'72 Summit Series

Rather Gingerly 1*

Guest
I was recently watching some DVDs of the '72 Canada/Russia series. A few things I would like to ask a few other old time hockey fans.

1 - Do you think the series would have been much different if Bobby Orr and Bobby Hull could have played in '72? They were the two best players in the NHL at the time.

2 - Most of Canada's troubles early on was getting the line combination. The only line that stayed together was the Henderson-Clarke-Ellis. Once the players got use to each other adn the lines started to gel the team started to play much better.

3 - The puck looked much bigger than today. Also, loved the view from places like Maple Leaf Gardens much better than the view we get in some arenas today.

Comments?
 

raleh

Registered User
Oct 17, 2005
1,764
9
Dartmouth, NS
I was recently watching some DVDs of the '72 Canada/Russia series. A few things I would like to ask a few other old time hockey fans.

1 - Do you think the series would have been much different if Bobby Orr and Bobby Hull could have played in '72? They were the two best players in the NHL at the time.

2 - Most of Canada's troubles early on was getting the line combination. The only line that stayed together was the Henderson-Clarke-Ellis. Once the players got use to each other adn the lines started to gel the team started to play much better.

3 - The puck looked much bigger than today. Also, loved the view from places like Maple Leaf Gardens much better than the view we get in some arenas today.

Comments?


I think the series would have been very different with Orr and Hull on team Canada. Orr was far and away the best player in the world at the time and he would have just controlled the series. I actually think he may have nullified some of the fitness advantage the soviets had by just out thinking them. He also would have made Esposito even better than he was. Hull would have added another dimension to the Canadian attack and being the fitness buff he was, he wouldn't have been caught fat and out of shape like the rest of team Canada was.
 

pappyline

Registered User
Jul 3, 2005
4,587
182
Mass/formerly Ont
I was recently watching some DVDs of the '72 Canada/Russia series. A few things I would like to ask a few other old time hockey fans.

1 - Do you think the series would have been much different if Bobby Orr and Bobby Hull could have played in '72? They were the two best players in the NHL at the time.

2 - Most of Canada's troubles early on was getting the line combination. The only line that stayed together was the Henderson-Clarke-Ellis. Once the players got use to each other adn the lines started to gel the team started to play much better.

3 - The puck looked much bigger than today. Also, loved the view from places like Maple Leaf Gardens much better than the view we get in some arenas today.

Comments?
Orr & Hull would have made a hellova diffrence. At the time they were the 2 best players in the world and are both in the top 5 all time. Orr was the best player in the 76 Canada cup. Hull was the top goal scorer in the 74 summit & the top team Canada goal scorer in 76.
 

1971

Registered User
Dec 1, 2006
95
0
British Columbia
I was recently watching some DVDs of the '72 Canada/Russia series. A few things I would like to ask a few other old time hockey fans.

1 - Do you think the series would have been much different if Bobby Orr and Bobby Hull could have played in '72? They were the two best players in the NHL at the time.

2 - Most of Canada's troubles early on was getting the line combination. The only line that stayed together was the Henderson-Clarke-Ellis. Once the players got use to each other adn the lines started to gel the team started to play much better.

3 - The puck looked much bigger than today. Also, loved the view from places like Maple Leaf Gardens much better than the view we get in some arenas today.

Comments?

I think Bobby Hull was banished from the series for defecting to the rival WHA.. I might be wrong, but I'm sure I'm right. The 72 series was set up by the NHL and the NHL was upset with Hull for signing the $1 million contract with the WHA.
 

albertGQ

Registered User
Jul 1, 2005
536
4
Calgary
I think Bobby Hull was banished from the series for defecting to the rival WHA.. I might be wrong, but I'm sure I'm right. The 72 series was set up by the NHL and the NHL was upset with Hull for signing the $1 million contract with the WHA.

You are correct. Thats the same reason why Gordie Howe was not on the team
 

LannysStach

Thou shall
Dec 13, 2004
2,534
55
NYC & Toronto
re: Q1 -- the brilliant Dick Irvin (Jr) had a great line about this:
If Bobby Orr would have played, Paul Henderson would never have been in a postion to become a national hero.
(because it never would have come down to one game)
 

Rather Gingerly 1*

Guest
re: Q1 -- the brilliant Dick Irvin (Jr) had a great line about this:
If Bobby Orr would have played, Paul Henderson would never have been in a postion to become a national hero.
(because it never would have come down to one game)


Kind of strange how things work out isn't it? But I do agree with Irvin on this one. With Hull and Orr we would definitely be a game or two ahead by Game 8. Probably the tie in Winnipeg would be a win for us and the collapse in Game 5 in Russia would not have happened. Something like that
 

Marcus-74

Registered User
Apr 27, 2005
165
1
2+2=4, eh?

Of course it would have made things tougher for them, but things aren´t that simple and I think the Soviets had also some "excuses"...

The father of Soviet hockey Anatoli Tarasov was made to quit as a coach of the national team prior to the series and their star player Anatoli Firsov was forced out of the team also. They weren´t even World Champions in ´72, Czechoslovakia was.

In ´72, The Soviets were certainly behind Canadians in some aspects of the game (physicality, toughness, shooting) but I think the average Soviet was more skillful than average Canadian.
 
Last edited:

Reks

Registered User
Oct 23, 2006
247
2
2+2=4, eh?

Of course it would have made things tougher for them, but things aren´t that simple and I think the Soviets had also some "excuses"...

The father of Soviet hockey Anatoli Tarasov was made to quit as a coach of the national team prior to the series and their star player Anatoli Firsov was forced out of the team also. They weren´t even World Champions in ´72, Czechoslovakia was.

Just two additions.
First, the best (or maybe the second best after Vasiliev) Soviet defenceman of that time - Davudov was forced out of the team as well.
Second, in 1972 the Soviets lost World Championship but won Olympics.
 

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