Things are always much better in our memories than they are in reality and the 1972 series between Canada and the Soviets is no exception. But there is no doubt that something special happened
"the 1972 Summit Series is probably not all it’s made out to be by those who believe it was a seminal world-changing event..."
World changing? Isn't that a bit too much to ask? We need to ask if the Summit Series changed the 'world of ice hockey', and the answer is most certainly, yes.
I’m a huge supporter of your work, Ken, but I always differed with your past remarks about the Summit Series, a series I always considered a hugely important event for international hockey. I always agreed with you about the caliber of hockey (after all, I own the DVD set and have rewatched it enough times to fully appreciate how far the quality of hockey has come since that time (I have a similar opinion of the overrated ‘76 Canada Cup, with the exception of Denis Potvin and only-half-speed Bobby Orr, who both shone in that tournament)), but despite the quality of the on-ice product in that ‘72 series, it is second to none in terms of its emotion and impact. It played a profound role in the development of the game in the years to follow. I’m really glad to see you’ve come around a bit with regards to appreciating its impact.
That said, my favourite hockey remains the ‘87 Canada Cup (which I also rewatch every few years). It has the perfect blend of some of the old-world-order “us vs. them” mentality and the 1980s skill game. Yeah, it’s not perfect, our memories tend to be romanticized somewhat (eg. we all remember it as “Gretzky and Lemieux together the whole time,” but the truth is they seldom skated as non-PP linemates that tourney until games two and three of the final (but -what- a finish!)), and it kinda lapsed into roller derby on ice at times, but it was still dramatic as heck.
The series was a bit before my time. I have watched all 8 games and read a few books, including the one Dryden wrote shortly after the series. My perspective is the fact that It was the first time the Soviets played the best Canadians makes it much more significant than any hockey series before or after. Two different styles of play, Cold War and discovery of great Russian players dwarfs 1987 and certainly 2010. As an American I prefer 1980 and 1996 to those years, I wonder why.
"the 1972 Summit Series is probably not all it’s made out to be by those who believe it was a seminal world-changing event..."
World changing? Isn't that a bit too much to ask? We need to ask if the Summit Series changed the 'world of ice hockey', and the answer is most certainly, yes.
I’m a huge supporter of your work, Ken, but I always differed with your past remarks about the Summit Series, a series I always considered a hugely important event for international hockey. I always agreed with you about the caliber of hockey (after all, I own the DVD set and have rewatched it enough times to fully appreciate how far the quality of hockey has come since that time (I have a similar opinion of the overrated ‘76 Canada Cup, with the exception of Denis Potvin and only-half-speed Bobby Orr, who both shone in that tournament)), but despite the quality of the on-ice product in that ‘72 series, it is second to none in terms of its emotion and impact. It played a profound role in the development of the game in the years to follow. I’m really glad to see you’ve come around a bit with regards to appreciating its impact.
That said, my favourite hockey remains the ‘87 Canada Cup (which I also rewatch every few years). It has the perfect blend of some of the old-world-order “us vs. them” mentality and the 1980s skill game. Yeah, it’s not perfect, our memories tend to be romanticized somewhat (eg. we all remember it as “Gretzky and Lemieux together the whole time,” but the truth is they seldom skated as non-PP linemates that tourney until games two and three of the final (but -what- a finish!)), and it kinda lapsed into roller derby on ice at times, but it was still dramatic as heck.
Have a great Labour Day Weekend!
The series was a bit before my time. I have watched all 8 games and read a few books, including the one Dryden wrote shortly after the series. My perspective is the fact that It was the first time the Soviets played the best Canadians makes it much more significant than any hockey series before or after. Two different styles of play, Cold War and discovery of great Russian players dwarfs 1987 and certainly 2010. As an American I prefer 1980 and 1996 to those years, I wonder why.