FROM THE SUMMIT OF HOCKEY
Former players revisit that ’72 series
Phil Esposito has never had an internal editor or filter.
He has always been known for saying exactly what’s on the very tip of his tongue. Now 74 years of age, that’s not about to change.
He’s slated to be part of the ’72 Summit Series Tour, a hot-stove discussion with players and management of that famed Team Canada victory. Their Sept. 8 stop at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre coincides with the 44th anniversary of the Soviets winning Game 4 of the eight-game set by a 5-3 count at the Pacific Coliseum, and Esposito’s iconic post-game TV interview, where he blasted Canadian fans for not supporting the team.
Tour visits to Montreal (Sept. 2), Winnipeg (Sept. 6) and Toronto (Sept. 10) also link up with anniversaries of Summit games there.
“I had somebody call me the other day and ask ‘How do you feel with the fact that, if the greatest speech in the history of Britain was Winston Churchill’s Never Surrender and the greatest speech in the history of the U.S. was Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, we in Canada have you, a hockey player?’ ” Esposito said, laughing all the while.
There’s that ranking of the rant from Esposito. You also frequently see Paul Henderson’s series-winning goal listed as one of the top10 defining moments in Canadian history.
Oddly enough, Esposito admits that he wondered aloud in the days leading up to the first game if his squad shouldn’t have been named Team NHL. Bobby Hull and Gerry Cheevers, among others, had jumped to the rival World Hockey Association and would have likely been among the top players in this country at that point.
Esposito says that tournament promoter Alan Eagleson kiboshed his idea.
As well, when asked if the Summit Series is what he wants to be remembered for most in hockey, Esposito admits that, for him, it’s behind him. He’d like to be known as one of the founders of the Tampa Bay Lightning. He remains with the club as vice-president of corporate relations and a radio analyst.
“It was before Wayne Gretzky got into ownership with the Phoenix Coyotes and before Mario Lemieux got into ownership with the Pittsburgh Penguins. But you never hear about it,” he said.
When the players get together and talk about the Summit these days, Esposito insists there are stories that he hears for the first time. And there’s always good-natured ribbing back and forth.
“Anytime you put hockey players together and you’re not busting chops … you’re not dedicated,” said former defenceman Brad Park, 68.
This is all part of a bigger picture. Brock University’s Goodman School of Business did a study on the team and Goodman interim dean and associate professor Barry Wright was quoted as saying in 2014, “We need to revisit it. As Canadians, we have so few legacy things to hang onto … and this is one of them.”
The players formed a corporation. Their website (teamcanada1972.ca) lists a seven-man board of directors, headed up by chairman and former defenceman Pat Stapleton, now 76.
Stapleton says they have three “pillars” they are trying to achieve: entertainment, education and charitable foundation.
This speaking tour fits under the entertainment heading. They announced an education initiative earlier this week called 28,800 Seconds: The Power of Teamwork. Niagara Catholic District students in grades 4-6 will study the ’72 Summit as part of their history class and selected students will have the opportunity to meet members of the squad.
“The thing about it is that there are so many lessons that can be learned about team play from that series,” said Stapleton, who was quick to point the Seconds title refers to how long the eight games lasted.
“Staying with it, don’t lose focus … those are things that the school system is trying to get across to the children.
“We are excited. There are new ventures that we are going into. They’re about giving back. It gets us in the swing of things again, and it brings back a lot of great memories."