating them.

 

[Canadiens1958]

President Nixon

What are the chances that President Nixon even knew that the series was taking place, much less that it "took steam" off of the Cold War? You are affording it way more prominence than it ever had. International sports competitions between the Soviets and the US were commonplace in a wide range of sports during that era. Outside of Canada, it is unlikely that there was any level of consciousness among NA sports fans that the series was taking place. The only thing noteworthy about the '72 and '74 series was that, among NA major sports leagues, only the NHL/WHA had foreign competition (the Soviets) that were fully capable of beating them.

Nil, otherwise President Nixon would have suggested plays and strategies like he used to for the Super Bowl.

 

[Uncle Rotter]

Just thinking here. Don McLeod was Team Canada's 2nd string goalie. Before 197273 he was a career minor league goalie who had flopped in his few NHL chances. He had a mediocre 1972-73 season in Houston and then stunned everyone with a great 1973-74 season and playoff. Then Houston made no effort to resign him (what did they see?) He had a poor training camp and was very shaky against the juniors. He played poorly in Game 3 of the series against the Soviets, and against the Finnish National Team. He played well against Sweden and was again shaky in Prague against the Czechs.

Was he perhaps the worst ever professional goalie to wear the Maple Leaf in a major tournament/series?

Craig Wallace

Mike Veisor, 1983 World Championships

 

[cam042686]

Just found a copy of your book, looking forward to starting it this evening. Thanks!

Fantastic - I really hope you enjoy it. (Where did you get it?)

Craig Wallace

 

[cam042686]

Mike Veisor, 1983 World Championships

I remember watching Rick Walmsley getting plastered by the Soviets in that tournament. I forgot about Mike Veisor being there.

Craig Wallace

 

[Yakushev72]

Nil, otherwise President Nixon would have suggested plays and strategies like he used to for the Super Bowl.

My guess is that in comparison to his hockey knowledge, he was probably well qualified to diagram plays for the Super Bowl.

 

[cam042686]

Here is another flop from the 1974 series for Team Canada - Mike Walton.

Has there ever been a greater disappointment for Canada in a series. Granted, as I point out in my book "The Forgotten Summit", Walton was very streaky, moody, and considered tough to coach. He showed flashes of brilliance in the NHL but was never a steady performer. However in the 1973-74 season he led the WHA in scoring. Had a great regular season and playoff.

But things "went off the rails" right away with Team Canada. He showed up to camp unmotivated. He had mediocre camp and started the series centering the 4th line between Paul Henderson and Bruce MacGregor. Walton had a solid Game 1 picking up an assist on a power play goal by Bobby Hull. He played well in Game 2 with one exception. He was pulled down on a breakaway and was awarded a penalty shot. Now Walton was “deadly†on breakaways. Chico Resch once said Walton was the most feared opponent he ever faced on a breakaway. On this penalty show Walton came in on Tretiak, and instead of trying one of his great moves he simply fired a slap shot that Tretiak easily stopped. After the game Tretiak called it “a very primitive attempt.â€

After Game 2 Walton’s game simply fell apart. He was average in Game 3, played poor in Game 4, Helsinki and Gotenburg (although he scored on a rebound against Sweden in Gotenburg ) and then in Game 5 he played so badly it looked like he had simply given up. He sat out Games 6 and 7 and went through the motions in Game 8 accomplishing nothing.

Team Canada 74 was really counting on him and he was a total failure. Outside of maybe Frank Mahovlich in 1972 and 1974 has any Team Canada played failed in a tournament as badly as Mike Walton did in 1974?

Craig Wallace

 

[Cursed Lemon]

1974 Summit Series - no one cares?

Why does it seem like nobody ever talks about the 74 series?

Is it because the situation was mostly defused by then? Were the rosters not adequate?

Is it because Canada lost? :B

 

[Bear of Bad News]

It's probably because Canada was represented by WHA players, and not by NHL players.

 

[cam042686]

Why does it seem like nobody ever talks about the 74 series?

Is it because the situation was mostly defused by then? Were the rosters not adequate?

Is it because Canada lost? :B

Good question.

Certainly the quality of hockey that was played was superb. The fans were not upset. If I had to say, here are my thoughts.

I. Canada lost. Even though the series was so very close until the end (read my book on it) many people in North America look at the end result and say "Canada won only one of eight games so it was a disaster".

II. The NHL wasn't involved.

Here is a question though. What do people in Russia say about this series?

Craig Wallace

http://www.amazon.com/Forgotten-Sum...77566541&sr=1-1&keywords=the+forgotten+summit

 

[Back in Black]

1974 wha dvd

Great box set on DVD, and a good docu included.

Yes it was already done in 1972, but good on the WHA for giving it a shot!

 

[cam042686]

Great box set on DVD, and a good docu included.

Yes it was already done in 1972, but good on the WHA for giving it a shot!

The box set on 1974 is very good. Too bad they didn't have the recently discovered Game 5 footage. (Although from a Team Canada viewpoint with the exception of the Backstrom/Howe/Howe line and Gerry Cheevers, the team simply didn't show up.)

Craig Wallace

 

[cam042686]

I know there is no way to know for sure but imagine this. It's Game 6, and the game goes along just as it did when we get to the infamous call by Viktor Dombrowski on Bruce MacGregor. We all know that if Dombrowski follows the rule book then the call that is made is a minor (which he had already signalled), a fighting major, a 10 minute major for throwing the first punch and a game misconduct to Valery Vasiliev. Canada is trailing 3-2 and Mark Howe is serving a minor penalty. With the correct call made one of the best defensemen in the world (Vasiliev) is out the game and Canada has over 10 minutes on the power play to tie and possibly go ahead. Instead Dombrowski calls roughing majors against Vasiliev and MacGregor (who never dropped his gloves or threw a punch. This means each team loses a player and that allows the Soviets to work against 3 Canadian skaters as again Mark Howe is already off. The Soviets score and they ended up winning the game. After the call by Dombrowski it was made clear to Team Canada that he wasn't going to let them win.

But what happens if say MacGregor who while a mild mannered player (in 1973-74 he had 6 penalty minutes with the Rangers), blows a gasket at the Dombrowski call, and "clocks" Dombrowski? I mean he simply punches him in the face. Sure MacGregor is gone but does Dombrowski continue in the game? Do the Soviets walk off the ice in protest and end the series? Is MacGregor sent home? Does Team Canada go home? Watching that event both live and through the years on the DVD and really focusing on it for my book, I could see MacGregor was incensed and struggling to control himself. It was clear Dombrowski was throwing the game. So what is the fall out?

Or to expand on this, what if JP Parise in 1972 actually hits Kompalla with his stick in Game 8?

Craig

 

[Killion]

Or to expand on this, what if JP Parise in 1972 actually hits Kompalla with his stick in Game 8?

I would've (had I been Coaching TC) pulled the entire team off the ice & gone to the dressing room, ordered the players to change, headed back to the hotel, packed it up & left the country ASAP. Forfeit the game & the series in protest & disgust.... Parise' Id have benched (and if he had struck him make no mistake, Criminal Charges, book prolly thrown at him). Yanked his ticket. Any player or Coach, official who threatens to or does actually assault a Ref or Linesman no matter how bent or blind they might or might not be has to go. If in 72 Sinden felt it would be impossible to play under Kompalla and TC was getting shafted (and of course we know the story on that), again, pull the team off the ice, pack it in.... Id have no problem playing hardball like that & damn the consequences, ramifications, accusations of being "quitters" or whatever. Playing on a slanted sheet of ice? Forget it.

 

[Preisst*]

Here is another flop from the 1974 series for Team Canada - Mike Walton.

Has there ever been a greater disappointment for Canada in a series. Granted, as I point out in my book "The Forgotten Summit", Walton was very streaky, moody, and considered tough to coach. He showed flashes of brilliance in the NHL but was never a steady performer. However in the 1973-74 season he led the WHA in scoring. Had a great regular season and playoff.

But things "went off the rails" right away with Team Canada. He showed up to camp unmotivated. He had mediocre camp and started the series centering the 4th line between Paul Henderson and Bruce MacGregor. Walton had a solid Game 1 picking up an assist on a power play goal by Bobby Hull. He played well in Game 2 with one exception. He was pulled down on a breakaway and was awarded a penalty shot. Now Walton was “deadly†on breakaways. Chico Resch once said Walton was the most feared opponent he ever faced on a breakaway. On this penalty show Walton came in on Tretiak, and instead of trying one of his great moves he simply fired a slap shot that Tretiak easily stopped. After the game Tretiak called it “a very primitive attempt.â€

After Game 2 Walton’s game simply fell apart. He was average in Game 3, played poor in Game 4, Helsinki and Gotenburg (although he scored on a rebound against Sweden in Gotenburg ) and then in Game 5 he played so badly it looked like he had simply given up. He sat out Games 6 and 7 and went through the motions in Game 8 accomplishing nothing.

Team Canada 74 was really counting on him and he was a total failure. Outside of maybe Frank Mahovlich in 1972 and 1974 has any Team Canada played failed in a tournament as badly as Mike Walton did in 1974?

Craig Wallace

I remember Claude Lemieux on the 96 Canada Cup team. He was in WAY over his head and looked like the worst player on any team in the tourny. He was horrible. I remember him being way out of place on the 87 team too but in 96 I always thought it was the worst showing ever.

 

[cam042686]

I would've (had I been Coaching TC) pulled the entire team off the ice & gone to the dressing room, ordered the players to change, headed back to the hotel, packed it up & left the country ASAP. Forfeit the game & the series in protest & disgust.... Parise' Id have benched (and if he had struck him make no mistake, Criminal Charges, book prolly thrown at him). Yanked his ticket. Any player or Coach, official who threatens to or does actually assault a Ref or Linesman no matter how bent or blind they might or might not be has to go. If in 72 Sinden felt it would be impossible to play under Kompalla and TC was getting shafted (and of course we know the story on that), again, pull the team off the ice, pack it in.... Id have no problem playing hardball like that & damn the consequences, ramifications, accusations of being "quitters" or whatever. Playing on a slanted sheet of ice? Forget it.

I have often felt that if I was Billy Harris I would have pulled my team of the ice in Game 6. And we would not have gone back out there until Dombrowski walked me though the rule book and explained his call against Bruce MacGregor, based on the rule book. And if he wouldn't explain the call then we'd leave. I realize Team Canada and the WHA would have been branded as "quitters" but Dombrowski was an out and out cheat. No matter how well Team Canada played Dombowski wasn't going to let them win that game.

Craig Wallace

 

[Killion]

I have often felt that if I was Billy Harris I would have pulled my team of the ice in Game 6. And we would not have gone back out there until Dombrowski walked me though the rule book and explained his call against Bruce MacGregor, based on the rule book. And if he wouldn't explain the call then we'd leave. I realize Team Canada and the WHA would have been branded as "quitters" but Dombrowski was an out and out cheat. No matter how well Team Canada played Dombowski wasn't going to let them win that game.

Craig Wallace

I wouldnt have even dignified Dombrowski's call nor the man himself in giving him the opportunity to reverse his decision, recant. Wouldnt have wanted to have even have had a conversation with him for fear of being charged with Assault Causing Bodily Harm.... no Sir. Best you walk away and no shame in that. Anyone "branding" Team Canada as quitters for doing so can just eat my shorts. Dont really care. Obviously no sense of honor, integrity. Not playing games under corrupt officials. Not happenin. Taking my Rolls Royce & going home. But good luck with that. Call us when you wanna get real. Embarrassed the Hell out of them & worth the forfeiture. The minute a games integrity is Hijacked like that its over in my book. Everythings then questioned.