+krowboom How do you know his ankle was broken? You believe soviet propaganda? he died in a car crash and they say he was not the driver but rather a person with no license was???
+Boris Rangelov Clark took a 2 handed swing of his stick at his ankle with the intention of taking him out. Esposito said if Clark didn't do it I would have done it. This is hockey? Bobby Clarke although a very good player was known as a cheap shot dirty player protected by Dave Shultz. The league held their noses when they talked about the Flyers. The league in those days was dominated by goons, dirty play, and brawls, a big reason hockey was nationally a minor league sport that prompted the sarcastic mot, I went to a boxing match and a hockey game broke out.
I remember every minute of this series like it was yesterday.Was Clarke’s hit dirty-yes.Was Boris Mikhalevs KICK at Gary Bergman dirty?If you didn’t watch this series start to finish,there is no way to explain the level of emotion.Even Esposito admitted that he would have done anything to beat the Soviets and that scared him.You had to there in 72,old videos simply can’t explain it fully
NHL back in the 70's and early 80's was nothing but a fight-club on ice. The Big Swede Borje Salming have 500+ stitches all over his body for crying out loud. The problem was that European hockeyplayers was playing another type of hockey than NHL. Lucky for us - NHL has adjusted. Good for all.
The Islander and Oiler dynasties (especially the Oilers) really changed the direction from the post 67 expansion era ..the Oiler system was hybird version of the Soviet game adjusted for the NHL..suffice with the right players it worked big time
@@reesepacker7983 Actually, after the Oilers had succeeded the Islanders in the '84 Cup final; coach Glen Sather credited the Winnipeg Jets (of the WHA) for how the Oilers had molded their own hockey club. The WHA Jets imported the top Swedish and Finnish players of the 1970s and implemented the finesse and criss-crossing European style of play on the ice.
Nasty, dirty ass play. I understand why it happened. I understand that, in order to for us to win, it had to happen...I couldn't have done it. It takes a far colder person than I am to do something like this. Just brutal.
I think Henderson, years later, criticized Clarke for the slash . Clarke was defended by sports media (?) and Henderson was criticized for his comments .
When even Damien Cox of the Toronto Star takes Clarke’s side, you know that the soviets weren’t the sweet & innocent good guys that they were made out to be.
The Soviet hockey team were on ice criminals, while at the same time good hockey players . There is another incident that I heard was the Russians would kick the opposition . Garry Bergman had holes in his shin pads from being kicked by the Russians .
Henderson said once that whatever the Russians did to us, we did back to them ten times over ... so, yeah, Canada definitely thugged-it-up in order to come back from 3-1 deficit and win the series.
Were you ever at a Flin Flon Bomber game in the 60's or early 70's or the Estevan Bruin vs. Flin Flon Bomber blood baths? If so you get Bobby Clarke style of play.
my father played Bobby in juniors, bobby laid a hit on my dad who said it was clean, later that shift bobby went up to him on the ice and told him “u better keep your head up eh kid?”
One of the most despicable Canadians ever to play the game. An utter disgrace. Who cares about the trophies he won? It doesn't absolve him of his moral vacuity. Nobody ought to be proud when victories come through wanton brutality.
AnEducator He was paid to win hockey games, otherwise he would never have left Flin Flon. Have you ever been to Flin Flon? When the coach tells you to do something you get on the ice and you do it.
Hmm, how about if the Flin Flon coach or whatever coach tells you to shoot somebody? Or, say, break his leg with a bat when he's walking out of the hotel where he's staying? Just trying to measure you in terms of value theory morality.
efilperpenfuhrer Pro hockey in the 70's was brutal, in juniors it was even worse. I'm not defending it, just stating a simple fact. Bobby Clarke was named MVP of the NHL the following season.
efilperpenfuhrer, the Soviets had the KGB eavesdropping on Team Canada meetings, the Canadians had to deal with sleep deprivation since there were random phone calls in the middle if the night and loud noises and they were shadowed everywhere they went. What does that have to do with hockey. Maybe you overlooked that and the spearing and kicking by the Soviet players; of course maybe you're a commie stooge. Bobby Clarke slashed a player on the ice.....and???????
Bobby Smith was a very good player, but I don't know if I would call him one of the best. I hope that is who you were thinking of, and not that uneducated, cowardly moron Bobby Clarke
Would it be so bad if it happened in game 1 or 2 ?In the end I don’t believe it taints us. Look in the player’s eyes and say it’s only hockey. It started as such and ended in our favour and gave the ussr a chance to be free. In a way.
If you watch the whole 8 game series you will see that both teams were guilty of nasty stick work. And I love how most everyone points the finger at Bobby while the Soviets were equally brutal with stick digs and skate kicking. Pffft
Алексей Нырков "Were the first Canadians to be rude ! Or do you think we will smile when they beat us ? Ha-ha, you do not know a damn thing we Russian =)" What does this even mean? Can you translate this train wreck of a thought????? English please.
Foster Hewitt was light years behind the play, he should have stuck with radio because nobody would ever have known how slow he was, and Bill was no better.
it must be admitted that this sneaky trick eventually brought Canada victory in the super series. it is difficult to overestimate Kharlamov's role in that national team, he was its heart. he was traveling to Canada with an injured leg, and knowing this, they aimed at this particular ankle
olegruss YOU stated that - "If not for this slash, injuring Kharlamov, the Canadians would never have won the series" That's like saying, "Good thing the Union won the Civil ar or there would still be slavery in the USA". You can't know that. The bottom line is the Canadians WON the series. You can 'what if' all you want, but they won. WHAT IF Foreman didn't get tired against Ali? WHAT IF Bill Bucknor fields that easy ground ball to first? WHAT IF Gretzky didn't go to Edmonton? Can teams still win without their best players???? Hell yeah!! I didn't see Hull and Orr on Team Canada in '72 and they were arguably the two best Canadian-born players at that time. Canada won despite them NOT being there.
Scott Q You're right, we can't know for sure. But keeping in mind that the play was pretty much equal, it's quite plausible to suppose that hurting the other team's best player affected the result. Yes, teams can win occasionally without their best players, but usually they lose. So, let it be, "If not for this slash, the Canadians could quite possibly have lost the series".
+herrdocjdm Do you know what would have happened if they had lost the series? I was only 9 years old at the time, but I remember well what it was like. This was a war. John Ferguson told Clarke to take out Kharlamov so that is what he did.
Oh really. That's the old Nazi concentration camp guard "just following orders" canard. Do you realize how ridiculous you sound? And how exactly was this a "war". Have you ever served your country, been in armed combat, seen first hand the devastation that war can wreak? To make such a callous comparison demeans and diminishes all who experience armed combat. It was a silly hockey game and you sir are a sad little man.
+herrdocjdm I clearly remember the Saturday after the Vancouver game, when Canada played poorly and lost. I was actually in the hospital with pneumonia. It was all anyone talked about. Patients, doctors, visitors. People were furious. A bunch of Communists were beating us at our national game! I'm sure it sounds silly now, but it was deadly serious then. If they had come back as losers, it would have followed them for the rest of their lives that they were part of this national disgrace. Dryden said he had visions of coming home as the most hated man in Canada.
+herrdocjdm Professionals trading as amateurs - isn't that dirty? Like countless other dirty tricks by the soviets yet only Clarke is remembered, although the broken ankle is a myth, I don't believe it was broken.
Yeah, it's all pretty easy when you're oppressing your population on one hand and telling them they're living in a workers' paradise on the other. Delivering rocket engines to NASA? Not during Soviet times, they weren't. You're mixing your timeframes up.
Maybe also because the USSR just could not afford to make everything of high quality after terrible material losses it suffered in the Secind Warld War. The US in turn had no war on their territory and earned a lot of money financing the war overseas. However, let us not forget that it was the "third world" USSR that made the first manned flight to space, first nuclear power statio and many more. And last but not least, this was the "third world" USSR that somehow managed to create a national sports system that has such hockey (and not only hockey) teams as we see in this video that kicked your precious "first world" asses for our amusement.
Gotta love clarkie, dude was an abesolute competitor. Back in the 70s Hockey was a different sport in North America than it is today. Rules like that weren’t really heavily enforced until probably late 80s early 90s. Then the game became a prettier and less gritty version of yesterday’s game. Of course it was dirty... it was a dirty play in a dirty series in a dirty time of Hockey. Russians were not innocent in these regards too. However a slash like that to the best player on your team... even in today’s Hockey someone would immediately charge after Clarke for a fight. Really shows a lack of heart by the Russians. Have enough respect for yourself and your team to not get bullied like that
Clarkie just did what the coaching staff told him to do...slow down Kharlamov,,,,,, WCJHL First All-Star Team (1968, 1969) WCJHL Player of the Year (1969) Bill Masterton Trophy (1972) NHL Second All-Star Team (1973, 1974) Lester B. Pearson Award (1973) Hart Memorial Trophy (1973, 1975, 1976) NHL First All-Star Team (1975, 1976) NHL Plus/Minus Leader (1976) Lester Patrick Trophy (1980) Frank J. Selke Trophy (1983) Played in NHL All-Star Game (1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1977, 1978) 'Nuf said.
A much needed slash! The Soviets had the refs in their pockets. The Soviets cheated in every way possible. But Canada ‘fought like tigers’ and was able to win the series!
The only way to beat the Soviets is to form a tournament (Canada Cup) designed with Canadian born refs that are instructed to turn their heads to the Canadian players dirty playing. The Canada Cup was designed to get back at the Soviets for totally embarrassing them during this series and during one on ones with the NHL teams that were used to beating up on the garbage AHL quality expansion era teams that filled up the NHL during Orrs overrated time in the league. It’s just a fact that NHL fans have to deny and live with.
In game 5 on the play Henderson was concussed #10 on Russia I think it was Evgeny Zimin slashed Henderson behind the knee, that was the reason Henderson slide into the boards out of control! That was MUCH worse than the Clarke incident!!
№ 10 it was Mailtsev. Henderson didn't leave the game, scored last goal in Game 5. He also played in Game 6,7 and 8. Acting skills of a "concussion" were appreciated. Kharlamov didn't played in Game 7, exactly as a result of a Clarke's trick and was uneffective in Game 8. Also he scored a goal, but "Russian ref" Kompalla "didn't see it
@@Andyvas375 Yeah one incident could have killed someone the other not so much! Also talk about SOFT!! Kharlamov should have been able to play through his injury. I guess you can see how much the Russians hated their own country! If Kharlamov loved his country he should have played!!
@@discoveryman59 Man, your comment disappeared. But, may be, try one more time, I'll help u. "If Canada would have Hull and Orr, trained, eat, sleep...together 11 month a year, Soviets would't have any chance". But man you've strayed from the subject. What about slash? Is it good or not?
@@Andyvas375 Slash was a dick move BUT!!!! The Russia team was a horribly dirty team kicking, spearing. The thing that was just amazing was with all the garbage the Russians tied, Canada KICK THEIR ASSES!! Bloody machine guns all around the rink, steeling food, calls at all hours of the night, nothing worked!
The soviets played a dirty game. Sneaky dirty, too. And of course the refs in russia saw none of that. Fuck em. Play the scenario over 100 times and I'd hope Clarke would do the same thing 100 times again.
Soviets tea the real winner of the séries , Canada don't fairplay, Clarke thats absolute bad dirty slachs and Bergman's , gosorhety , Parisé , Ellis, , violence . Cournyer the most anti-sports player , I never saw! most shoot after the call and many slashs stick on the soviet!!!!
Clarke voluntarily broke Kharlamov's ankle with a well-calculated hit - it is totally clear. Kharlamov was one of the best players of the Soviet team. Not counting the other dirty trick in that game. This is why Canada won the Series. Shame on Canada.
Most Canadian fans don't want to hear it, or read it, they're still waving the flag and drinking up -- in the end, their team had better goons, but they sure as hell didn't prove superior to the Soviets.
Bobby Clarke was the dirtiest and most cowardly player ever to play the game. John Ferguson another asshole, ordered the hit and the most talented player on either side, Valeri Kharlamov, suffered a broken ankle and was ineffective during the balance of the series. There is no way Canada would have won the series with Kharlamov skating circles around the shameful Canadian team. Russia was by far superior to Canada in every aspect except for the cheap shots.
Give me a break. The Canadian players made it clear that Kharlamov in particular was the Soviet's best player in the Summit Series. So instead of trying to overcome him as a team, Bobby Clarke makes it a point to deliberately injure him with a hack from his stick. "A part of hockey occasionally", yeah and occasionally when this happens in actual hockey leagues like the NHL he would've been looking at a big suspension. Because it was, you know, completely illegal.
I'm not disputing that and I realize that suspensions weren't as severe back then as they are today. But come on, Clarke's full intention was to injure Kharlamov to help Canada's chances in winning the series, which ended up working. I don't care what sport or during what time period, that's despicable sportsmanship.
+AtrHoliday Had we have known about "The Slash" at the time it occurred, I am sure that Clarke would have been criticized by the Canadian public, who would have seen it as bad sportsmanship. Unfortunately, few people knew about it until 1992. Why didn't the Soviets complain about it in 1972? Or would this have made them feel like hypocrites, considering all the dirty play they were guilty of on the ice and all the shenanigans they were pulling off the ice?
+Jim Stark Listen here, how about when Boris Mahailov started Kicking Gary Bergman in the Shins, its on tape,Your a moron if you think that was the only dirt in the Series, the Soviets, were spearing, Calling in the Middle of the night at the players room, they had Microphones to listen in on the Canadian teams game plan. Boris Mahailov, you think the Soviets were clean and classy, your an idiot, they were Dirty, they speared, they picked their own Referee's to Guarantee a win, but Canada never gave up. Besides Clark never Broke Kharlamovs leg, because Kharlamov, was back in the third period, nearly beating Ken Dryden in front of the net. it was just soviet Propaganda. Anjd Stark you can shut your Dumb Communist mouth now. The Soviets were Dirty F'kers, and I'm Glad Clark Did it. you can shut your Damn mouth about Court and that Bullshit.
Coady: 3-time Hart Trophy winner / 2-time Stanley Cup Champion / Selke Trophy Winner / 1st time ballot inductee to the Hockey Hall of Fame. Hardly a joke....much like yourself.
Henderson, himself, said once that whatever the Russians did to us, we did back to them ten times over ... so, yeah, Canada definitely thugged-it-up to help come back from a 3-1 deficit and win the series. The thuggery wasn't everything, but it sure helped. The slash on Kharlamov, their best player, was a crucial part of that. Even Clarke has said that he "hunted him down" in doing so ....
Igor Kuperman, Soviet Sports Journalist: "Yes, it was a slash, but I don’t think it’s worth talking about for 50 years. There were so many moments in this series that a player would be suspended for life under today’s rules."
"There were so many moments" - most of those moments being dirty tricks by Canada - in between playing in Canada and USSR, Canada played Sweden - it was a blood bath.
" I don’t think it’s worth talking about for 50 years." But we hear much more and very much so of the glorious comeback of Canada and Henderson's goal than about how Canada really won the series. Much much more. Over and over again during those 50 years. Henderson's goal was beautiful - but in normal circumstances - USSR would have won the series in a previous game.
"There were so many moments in this series that a player would be suspended for life under today’s rules." And in those years under international olympic rules. Those barbaric practices did indeed work in the NHL - that's how the Phildalphia Flyers got some Stanley cups.
@@raymondlabelle387 Like when the Canadians confiscated the food and alcohol of the Soviets when they came over and called their hotels early in the morning to wake them up… oh no wait, that was the Soviets who did that to the Canadians. And the Soviets played dirty as well, they just knew how to do it away from the cameras and referees as Stan Mikita said during an interview in between periods. And yes, the Soviets shouldn’t have lost 3 games in a row on home soil but they got complacent after game 5 as they themselves admitted. That’s Canada’s fault?
It's sad a team can't win without playing dirty for example taking out the star player of another which happened in 1972. Clarke and esposito were both dirty players I understand canada wanted to win the series for their country, but I just wonder how they must feel knowing that this slash changed the series and that soviets very well could have and probably would have won it. Nothing against canada but I feel russia against all odds of going against nhl stars, dealing with dirty plays from some of the Canadian players, and not receiving a handshake after game one from the Canadian players since they lacked sportsmanship deserved to win the series.
you wanna talk dirty? How about when the Canadians were in Russia, the players were constantly harassed at the hotel when they were trying to sleep. They were threatened and treated horribly.
You seem to forget Boris Mikhalevs KICK at Gary Bergman, and Maltseve gave Henderson a two hander in game 5, he fell into the boards and suffered a concussion. Let's not act like the Soviets played squeaky-clean hockey.
Typical Bobby Clarke. 2-handed slash with intent to injure. When confronted, he shoves guy, skates away and lets someone else do his fighting for him. Clarke couldn't carry Kharlamov's jock
@@bneale He only stated facts, truth. I'm Canadian and love our hockey dominance and am always delighted to see Russia lose ... but I'm deeply ashamed of Bobby Clarke's behavior in the Summit Series. Tarnished the whole win.
@@charlesdansereau-menard3347 i actually just learned about this entire series. looking back i see it as something that had to be done. it was take out kharlamov or canada loses to the USSR
@@mitcharmitage687 If Canada couldnt win without injuring on purpose the #1 opponent , then Canada didnt deserve to win in the first place. This is all really shameful because I think Canada would've still won it all even without taking out Kharlamov. But we'll never know. (By the way, FYI : Bobby Clarke slashed Kharlamov's ankle because Team Canada's assistant-coach, John Ferguson, ordered him to do so. "This guy is killing us... You need to take him out of the game" ... And Clarke obeyed. Shame.)
@@charlesdansereau-menard3347 i believe esposito said “if clarke didn’t do it i would have done it myself. because of simple patriotism, during the time, i think the ends justify the means
@@fastfootedone Clarke also lifted the first ever Canada Cup in 1976. He was playing hurt but still scored a goal in the clinching game and he didn't slash anybody in that tourney. That was the best team Canada ever assembled for international play.
wow what a piece of $#1t! He grabbed that hockey stick like a sword right before the strike. literally! And they dared get in Valery's face after that dirtiest slash in history of hockey?? decent thing to do would've been to at least do nothing and walk away, asides from unlikliest apology.
Bobby Clarke didn’t deserve any of his victories, after breaking kharloves ankle he never played another game and if kharlove was still playing Russians would have won
@@69opsman, if he deserved it, because he was the most skilled and talented player in the world at the time then you are right, other wise calling someone a POS without a lick of proof smells like hate and bias. Only point you made, is that you are a hateful and jealous turd.
It was ok for the Russians to do all that Spearing though. That Series turned from an exhibition into an all out war in ice. A lot of Players did a lot of nasty things. Bobby Clarke was just one of many. God Bless Paul Henderson. 🙏
@@MsSmitty9 Nobody said that the Soviets' spearing and kicks were ok. BUT nothing, and I mean nothing, the Soviets did was AS VIOLENT and wrong as Clarke's choping down Kharlamov's ankle, without even trying to hide it. NONE of Canada's top players were taken out of the game because of the Soviets' cheap shots. However, Clarke took out USSR' best player. That's the difference. F*ck Bobby Clarke. (and I'm Canadian and love when Canada win and Russia loses. But not with this kind of violent Clarke bullshit)
@@charlesdansereau-menard3347 Clarke showed them he meant business when it came to the chippy stuff. Good or bad he made his point. It was nasty but so was the Russian brand of stick work. They got away with a lot. Canada got penalized for retaliation. Again , Clark had had enough. Not to mention that was his brand of hockey in general. Don’t ever forget he was the leader of the Broad Street Bullies.
@@MsSmitty9 Nothing the Soviets did justified such violence from Clarke. I know all about the Soviets' cheap shots, I know about the biased referees, I know about the BroadStreet Bullies (where Clarke was a coward who hid behind the many goons on that team) ... NONE of all this justifies Clarke's slash on Kharlamov. 100% exagerated and totally tarnished Canada's win. FYI : 1. Most of USSR' cheap shots and dirty play took place after Clarke's slash. (Not all, but most) 2. Not a single Canada player was taken out of the game injured because of a Soviet dirty play. On the other hand, Clarke took out USSR's #1 player who was really hurting Canada since Game #1 3. Most important : Clarke did not slash Kharlamov to make his point about chippy stuff, he took him out violently because Canada's assistant-coach (John Ferguson) ordered him to do so!! because Kharlamov was their top player and giving Canada a lotta problems. SHAME on John Ferguson and Bobby Clarke. And I'm Canadian and love Canadian hockey and love to see Russia lose.... but SHAME on Ferguson and Clarke. Much respect to Paul Henderson who criticized Clarke's violent slash.
Kharlamov was the best player in the series. RIP. Never recall Clarke backing up his cheap shots in a fight,,always had his goons show up to do the fighting. Of course that all ended when Hab Larry Robinson sorted out all the Flyer goons,,,Habs went on to win many cups. Never respected Clarke.
I'm all for tough, hard-nosed hockey, but that wasn't tough at all. That was as gutless as a sucker punch. His only intent was to injure. Nothing to be proud of there for Clarke. It exposed their very real and justified fear of getting beat in the series. Kharlamov was their star and would've played first line on any NHL franchise at that time.
Both sides played pretty dirty, but Canada was worse. That one dude actually raised his stick over the refs head for christs sake. No one outside Canada really considers this to be a legitimate victory because of how dirty Canada was. That slash was ridiculous. And then Canada is getting in Kharlamov's face cuz he retaliated a bit? Instead of saying "yeah we were wrong now get in the penalty box Clarke".
there was dirty play on both sides, but in the end, Canada punked them in their own rink in front of Brezhnev and the commie leaders ;-) - wonder how many Soviet players were shipped to Siberia
At the time, *no one else* saw it either. It happened so fast and is so blended into the action that they eye doesn't really catch it. Anyone who says they remember it from then is fibbing -- there was no mention of it anywhere in the press, and believe me, I've looked. It wasn't mentioned anywhere until Henderson brought it up twenty years after the fact, then all of the sudden you have all these people with "repressed memories" of the incident. Were there Russian hockey telecasts from that time? It would be interesting to know if *they* saw it.
That's wild! I couldn't see it either until you gave the time. Now it looks so blatantly obvious I don't know how I missed it hahaha. Wind up on it and everything!
@@mikeh7827 this is why "eye witness account" in court shouldn't be taken as seriously as it is. people miss things, details, or just get things entirely wrong. if you were watching this and were to say who was at fault and someone goes to jail, you wouldn't have picked it out.
Wow Clarke didn't even try to hide that slash, you can see him draw back his stick and wait for the moment before he strikes. I lost all respect for him years later when he was caught on audio and video, while on the bench during a playoff game, calling the referee a "f'ing queer" after a call went against the Flyers.
Nice try. Kharlamov wasn't even in the top 20 in the world. Plus that Soviet team played and practiced for years together whereas the Canadian team was thrown together in a hurry. Canada always been wayyy better than Soviets or Russians
@@karlfalckh3498 they learned quickly :-), Gretzky, Lemieux ...top two players against top line or top five, wonderful finals.... 20 years is Canada number 1, after Nagano, but thanks to its european style and that's good
The Flyers were called The Broad Street Bullies for good reason. And remember their antics in their game against the Red Army a few years later. Bobby Clarke was part of that disgraceful show.
I think he was the tallest to play, until Chara. I'm not sure of it though, so don't hold me to it. Just stating what I believe to be true. If I am wrong, someone please point it out and I will delete this.
There's a video on YT of game 5 of the 1975 quarter-final series between the Canadiens and the Vancouver Canucks. You'll notice how both Mahovlich and Canucks' defenseman Bob Dailey (both 6'5") stick out like sore thumbs! They wouldn't in today's NHL.
Soviet players were better educated and trained. In North Americans people who play sports are type of mafia goons thugs, they never got education or and moral study. In North America. People with good education don’t play sport
Before this dirty shot Ussr was leading series 3-1. Break some bone in best opponets players body is tactic of teams that cant win in normal circumstances. By 2024 standarts this is cheap , dirty and unsportsman .By 1972 standarts maybe it was normal i dont know didnt live in that time.
Алексей Нырков Worlds are not best on best you moron. Canada Cup/Summit Series/World Cup/Olympics since 1998 are all best on best with no restrictions on who can be named to the team. The Stanley Cup is still going on during the Worlds lol. Get fucked commie. Canada has only lost 3 best on best competitions. So you sit down and shut up. You russians should be used to that now with Putin.
Ya, Clarkes's a disgrace. WCJHL First All-Star Team (1968, 1969) WCJHL Player of the Year (1969) Bill Masterton Trophy (1972) NHL Second All-Star Team (1973, 1974) Lester B. Pearson Award (1973) Hart Memorial Trophy (1973, 1975, 1976) NHL First All-Star Team (1975, 1976) NHL Plus/Minus Leader (1976) Lester Patrick Trophy (1980) Frank J. Selke Trophy (1983) Played in NHL All-Star Game (1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1977, 1978)....AND probably the first diabetic to play in the NHL, when doctors initially told him he couldn't play pro hockey because of his disease....sorry, your statement of "disgrace" seems to be without merit.
That slash exposes another huge difference between the NHL and Soviet teams back then: If Clarke had done the same thing to, for example Gretzky, he would have left the arena in a stretcher. He would've been a marked man for a very long time.
yes, but with these matches the USA and Canada learned to play hockey and that is why they are where they are today, Canada is certainly the best in the 21st century, but they had to start playing hockey, such as these Russians then and then
Maltseve gave Henderson a two hander in game 5, he fell into the boards and suffered a concussion. He missed a few shifts but played later in the game.
"профессионалы" оказались мифом. обосрались на весь мир... Играть толком не умеют, только могут скандалы и истерику закатывать, чтобы под шумок отдохнуть и сил набрать....
Canadians acted like a bunch of pathetic goons (I'm Canadian, btw) especially Bobby Clarke and JP Parise. Because of that, I have never been able, to this day, to enjoy Canada's "win". (At the end I was even rooting for the USSR).
Ya, look what Canada did in 76 with Bobby Orr on one leg and Bobby Hull. It wouldn't have been nearly as close as it was in 72 with those two guys playing.
I agree, also Derek sanderson, and jc Tremblay and paul Schmir, if I spelled his last name right were also picked, but, couldn't play because of the WHA, and Belliveau and Howe retired one year earlier.I also wondered why Keon and Vadnais were not picked.
lenze eh Enough whining. Physical and skilled went up against fast and skilled. The former won 4-3-1. If you want to cry about a slash, go ahead, but Clarke got 2 minutes and a 10 minute misconduct, during which the Soviets scored a goal. Further, Canada played 8 games without Bobby Orr and Bobby Hull, which within itself is a big loss.
Нужно было таким же методом выключить из игры Хендерсона. Он последние три игры в этой серии забивал победные голы. Эти дебилоиды поняли, что есть игроки превосходящие их самих в технике и выносливости и что победить их в честной игре мало-реалистично. Вот они и решили, чтобы добыть победу, нужно избавиться от сильных соперников.
@@Clarkie1 For a second there I thought there weren't many Canadians who display as much cowardice and lack of sportsmanship as this Clarke fella. Thank you for proving me wrong.
Disgraceful play by Bobby Clarke who made a career out of cheap shots but wouldn't fight his own battles. I hated the Soviets in that series but there is no excuse for what Clarke did.
@@DenisPetrov1980 - Oh, there was something about "We will bury you!" and putting nuclear missiles in Cuba and promising to conquer the world that just rubbed me the wrong way.
@@deanschulze3129 oh, how about your nuclear missiles in Turkey first? How about the plans of bombing the USSR with nuclear bombs in late 40s and 50s? How about sending your u2 planes fly over our territory?
@@DenisPetrov1980 - Your moral equivalence argument is ridiculous. The US never threatened world conquest. The Soviets renewed that call every year. The US has never been a police state. When the Canadian players and fans arrived in Moscow they were greeted by soldiers with automatic weapons. There were soldiers with automatic weapons at the arena where the games were played. The players found listening devices in their hotel rooms. And of course the food and beer that the Canadian team brought to Moscow were stolen.
@@deanschulze3129 the US never threatened the world conquest... nevertheless, there are hundreds of us military bases all around the world and it was the US that conducted countless military operations on the territories of independent countries without any invitation. And is doing so until now. These are hard facts.
Russia hasn't won a best on best tournament since 1981... the only one they've ever won. 1976 CC Canada, 1981 CC Russia, 1984 CC Canada, 1987 CC Canada, 1991 CC Canada, 1996 WC USA, 1998 OL Czech Republic, 2002 OL Canada, 2004 WC Canada, 2006 OL Sweden , 2010 OL Canada, 2014 OL Canada
Soviets didn't sent their bests in 1976,1984,1991 CC. Only in 1981 and 87. After 1991- not USSR. And u forget "Series of the Century"(Challenge Cup 1979). All top Canadians+ 3 Swedes, result 6-0 in Soviets favour in final game
murra84 And what was the name of the DDR referee that according to Esposito couldn't even skate? He was instrumental in USSR wins in 1972. Compared to him Koharsky was perfect.
from Boston THE NHL did not make a good deal for themselves, Because they only allowed Canadian born players to play, and not allow people who jumped to the WHA participate they made it tough, Foreign born Kern Hodge, Stan Mikita, Bobby Hull, ,and others could not play. There's 150 goals right there. Add to the fact that Bobby Orr could not play, and it was rough. With these people in the lineup and Orr, Canada would have blown them out..............
JAY DAVIDSON Mikita played in the series. Ken Hodge was too slow. Hull signed with the NHL, there is no way Eagleson could have let him play in the series after that.
+JAY DAVIDSON Hodge and Mikita were both Canadian citizens (raised in Canada despite being born elsewhere). Hodge could have been been selected but wasn't. Mikita played. A lot of people say "yeah but only Canadian players could play", but it wasn't like today. Almost every player in the league in 1972 was from Canada. Europeans hadn't come over yet and there was only a tiny handful of Americans like Tom Williams, Stan Gilbertson and Bob Paradise. Certainly not guys who would have been considered for this team. "Team Canada" and "NHL All-Stars" were pretty much synonymous at the time, and would be for another few years. I agree on the team handcuffing themselves by not allowing WHA players to play, a real tragedy that we could have corrected. And Orr being injured, of course. Team Canada 1974 (WHA) excluded Americans, but guys like Pleau, Sheehan and Niekamp wouldn't have really helped the team much. The two that could have made the team, Mark and Marty Howe, were on that team as they were dual citizens through their dad Gordie. By 76, you had European stars in the NHL/WHA like Salming and Hedberg, and a few quality Americans like Ftorek and Sargent.
+Mark Stephens from Jay Davidson in Boston Well I was only 18 at the time and can only go by what Hodge told the media that he was shunned because he was born in England I cannot believe they had Cash and ESPO that they would not make available the BEST line in the NHL It';s a shame Orr was not healthy as he would have made life a lot easier. Another thing that has never been discussed is why Dryden who was AWESOME in the NHL, played like CRAP in this series, and Tony Chokosito was not much better Phil Esposito ws never the same player after this series It went to his head and he was a distraction on and off the ice.
Bucyk did not make it either, for the same reason, too slow. Sinden deserves credit for having the sense to pick only Espo from his old team. I was a huge Bruin fan in those days.
As a Canadian I was embarrassed by how Canada played. If the series was based on hockey skill and coaching the Russians would have easily beaten that Canadian team.
Overstated. Both teams were very talented. Some of the greatest players of the decade. After watching all the games again, the teams were well matched, so was the skill, and so was the coaching. Certain aspect the USSR were better and others the Canadians were better. As far as officiating in USSR - it was bias against Canada for the games played in Soviet Russia. It was compelling hockey for the differences in style. The Russian thought Canada’s game was brutal but most of the checking was legal by NHL standards. By contrast the spearing which almost always involved a Canadian victim, was something NHLers were not used of. By any measure, this was an epic series.
After the series was over the Russian Coach was asked what made the biggest difference in the final outcome.....his answer was Bobby Clarke.....
What do you think the Canadians would have done if one of the soviets broke Phil Espositos ankle and put him out of the series?
***** Cried like the bitches they were on the ice. They were pathetic.
+krowboom They Soviets were dirty but were more sneaky about it. Apparently they kicked holes through the shin guards of some of our guys.
+Leila Keith yeah, Mikhailov kicked a hole through Bergmans shin pad.
+krowboom How do you know his ankle was broken? You believe soviet propaganda? he died in a car crash and they say he was not the driver but rather a person with no license was???
+Boris Rangelov
Clark took a 2 handed swing of his stick at his ankle with the intention of taking him out. Esposito said if Clark didn't do it I would have done it. This is hockey? Bobby Clarke although a very good player was known as a cheap shot dirty player protected by Dave Shultz. The league held their noses when they talked about the Flyers. The league in those days was dominated by goons, dirty play, and brawls, a big reason hockey was nationally a minor league sport that prompted the sarcastic mot, I went to a boxing match and a hockey game broke out.
I remember every minute of this series like it was yesterday.Was Clarke’s hit dirty-yes.Was Boris Mikhalevs KICK at Gary Bergman dirty?If you didn’t watch this series start to finish,there is no way to explain the level of emotion.Even Esposito admitted that he would have done anything to beat the Soviets and that scared him.You had to there in 72,old videos simply can’t explain it fully
The kick on Bergman was overly exaggerated. Did Bergman miss any games?
@@hziegler Kicking is never over exaggerated
@@hziegler Kicking with skates on is malicious, irresponsible nonsense.
Bergman was bleeding from that little stunt.
I heard Bergman had holes in his shin pads from being kicked with skates .
@@FischerFan bordering on criminal but Berrrggmann was a rock !!!
Tonya Harding Clarke
agreed
Exactly.
Nevermind Boris Mikhalev KICKING Gary Bergman earlier, right?
@tipigi💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩3570
@@jeffroegner1499 Sorry if facts hurt your itty bitty feelings bro...
Bobby Clarke now that is a Canadian. Absolute Nail. Flin Flon Manitoba.
NHL back in the 70's and early 80's was nothing but a fight-club on ice. The Big Swede Borje Salming have 500+ stitches all over his body for crying out loud. The problem was that European hockeyplayers was playing another type of hockey than NHL. Lucky for us - NHL has adjusted. Good for all.
The Islander and Oiler dynasties (especially the Oilers) really changed the direction from the post 67 expansion era ..the Oiler system was hybird version of the Soviet game adjusted for the NHL..suffice with the right players it worked big time
@@reesepacker7983 Actually, after the Oilers had succeeded the Islanders in the '84 Cup final; coach Glen Sather credited the Winnipeg Jets (of the WHA) for how the Oilers had molded their own hockey club.
The WHA Jets imported the top Swedish and Finnish players of the 1970s and implemented the finesse and criss-crossing European style of play on the ice.
The Oilers copied the greatest team Canadiens , especially 1976-77 team@@reesepacker7983
Nasty, dirty ass play. I understand why it happened. I understand that, in order to for us to win, it had to happen...I couldn't have done it. It takes a far colder person than I am to do something like this. Just brutal.
I think Henderson, years later, criticized Clarke for the slash . Clarke was defended by sports media (?) and Henderson was criticized for his comments .
When even Damien Cox of the Toronto Star takes Clarke’s side, you know that the soviets weren’t the sweet & innocent good guys that they were made out to be.
Maltsev gave Henderson a two hander in game 5, he then fell into the boards suffering a concussion .No talk about that one.
The Soviet hockey team were on ice criminals, while at the same time good hockey players . There is another incident that I heard was the Russians would kick the opposition . Garry Bergman had holes in his shin pads from being kicked by the Russians .
Henderson was right.
Henderson said once that whatever the Russians did to us, we did back to them ten times over ... so, yeah, Canada definitely thugged-it-up in order to come back from 3-1 deficit and win the series.
Emotions were running high it those games,,a lot of hate
Were you ever at a Flin Flon Bomber game in the 60's or early 70's or the Estevan Bruin vs. Flin Flon Bomber blood baths? If so you get Bobby Clarke style of play.
W
my father played Bobby in juniors, bobby laid a hit on my dad who said it was clean, later that shift bobby went up to him on the ice and told him “u better keep your head up eh kid?”
Quite the slash...
One of the most despicable Canadians ever to play the game. An utter disgrace. Who cares about the trophies he won? It doesn't absolve him of his moral vacuity. Nobody ought to be proud when victories come through wanton brutality.
AnEducator He was paid to win hockey games, otherwise he would never have left Flin Flon. Have you ever been to Flin Flon? When the coach tells you to do something you get on the ice and you do it.
Hmm, how about if the Flin Flon coach or whatever coach tells you to shoot somebody? Or, say, break his leg with a bat when he's walking out of the hotel where he's staying? Just trying to measure you in terms of value theory morality.
efilperpenfuhrer Pro hockey in the 70's was brutal, in juniors it was even worse. I'm not defending it, just stating a simple fact. Bobby Clarke was named MVP of the NHL the following season.
GuyCybershy
Gotcha, Chiefy.
efilperpenfuhrer, the Soviets had the KGB eavesdropping on Team Canada meetings, the Canadians had to deal with sleep deprivation since there were random phone calls in the middle if the night and loud noises and they were shadowed everywhere they went. What does that have to do with hockey. Maybe you overlooked that and the spearing and kicking by the Soviet players; of course maybe you're a commie stooge. Bobby Clarke slashed a player on the ice.....and???????
One of the best players to ever play. Bobby!
Cole Beattie Твой Кларк ГАВНО! Михайлов ЛУЧШИЙ!!!
Bobby Smith was a very good player, but I don't know if I would call him one of the best. I hope that is who you were thinking of, and not that uneducated, cowardly moron Bobby Clarke
Canadian hockey's lowest point. Something as a Canadian I felt ashamed of . Still do.
Me too, Jim M
Glad to know that gents.. as a Russian I am pissed off at him like my father was .. what a shame !
Would it be so bad if it happened in game 1 or 2 ?In the end I don’t believe it taints us. Look in the player’s eyes and say it’s only hockey. It started as such and ended in our favour and gave the ussr a chance to be free. In a way.
Bobby Hull said Orr was the best player on the ice (and that's with a bum knee)... Correction: 76 series?
Correct. Orr missed the 72 Summit Series.
@@mikefitz6957 Thanks Mike
would Orr have had any influence in the 72 series ???
@@brucewayne3602 most likely
@@brucewayne3602 does Batman influence crime in Gotham City?
If you watch the whole 8 game series you will see that both teams were guilty of nasty stick work. And I love how most everyone points the finger at Bobby while the Soviets were equally brutal with stick digs and skate kicking. Pffft
Were the first Canadians to be rude ! Or do you think we will smile when they beat us ? Ha-ha, you do not know a damn thing we Russian =)
Алексей Нырков You lost. deal with it.
Lobstertainment What nonsense is this ?
Алексей Нырков "Were the first Canadians to be rude ! Or do you think we will smile when they beat us ? Ha-ha, you do not know a damn thing we Russian =)" What does this even mean? Can you translate this train wreck of a thought????? English please.
C какой стати, я должен тебе что-то переводить на английский ? Учи русский. А то совсем обнаглели. Пупами земли себя считаете.
Funny how Foster Hewitt doesn't even notice what happened.
Foster Hewitt was light years behind the play, he should have stuck with radio because nobody would ever have known how slow he was, and Bill was no better.
Foster Hewitt excelled at radio--where he could make things up as he went along and no one in his audience was the wiser.
it must be admitted that this sneaky trick eventually brought Canada victory in the super series. it is difficult to overestimate Kharlamov's role in that national team, he was its heart. he was traveling to Canada with an injured leg, and knowing this, they aimed at this particular ankle
If not for this slash, injuring Kharlamov, the Canadians would never have won the series. What a shame.
OK, Kreskin. Can you now tell me what winning lottery numbers to pick next week?
Scott Q
Scott, you don't have to be a fortune-teller to realize what happens to a team if its best player is knocked out. Do you?
olegruss
YOU stated that - "If not for this slash, injuring Kharlamov, the Canadians would never have won the series"
That's like saying, "Good thing the Union won the Civil ar or there would still be slavery in the USA".
You can't know that. The bottom line is the Canadians WON the series. You can 'what if' all you want, but they won. WHAT IF Foreman didn't get tired against Ali? WHAT IF Bill Bucknor fields that easy ground ball to first? WHAT IF Gretzky didn't go to Edmonton?
Can teams still win without their best players???? Hell yeah!! I didn't see Hull and Orr on Team Canada in '72 and they were arguably the two best Canadian-born players at that time. Canada won despite them NOT being there.
Scott Q You're right, we can't know for sure. But keeping in mind that the play was pretty much equal, it's quite plausible to suppose that hurting the other team's best player affected the result. Yes, teams can win occasionally without their best players, but usually they lose. So, let it be, "If not for this slash, the Canadians could quite possibly have lost the series".
olegruss
We'll agree to disagree. Good points both.
They had to win. If they had lost the series the consequences for the players and the NHL would have been severe.
+GuyCybershy Single dirtiest play in the history of hockey. Clarke should be ashamed of himself. What a classless and cowardly act.
+herrdocjdm Do you know what would have happened if they had lost the series? I was only 9 years old at the time, but I remember well what it was like. This was a war. John Ferguson told Clarke to take out Kharlamov so that is what he did.
Oh really. That's the old Nazi concentration camp guard "just following orders" canard. Do you realize how ridiculous you sound? And how exactly was this a "war". Have you ever served your country, been in armed combat, seen first hand the devastation that war can wreak? To make such a callous comparison demeans and diminishes all who experience armed combat. It was a silly hockey game and you sir are a sad little man.
+herrdocjdm I clearly remember the Saturday after the Vancouver game, when Canada played poorly and lost. I was actually in the hospital with pneumonia. It was all anyone talked about. Patients, doctors, visitors. People were furious. A bunch of Communists were beating us at our national game! I'm sure it sounds silly now, but it was deadly serious then. If they had come back as losers, it would have followed them for the rest of their lives that they were part of this national disgrace. Dryden said he had visions of coming home as the most hated man in Canada.
+herrdocjdm Professionals trading as amateurs - isn't that dirty? Like countless other dirty tricks by the soviets yet only Clarke is remembered, although the broken ankle is a myth, I don't believe it was broken.
The numbers on the Soviet jerseys look like masking tape. 1972 wasn't that long ago. Why couldn't they make high quality uniforms?
Because the Soviet Union was pretty much Third World, despite the fact that they claimed to be Second...
what would you expect from that corrupt Soviet system?
Yeah, it's all pretty easy when you're oppressing your population on one hand and telling them they're living in a workers' paradise on the other. Delivering rocket engines to NASA? Not during Soviet times, they weren't. You're mixing your timeframes up.
Maybe also because the USSR just could not afford to make everything of high quality after terrible material losses it suffered in the Secind Warld War. The US in turn had no war on their territory and earned a lot of money financing the war overseas.
However, let us not forget that it was the "third world" USSR that made the first manned flight to space, first nuclear power statio and many more.
And last but not least, this was the "third world" USSR that somehow managed to create a national sports system that has such hockey (and not only hockey) teams as we see in this video that kicked your precious "first world" asses for our amusement.
Gary Bergman knew how to get under their skin later on in this series.
indeed, a definite Hero in Russia !!!
Clark arranged the victory in the series, Russia a class better
Back to English class with you, commie.
Oh I'm a lumberjack and I'm ok...
If Bobby Orr had played for Canada, would the series even be close?
+Wilbert Arenas And Bobby Hull.
+Wilbert Arenas You can just imagine what Orr could have done on the big Moscow ice. They wouldn't have been able to touch him.
and bobby hull
the Ruskies may have won 2, but doubtful
Canada sweeps the series with Orr and Hull playing.
Why the Russian don't slash on the Esposito ankle ?? the Same Kharlamov, the Canadians don't mérite the win
@Arrow arrow 1982 Chillin No, they were too busy benefiting from the one-sided officiating.
Gotta love clarkie, dude was an abesolute competitor. Back in the 70s Hockey was a different sport in North America than it is today. Rules like that weren’t really heavily enforced until probably late 80s early 90s. Then the game became a prettier and less gritty version of yesterday’s game. Of course it was dirty... it was a dirty play in a dirty series in a dirty time of Hockey. Russians were not innocent in these regards too. However a slash like that to the best player on your team... even in today’s Hockey someone would immediately charge after Clarke for a fight. Really shows a lack of heart by the Russians. Have enough respect for yourself and your team to not get bullied like that
Clarkie just did what the coaching staff told him to do...slow down Kharlamov,,,,,,
WCJHL First All-Star Team (1968, 1969) WCJHL Player of the Year (1969) Bill Masterton Trophy (1972) NHL Second All-Star Team (1973, 1974) Lester B. Pearson Award (1973) Hart Memorial Trophy (1973, 1975, 1976) NHL First All-Star Team (1975, 1976) NHL Plus/Minus Leader (1976) Lester Patrick Trophy (1980) Frank J. Selke Trophy (1983) Played in NHL All-Star Game (1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1977, 1978)
'Nuf said.
Gutless and cowardly. Couldn’t beat them with skill so Clarke resorted to a cheap shot. Canada didn’t deserve to win this series.
Clarke was literally one of the biggest pos's to ever live.
If crosby did that he would be called a national hero
A much needed slash! The Soviets had the refs in their pockets. The Soviets cheated in every way possible. But Canada ‘fought like tigers’ and was able to win the series!
If you didn't learn to lay a two hander on someone from time to time, you never would make it to the NHL.
Hockey is war.
Typical Bobby Clarke. Never would fight his own battles in the NHL either.
The only way to beat the Soviets is to form a tournament (Canada Cup) designed with Canadian born refs that are instructed to turn their heads to the Canadian players dirty playing. The Canada Cup was designed to get back at the Soviets for totally embarrassing them during this series and during one on ones with the NHL teams that were used to beating up on the garbage AHL quality expansion era teams that filled up the NHL during Orrs overrated time in the league. It’s just a fact that NHL fans have to deny and live with.
So what if the Russians didn't have Kharlamov? Canada didn't have Bobby Orr and Bobby Hull the entire series!!!
So what if we put on ice Olimpic boxing team - teach them skate - and just starting that - Is that calls Hockey?
So then you probably don't like Ovechkin. Have you watched him play?
leafyutube you can distinguish between a dirty game and physical game?
So you're saying Ovechkin is physical but not dirty?
KoivuTheHab Let me guess - are you Canadian? why everything has to be taken literally?
THE slash against Kharlamov was against the Flyers, when Tikhonov pulled his team from the ice. Fake headline
Bobby Clarke was always a dirty player.
A bunch of hacks Canada
All is fair in hockey war 😎 heh, heh, heh
In game 5 on the play Henderson was concussed #10 on Russia I think it was Evgeny Zimin slashed Henderson behind the knee, that was the reason Henderson slide into the boards out of control! That was MUCH worse than the Clarke incident!!
№ 10 it was Mailtsev. Henderson didn't leave the game, scored last goal in Game 5. He also played in Game 6,7 and 8. Acting skills of a "concussion" were appreciated.
Kharlamov didn't played in Game 7, exactly as a result of a Clarke's trick and was uneffective in Game 8. Also he scored a goal, but "Russian ref" Kompalla "didn't see it
@@Andyvas375 Yeah one incident could have killed someone the other not so much! Also talk about SOFT!! Kharlamov should have been able to play through his injury. I guess you can see how much the Russians hated their own country! If Kharlamov loved his country he should have played!!
@@discoveryman59 Kharlmov's leg increased 2 times after what Clarke did(Soviet doctor Belakovsky said). Cut your leg, man and play for Canada)
@@discoveryman59 Man, your comment disappeared. But, may be, try one more time, I'll help u.
"If Canada would have Hull and Orr, trained, eat, sleep...together 11 month a year, Soviets would't have any chance". But man you've strayed from the subject. What about slash? Is it good or not?
@@Andyvas375 Slash was a dick move BUT!!!! The Russia team was a horribly dirty team kicking, spearing. The thing that was just amazing was with all the garbage the Russians tied, Canada KICK THEIR ASSES!! Bloody machine guns all around the rink, steeling food, calls at all hours of the night, nothing worked!
Unfortunately this moment will always define who Bobby Clarke was. A cheapshot.
The soviets played a dirty game. Sneaky dirty, too. And of course the refs in russia saw none of that. Fuck em. Play the scenario over 100 times and I'd hope Clarke would do the same thing 100 times again.
Ha ,no wonder we Boooo'd them .
Clarke did what he had to do ...
Soviets tea the real winner of the séries , Canada don't fairplay, Clarke thats absolute bad dirty slachs and Bergman's , gosorhety , Parisé , Ellis, , violence . Cournyer the most anti-sports player , I never saw! most shoot after the call and many slashs stick on the soviet!!!!
?
For anyone who was not around in '72, keep your bleeding heart, sjw (btw "s" is for sport) comments to yourselves. Thank you Team Canada! 🇨🇦
Thank you Team Canada ....
thanks to the way they play today, European hockey
That was a classic two handed chop, from above the waist wind up. Today that would get 6- 10 games suspension.
Nah. Happens to Sid Crosby every few games and the refs pretend they don't see it
@@karlfalckh3498 absolutely !!!
Wah Wah Wah!!
that is how the game was played back then
Looks clean to me, it was war.
Clarke voluntarily broke Kharlamov's ankle with a well-calculated hit - it is totally clear. Kharlamov was one of the best players of the Soviet team. Not counting the other dirty trick in that game. This is why Canada won the Series. Shame on Canada.
The other dirty tricks by Clarke and other players I mean.
Most Canadian fans don't want to hear it, or read it, they're still waving the flag and drinking up -- in the end, their team had better goons, but they sure as hell didn't prove superior to the Soviets.
Bobby Clarke was the dirtiest and most cowardly player ever to play the game. John Ferguson another asshole, ordered the hit and the most talented player on either side, Valeri Kharlamov, suffered a broken ankle and was ineffective during the balance of the series. There is no way Canada would have won the series with Kharlamov skating circles around the shameful Canadian team. Russia was by far superior to Canada in every aspect except for the cheap shots.
Amazing how many people are defending this slash just because it was on a Soviet player. Absolutely disgusting act
Give me a break. The Canadian players made it clear that Kharlamov in particular was the Soviet's best player in the Summit Series. So instead of trying to overcome him as a team, Bobby Clarke makes it a point to deliberately injure him with a hack from his stick. "A part of hockey occasionally", yeah and occasionally when this happens in actual hockey leagues like the NHL he would've been looking at a big suspension. Because it was, you know, completely illegal.
I'm not disputing that and I realize that suspensions weren't as severe back then as they are today. But come on, Clarke's full intention was to injure Kharlamov to help Canada's chances in winning the series, which ended up working. I don't care what sport or during what time period, that's despicable sportsmanship.
+AtrHoliday Had we have known about "The Slash" at the time it occurred, I am sure that Clarke would have been criticized by the Canadian public, who would have seen it as bad sportsmanship. Unfortunately, few people knew about it until 1992. Why didn't the Soviets complain about it in 1972? Or would this have made them feel like hypocrites, considering all the dirty play they were guilty of on the ice and all the shenanigans they were pulling off the ice?
+Jim Stark Listen here, how about when Boris Mahailov started Kicking Gary Bergman in the Shins, its on tape,Your a moron if you think that was the only dirt in the Series, the Soviets, were spearing, Calling in the Middle of the night at the players room, they had Microphones to listen in on the Canadian teams game plan. Boris Mahailov, you think the Soviets were clean and classy, your an idiot, they were Dirty, they speared, they picked their own Referee's to Guarantee a win, but Canada never gave up. Besides Clark never Broke Kharlamovs leg, because Kharlamov, was back in the third period, nearly beating Ken Dryden in front of the net. it was just soviet Propaganda. Anjd Stark you can shut your Dumb Communist mouth now. The Soviets were Dirty F'kers, and I'm Glad Clark Did it. you can shut your Damn mouth about Court and that Bullshit.
you guys are fucking sallys. That was Bobby Clarkes game like it or not. He was a Milan Lucic on roids.
Coady: 3-time Hart Trophy winner / 2-time Stanley Cup Champion / Selke Trophy Winner / 1st time ballot inductee to the Hockey Hall of Fame. Hardly a joke....much like yourself.
Teresa Whitfield rite on my dude
Teresa Whitfield dudette?
Henderson, himself, said once that whatever the Russians did to us, we did back to them ten times over ... so, yeah, Canada definitely thugged-it-up to help come back from a 3-1 deficit and win the series. The thuggery wasn't everything, but it sure helped. The slash on Kharlamov, their best player, was a crucial part of that. Even Clarke has said that he "hunted him down" in doing so ....
Bobby is an embarrassment, started 1000 fights and was never in any of them.
Clarke was a natural born coward
Dumb
Amen& Amen
Stanley Cup Champion. The Flyers didn't invent that style of hockey. Show me some video of Flyers v Blues playoff series of 67-68.
Igor Kuperman, Soviet Sports Journalist:
"Yes, it was a slash, but I don’t think it’s worth talking about for 50 years. There were so many moments in this series that a player would be suspended for life under today’s rules."
VERY WELL PUT.
"There were so many moments" - most of those moments being dirty tricks by Canada - in between playing in Canada and USSR, Canada played Sweden - it was a blood bath.
" I don’t think it’s worth talking about for 50 years." But we hear much more and very much so of the glorious comeback of Canada and Henderson's goal than about how Canada really won the series. Much much more. Over and over again during those 50 years. Henderson's goal was beautiful - but in normal circumstances - USSR would have won the series in a previous game.
"There were so many moments in this series that a player would be suspended for life under today’s rules." And in those years under international olympic rules. Those barbaric practices did indeed work in the NHL - that's how the Phildalphia Flyers got some Stanley cups.
@@raymondlabelle387 Like when the Canadians confiscated the food and alcohol of the Soviets when they came over and called their hotels early in the morning to wake them up… oh no wait, that was the Soviets who did that to the Canadians.
And the Soviets played dirty as well, they just knew how to do it away from the cameras and referees as Stan Mikita said during an interview in between periods.
And yes, the Soviets shouldn’t have lost 3 games in a row on home soil but they got complacent after game 5 as they themselves admitted. That’s Canada’s fault?
It's sad a team can't win without playing dirty for example taking out the star player of another which happened in 1972. Clarke and esposito were both dirty players I understand canada wanted to win the series for their country, but I just wonder how they must feel knowing that this slash changed the series and that soviets very well could have and probably would have won it. Nothing against canada but I feel russia against all odds of going against nhl stars, dealing with dirty plays from some of the Canadian players, and not receiving a handshake after game one from the Canadian players since they lacked sportsmanship deserved to win the series.
you wanna talk dirty? How about when the Canadians were in Russia, the players were constantly harassed at the hotel when they were trying to sleep. They were threatened and treated horribly.
well, let's face it, the Soviets know all about cheating......you ever seen the "Female" USSR athletes in the 1970s??
You seem to forget Boris Mikhalevs KICK at Gary Bergman, and Maltseve gave Henderson a two hander in game 5, he fell into the boards and suffered a concussion. Let's not act like the Soviets played squeaky-clean hockey.
The Canadians did not succeed in skill or speed. So that was the only way to make it.
Typical Bobby Clarke. 2-handed slash with intent to injure. When confronted, he shoves guy, skates away and lets someone else do his fighting for him. Clarke couldn't carry Kharlamov's jock
Russian-lover.
@@bneale He only stated facts, truth. I'm Canadian and love our hockey dominance and am always delighted to see Russia lose ... but I'm deeply ashamed of Bobby Clarke's behavior in the Summit Series. Tarnished the whole win.
@@charlesdansereau-menard3347 i actually just learned about this entire series. looking back i see it as something that had to be done. it was take out kharlamov or canada loses to the USSR
@@mitcharmitage687 If Canada couldnt win without injuring on purpose the #1 opponent , then Canada didnt deserve to win in the first place.
This is all really shameful because I think Canada would've still won it all even without taking out Kharlamov. But we'll never know.
(By the way, FYI : Bobby Clarke slashed Kharlamov's ankle because Team Canada's assistant-coach, John Ferguson, ordered him to do so. "This guy is killing us... You need to take him out of the game" ... And Clarke obeyed. Shame.)
@@charlesdansereau-menard3347 i believe esposito said “if clarke didn’t do it i would have done it myself. because of simple patriotism, during the time, i think the ends justify the means
Thugs.
Ok Kevin
Who, the Soviets? You seem to forget Boris Mikhalevs KICK at Gary Bergman.
That's bush league canadian hockey right there what a disgrace that was, had to cheat, Bobby Clarke is a joke
Coady Biron He was the NHL mvp the following season, against a lot of stiff competition.
Jim Stark Кларк ГАВНО! Филадельфия флаерс мечта идиотов.
i agree hes so over rated
jealous much LOL
@@fastfootedone Clarke also lifted the first ever Canada Cup in 1976. He was playing hurt but still scored a goal in the clinching game and he didn't slash anybody in that tourney.
That was the best team Canada ever assembled for international play.
wow what a piece of $#1t! He grabbed that hockey stick like a sword right before the strike. literally! And they dared get in Valery's face after that dirtiest slash in history of hockey?? decent thing to do would've been to at least do nothing and walk away, asides from unlikliest apology.
Bobby Clarke didn’t deserve any of his victories, after breaking kharloves ankle he never played another game and if kharlove was still playing Russians would have won
@@chrishansen8026 He was instructed to do that and if it wasn't Clarke it would have been someone else.
Your first sentence describes Bob C to a tee .
Coward is a better name for him
Kharlamov was a POS and deserved it.
@@69opsman, if he deserved it, because he was the most skilled and talented player in the world at the time then you are right, other wise calling someone a POS without a lick of proof smells like hate and bias. Only point you made, is that you are a hateful and jealous turd.
Canada Hertiage hockey 1972: dirty slash , dirty play , violence , ans anti-sports moove .
love tap
It was ok for the Russians to do all that Spearing though. That Series turned from an exhibition into an all out war in ice. A lot of Players did a lot of nasty things. Bobby Clarke was just one of many. God Bless Paul Henderson. 🙏
@@MsSmitty9 Nobody said that the Soviets' spearing and kicks were ok. BUT nothing, and I mean nothing, the Soviets did was AS VIOLENT and wrong as Clarke's choping down Kharlamov's ankle, without even trying to hide it.
NONE of Canada's top players were taken out of the game because of the Soviets' cheap shots. However, Clarke took out USSR' best player. That's the difference.
F*ck Bobby Clarke. (and I'm Canadian and love when Canada win and Russia loses. But not with this kind of violent Clarke bullshit)
@@charlesdansereau-menard3347 Clarke showed them he meant business when it came to the chippy stuff. Good or bad he made his point. It was nasty but so was the Russian brand of stick work. They got away with a lot. Canada got penalized for retaliation. Again , Clark had had enough. Not to mention that was his brand of hockey in general. Don’t ever forget he was the leader of the Broad Street Bullies.
@@MsSmitty9 Nothing the Soviets did justified such violence from Clarke. I know all about the Soviets' cheap shots, I know about the biased referees, I know about the BroadStreet Bullies (where Clarke was a coward who hid behind the many goons on that team) ... NONE of all this justifies Clarke's slash on Kharlamov. 100% exagerated and totally tarnished Canada's win.
FYI :
1. Most of USSR' cheap shots and dirty play took place after Clarke's slash. (Not all, but most)
2. Not a single Canada player was taken out of the game injured because of a Soviet dirty play. On the other hand, Clarke took out USSR's #1 player who was really hurting Canada since Game #1
3. Most important : Clarke did not slash Kharlamov to make his point about chippy stuff, he took him out violently because Canada's assistant-coach (John Ferguson) ordered him to do so!! because Kharlamov was their top player and giving Canada a lotta problems.
SHAME on John Ferguson and Bobby Clarke. And I'm Canadian and love Canadian hockey and love to see Russia lose.... but SHAME on Ferguson and Clarke. Much respect to Paul Henderson who criticized Clarke's violent slash.
Kharlamov was the best player in the series. RIP. Never recall Clarke backing up his cheap shots in a fight,,always had his goons show up to do the fighting. Of course that all ended when Hab Larry Robinson sorted out all the Flyer goons,,,Habs went on to win many cups. Never respected Clarke.
Clarke was the dirtiest and most cowardly player at the time.
Pretty sure Esposito was the best player in the series.
@@dwm8199 He was the undisputed leader of the team. Henny saved Canada; but that doesn't undermine the magnificence of Phil Esposito.
@@dwm8199 and brother Tony the best goaltender of the series
One of the greatest moments in sports. Robinson pounding Shultz, then waving on all comers and No One accepts the invitation!!!!
I'm all for tough, hard-nosed hockey, but that wasn't tough at all. That was as gutless as a sucker punch. His only intent was to injure. Nothing to be proud of there for Clarke. It exposed their very real and justified fear of getting beat in the series. Kharlamov was their star and would've played first line on any NHL franchise at that time.
Yep, people only play dirty when they can’t compete.
@@wysiwyg1238 Correct.
tactical foul
Clarke was an excellent player. He was also a prick. I give him credit for not denying it.
I agree
Win or lose but do it with dignity and honesty. Clark is a goon.He disgraced his flag and his country.
You suck dick
This was such a pathetic play. Today, rightfully, I would assume he'd be charged.
the soy is down the hall, and to your left
It would be suspendable today - intent to injure. Without question.
questionable -- Kharlamov was a bit brittle
fastfootedone it was still an intent to injure. Kharlamov was torching them all series.
Nah the commie had it coming to him.
Just wondering, is there any videos of Clarke actually fighting in the NHL ?
@@CommanderTK9091 He was great in Canada but very average in the games in Russia.
Clarke and Bergman......total grease
Helmets vs skins.
Both sides played pretty dirty, but Canada was worse. That one dude actually raised his stick over the refs head for christs sake. No one outside Canada really considers this to be a legitimate victory because of how dirty Canada was. That slash was ridiculous. And then Canada is getting in Kharlamov's face cuz he retaliated a bit? Instead of saying "yeah we were wrong now get in the penalty box Clarke".
there was dirty play on both sides, but in the end, Canada punked them in their own rink in front of Brezhnev and the commie leaders ;-) - wonder how many Soviet players were shipped to Siberia
I didn't even see it
At the time, *no one else* saw it either. It happened so fast and is so blended into the action that they eye doesn't really catch it. Anyone who says they remember it from then is fibbing -- there was no mention of it anywhere in the press, and believe me, I've looked. It wasn't mentioned anywhere until Henderson brought it up twenty years after the fact, then all of the sudden you have all these people with "repressed memories" of the incident. Were there Russian hockey telecasts from that time? It would be interesting to know if *they* saw it.
23 seconds.
That's wild! I couldn't see it either until you gave the time. Now it looks so blatantly obvious I don't know how I missed it hahaha. Wind up on it and everything!
@@mikeh7827 this is why "eye witness account" in court shouldn't be taken as seriously as it is.
people miss things, details, or just get things entirely wrong. if you were watching this and were to say who was at fault and someone goes to jail, you wouldn't have picked it out.
Wow Clarke didn't even try to hide that slash, you can see him draw back his stick and wait for the moment before he strikes. I lost all respect for him years later when he was caught on audio and video, while on the bench during a playoff game, calling the referee a "f'ing queer" after a call went against the Flyers.
Secretarian haha, sorry if it got personal you.
Oh come on, do you know how often queer was used back then?? It was used about people who weren't even gay. Clarkee was my fav back then and still is.
Maybe Clarkie had pictures.
Who gives a fuck what you think, he’s a legend you’re nothing
different time
Likely the reason why Canada won. Kharlamov was the best player in the series, and likely in the world at this time (due to Orr's injury issues)
Nice try. Kharlamov wasn't even in the top 20 in the world. Plus that Soviet team played and practiced for years together whereas the Canadian team was thrown together in a hurry. Canada always been wayyy better than Soviets or Russians
@@karlfalckh3498 Charlamov 1 .... canada didn't even skate, they only learned that from europeans in the 80's, until today Canada is the best
@@vaclavpilar9011 Yeah ok.....yeah Canadian hockey players learned how to skate from Europeans....ok lol
@@karlfalckh3498 yes , for example.... th-cam.com/video/C9c1drCFWrs/w-d-xo.html
@@karlfalckh3498 they learned quickly :-), Gretzky, Lemieux ...top two players against top line or top five, wonderful finals.... 20 years is Canada number 1, after Nagano, but thanks to its european style and that's good
The Flyers were called The Broad Street Bullies for good reason. And remember their antics in their game against the Red Army a few years later. Bobby Clarke was part of that disgraceful show.
Holy cow is Pete Mahovolich ever big!
I think he was the tallest to play, until Chara. I'm not sure of it though, so don't hold me to it. Just stating what I believe to be true. If I am wrong, someone please point it out and I will delete this.
@@kyokogodai-ir6hy Gilles Lupien was taller, I know, I was as tall as Pete. No need to delete, good banter
There's a video on YT of game 5 of the 1975 quarter-final series between the Canadiens and the Vancouver Canucks. You'll notice how both Mahovlich and Canucks' defenseman Bob Dailey (both 6'5") stick out like sore thumbs!
They wouldn't in today's NHL.
He was known as the Little M and his brother Frank was the Big M but Pete was taller.
PM was not ever given credit for an outstanding series !!!
I thought Russians were suppose to be tough? These are Russian soldiers playing against a bunch of Canadian kids from small towns
Canadian *kids*?! No, not pipsqueak kids at all. You also think the Red Army players are great big men who play with machine guns and bayonets? hoho!
Soviet players were better educated and trained. In North Americans people who play sports are type of mafia goons thugs, they never got education or and moral study. In North America. People with good education don’t play sport
@@nose123456ful So if you play sports you're automatically uneducated? Wow!
Bobby Clarke was an absolute disgrace. Rest In Power Val. Eternal legend!
Before this dirty shot Ussr was leading series 3-1. Break some bone in best opponets players body is tactic of teams that cant win in normal circumstances. By 2024 standarts this is cheap , dirty and unsportsman .By 1972 standarts maybe it was normal i dont know didnt live in that time.
Clarke a discrace to Canadian hockey. The soviets clearly outplayed us.
Canadians were angry because they were too arrogant =)
In subsequent matches have drawn conclusions and won !
Алексей Нырков Canada won. Deal with it.
Lobstertainment How many times Canada was a world champion? And how many of the USSR?
So sit down and shut up.
Алексей Нырков Worlds are not best on best you moron. Canada Cup/Summit Series/World Cup/Olympics since 1998 are all best on best with no restrictions on who can be named to the team. The Stanley Cup is still going on during the Worlds lol. Get fucked commie. Canada has only lost 3 best on best competitions. So you sit down and shut up. You russians should be used to that now with Putin.
Ya, Clarkes's a disgrace. WCJHL First All-Star Team (1968, 1969) WCJHL Player of the Year (1969) Bill Masterton Trophy (1972) NHL Second All-Star Team (1973, 1974) Lester B. Pearson Award (1973) Hart Memorial Trophy (1973, 1975, 1976) NHL First All-Star Team (1975, 1976) NHL Plus/Minus Leader (1976) Lester Patrick Trophy (1980) Frank J. Selke Trophy (1983) Played in NHL All-Star Game (1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1977, 1978)....AND probably the first diabetic to play in the NHL, when doctors initially told him he couldn't play pro hockey because of his disease....sorry, your statement of "disgrace" seems to be without merit.
Bobby Clarke had a moral vacuum in his heart. Reminds me of sociopaths who commit atrocities against others and have zero remorse.
Barney you soft little snowflake, give your vadge a wipe and stick to figure skating
Barney Fife Guess you would have been a victim if you stepped on the ice back then. Now with helmets slashing is done above the neck.
Cry more, wussy.
Barney. THEY got to NIP IT IN THE BUD!
@@beatlespeterbest I would have put him in the lockup.
That slash exposes another huge difference between the NHL and Soviet teams back then: If Clarke had done the same thing to, for example Gretzky, he would have left the arena in a stretcher. He would've been a marked man for a very long time.
yes, but with these matches the USA and Canada learned to play hockey and that is why they are where they are today, Canada is certainly the best in the 21st century, but they had to start playing hockey, such as these Russians then and then
Maltseve gave Henderson a two hander in game 5, he fell into the boards and suffered a concussion. He missed a few shifts but played later in the game.
@@basilcarroll9729 I can't find the clip of this gesture... What exact time does that happens in game 5?
@@w2012z Paul henderson 1972 summit series game 5 injury (try that search)
Ok cool comment bud
"профессионалы" оказались мифом. обосрались на весь мир... Играть толком не умеют, только могут скандалы и истерику закатывать, чтобы под шумок отдохнуть и сил набрать....
Обосрались на весь мир совковые пижоны. Канадцы мастерски им показали, что за победу нужно сражаться до последней секунды. Утри сопли, лузерок!
Looking at the Greatest Flyer Ever !
Greatest coward Ever !
@@golf4ubacknine768 I don't ever remember him backing down from a fight.
Canadians acted like a bunch of pathetic goons (I'm Canadian, btw) especially Bobby Clarke and JP Parise. Because of that, I have never been able, to this day, to enjoy Canada's "win". (At the end I was even rooting for the USSR).
A bunch of bums. Bergman was not better.
I've Always wonder what an Healthy Bobby Orr and a Bobby Hull addtion to the Canadian team would have done , Probably a lot easier .
Yeah Canada would have won 7 games to 1, only because we underestimated them first game
Ya, look what Canada did in 76 with Bobby Orr on one leg and Bobby Hull. It wouldn't have been nearly as close as it was in 72 with those two guys playing.
Don't forget J.C. Tremblay and Deric Sanderson were originally named to the team before signing with the WHA.
I agree totally
I agree, also Derek sanderson, and jc Tremblay and paul Schmir, if I spelled his last name right were also picked, but, couldn't play because of the WHA, and Belliveau and Howe retired one year earlier.I also wondered why Keon and Vadnais were not picked.
Tanya Harding Clarke
No, that's "Hardly".
only reason canadians won lmao
lenze eh Couldn't be the fact that they were a better team.
they werent gotta do dirty shit to win
lenze eh Enough whining. Physical and skilled went up against fast and skilled. The former won 4-3-1. If you want to cry about a slash, go ahead, but Clarke got 2 minutes and a 10 minute misconduct, during which the Soviets scored a goal. Further, Canada played 8 games without Bobby Orr and Bobby Hull, which within itself is a big loss.
ABC wasnt just any slash lol
lenze eh Case closed. An opinion does not deny reality.
Нужно было таким же методом выключить из игры Хендерсона. Он последние три игры в этой серии забивал победные голы. Эти дебилоиды поняли, что есть игроки превосходящие их самих в технике и выносливости и что победить их в честной игре мало-реалистично. Вот они и решили, чтобы добыть победу, нужно избавиться от сильных соперников.
Cheap shot from a classless player.
@@Clarkie1 For a second there I thought there weren't many Canadians who display as much cowardice and lack of sportsmanship as this Clarke fella. Thank you for proving me wrong.
Bobby Clarke gave Kharlamov his stick as a show of sportsmanship after the series.
Canadians only tough on ice. If Clarke got that slash he be on the floor screaming. Soviets where way better
Умейте достойно проигрывать, а то сразу пошли запрещённые приемы
Disgraceful play by Bobby Clarke who made a career out of cheap shots but wouldn't fight his own battles.
I hated the Soviets in that series but there is no excuse for what Clarke did.
Why did you hate(!) the Soviets?
@@DenisPetrov1980 - Oh, there was something about "We will bury you!" and putting nuclear missiles in Cuba and promising to conquer the world that just rubbed me the wrong way.
@@deanschulze3129 oh, how about your nuclear missiles in Turkey first? How about the plans of bombing the USSR with nuclear bombs in late 40s and 50s? How about sending your u2 planes fly over our territory?
@@DenisPetrov1980 - Your moral equivalence argument is ridiculous.
The US never threatened world conquest. The Soviets renewed that call every year.
The US has never been a police state. When the Canadian players and fans arrived in Moscow they were greeted by soldiers with automatic weapons. There were soldiers with automatic weapons at the arena where the games were played. The players found listening devices in their hotel rooms.
And of course the food and beer that the Canadian team brought to Moscow were stolen.
@@deanschulze3129 the US never threatened the world conquest... nevertheless, there are hundreds of us military bases all around the world and it was the US that conducted countless military operations on the territories of independent countries without any invitation. And is doing so until now. These are hard facts.
classic canadian no finess just brute force and poor skating skills
Russia hasn't won a best on best tournament since 1981... the only one they've ever won.
1976 CC Canada, 1981 CC Russia, 1984 CC Canada, 1987 CC Canada, 1991 CC Canada, 1996 WC USA, 1998 OL Czech Republic, 2002 OL Canada, 2004 WC Canada, 2006 OL Sweden , 2010 OL Canada, 2014 OL Canada
1987 CC Canada - I forget remind me plz who was MVP of Finals Can-Soviets? I Heard Coharsky or Koharsky
Soviets didn't sent their bests in 1976,1984,1991 CC. Only in 1981 and 87. After 1991- not USSR. And u forget "Series of the Century"(Challenge Cup 1979). All top Canadians+ 3 Swedes, result 6-0 in Soviets favour in final game
murra84 And what was the name of the DDR referee that according to Esposito couldn't even skate? He was instrumental in USSR wins in 1972. Compared to him Koharsky was perfect.
Boris Rangelov Kompalla? He wasn't DDR ref. He was West Germany ref, from another side of Berlin wall
Boris Rangelov Do you have any evidences like this video exept rumors of can players
from Boston THE NHL did not make a good deal for themselves, Because they only allowed Canadian born players to play, and not allow people who jumped to the WHA
participate they made it tough, Foreign born Kern Hodge, Stan Mikita, Bobby Hull, ,and others could not play. There's 150 goals right there. Add to the fact that Bobby Orr could not play, and it was rough. With these people in the lineup and Orr, Canada
would have blown them out..............
JAY DAVIDSON Mikita played in the series. Ken Hodge was too slow. Hull signed with the NHL, there is no way Eagleson could have let him play in the series after that.
+JAY DAVIDSON Hodge and Mikita were both Canadian citizens (raised in Canada despite being born elsewhere). Hodge could have been been selected but wasn't. Mikita played. A lot of people say "yeah but only Canadian players could play", but it wasn't like today. Almost every player in the league in 1972 was from Canada. Europeans hadn't come over yet and there was only a tiny handful of Americans like Tom Williams, Stan Gilbertson and Bob Paradise. Certainly not guys who would have been considered for this team. "Team Canada" and "NHL All-Stars" were pretty much synonymous at the time, and would be for another few years. I agree on the team handcuffing themselves by not allowing WHA players to play, a real tragedy that we could have corrected. And Orr being injured, of course.
Team Canada 1974 (WHA) excluded Americans, but guys like Pleau, Sheehan and Niekamp wouldn't have really helped the team much. The two that could have made the team, Mark and Marty Howe, were on that team as they were dual citizens through their dad Gordie. By 76, you had European stars in the NHL/WHA like Salming and Hedberg, and a few quality Americans like Ftorek and Sargent.
+Mark Stephens from Jay Davidson in Boston
Well I was only 18 at the time and can only go by what Hodge told the media that he was shunned because he was born in England I cannot believe they had Cash and ESPO that they would not make available the BEST line in the NHL
It';s a shame Orr was not healthy as he would have made life a lot easier.
Another thing that has never been discussed is why Dryden who was AWESOME in the NHL, played like CRAP in this series, and Tony Chokosito was not much better
Phil Esposito ws never the same player after this series It went to his head
and he was a distraction on and off the ice.
Bucyk did not make it either, for the same reason, too slow. Sinden deserves credit for having the sense to pick only Espo from his old team. I was a huge Bruin fan in those days.
Cashman too
If you can’t beat them, beat them up
As a Canadian I was embarrassed by how Canada played. If the series was based on hockey skill and coaching the Russians would have easily beaten that Canadian team.
Overstated. Both teams were very talented. Some of the greatest players of the decade.
After watching all the games again, the teams were well matched, so was the skill, and so was the coaching. Certain aspect the USSR were better and others the Canadians were better.
As far as officiating in USSR - it was bias against Canada for the games played in Soviet Russia.
It was compelling hockey for the differences in style.
The Russian thought Canada’s game was brutal but most of the checking was legal by NHL standards. By contrast the spearing which almost always involved a Canadian victim, was something NHLers were not used of.
By any measure, this was an epic series.