Thursday, February 7, 2019

The NHL of the 1970's - by Moses


      In 1972 the NHL sent their best players to play the U.S.S.R in an 8 game Summit Series.  Canada won on a late goal scored by Paul Henderson in game 8.  However, did anything really change after the series?  The Russians still weren't allowed to play in the NHL based on their heritage. It was John Ziegler as Commissioner, Alan Eagleson as counsel to the players association, and owner Harold Ballard who denied the NHLPA the clout to organize with foreign nations' players.  This played a large part in players in the NHL in the seventies being screwed out of millions of dollars.  As well, it preserved a protectionist view to only have players from Canada play in the NHL.  While things eventually evolved in the players favour, it was still an anti-union sentiment being spewed across the NHL in the seventies and we saw an influx of fighting in the NHL of the seventies as a result to accommodate American interests.  Had Harold Ballard honoured the Summit Series of 1972 Toronto would have gone out and brought in a couple of Russian Hockey players to play for the Leafs.  The team U.S.S.R of 1972 was as talented as our Canadian players.  While the tournament did open doors for international superstars such as Borje Salming, Kent Nilsson, Anders Hedberg, and Ulf Nilsson (from Sweden) and Peter Stastny, Anton Stastny, and Marian Stastny (from Czechoslovakia) among others, the doors of accepting any view with socialism involved were still nil.  This killed the idea of ensuring skilled players from a worldwide market.  Even though the World Hockey Association was established just after the 1972 Summit Series and accommodated the signing of players' from Europe and beyond, they were still considered the lesser of the two leagues in comparison to the NHL.

  Has anyone noticed how good the level of Hockey has become.  Every team has at least two superstars on them.  The players from the U.S.A, Europe, and Russia has increased infinitely in number in the last 30 years.  This is testament to the league taking a global approach.  Likewise this is true of the talent in the League being on such an upswing.  What I'd like to know is this; If a Portuguese-Canadian is told 'We can't play you because you're Portuguese.'  Is this mantra of never hire outside of Canada (that was employed before the '72 Summit Series) ever going to resurface?  If it does then you can count me out of negotiation for my Nation of Canada. 

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