if the new rules had in place in 72 ! , would we have beat the Soviets .....?

Forum Fan · Veteran Member

if the new rules had in place in 72 ! , would we have beat the Soviets .....?

Nil d · Guru

Forum Fan wrote:

............a big hypothetical what if ...I don't think we would have ...it's amazing much the styles have melded ...Messier stated in a recent interview that shooting from off wing and when off-stride was something that his father encouraged him to do after watching the Soviets ... most of you were still calling your poop " kaka " in 72 , but for those who have since seen videos of the 72 series will know that the Soviets on average were far more skilled .......however always the one intangible ..the sheer dogged determination to win ...

I think "far more skilled" is a bit of hyperbole, FF. Orr, Cournoyer, Henderson, Mahovalich, Esposito, Dryden.......... there was plenty of skill at our end as well (I regret that Hull - Bobby, to you young'uns - was not allowed on that team).

But you're right about determination - the "Canadian game" proved out to win over the "European game" in 1972. The NHL today is a melting pot of both styles, and we're the better for it.

Ando · Guru

I agree with FF...the Soviets were waayyyyyy more advanced than Canada in terms of skill, fitness and dedication back in '72!

If Canada had lost that finally game, I'm not so certain that we would have sought more opportunities to face-off against them...and I think that the NHL might not include Europeans today - perhaps it would have had THAT big of a negative impact on the national mind-set!