The Cold War Returns: Canada's 1972 Summit Series Team Talks USA, Soviet Rivalries At 4 Nations

Team Canada battled the Soviets during a politically fraught era. Now, today's Canadians have the Americans – and their politicians – to deal with at the 4 Nations Face-Off.

MONTREAL - When the 4 Nations Face-Off was first announced, it represented a chance for best-on-best hockey for the first time in years. 

But as global politics have evolved – particularly American presidential aggression against Canada – so, too, has the meaning of the tournament. 

Fans in Montreal voiced their displeasure with their neighbors to the south early and often during Team USA's opening win against Finland, and pretty much everyone is expecting a raucous crowd for Saturday night's showdown between the U.S. and Canada.

Coincidentally, the NHL Alumni Association held its Keith Magnuson Man of the Year ceremony in Montreal on Friday, and it wasn't just one player but an entire team being celebrated: Team Canada's 1972 Summit Series squad.

That team, of course, became legendary throughout the hockey world for its dramatic eight-game victory over the Soviet Union, and the politics of the day were front and center.

"We're in the middle of the Cold War, and it was portrayed like that right away," said defenseman Rod Seiling. "Our lifestyle, democracy, versus communism. We knew if we lost, the Soviets would be trumpeting that their way of life was better. It permeated everything. You couldn't get away from it. Even today, what goes around comes around. It was a war. I've never been in a real war, thankfully, but I was in the trenches with 34 guys."

The Summit Series team had to weather a rollercoaster of a series, as they were booed by their own fans upon losing Game 4 in Vancouver. Phil Esposito famously defended his teammates in a post-game interview, ripping the fans for their lack of support. Of course, once the team came home from Moscow with the series victory, the nation was ecstatic.

But Game 1 in Montreal began with a bang, thanks to a great crowd at the old Forum and a quick opening goal from Esposito.

"It was electric," said series hero Paul Henderson. "Phil almost put the puck through the back boards."

It's not hard to expect the Bell Centre crowd to be just as wild and patriotic when the puck drops Saturday. Will they boo the American anthem again? How loud will they boo the anthem? And what happens if the very skilled members of Team USA jump out to a lead on Canada?

Furthermore, did the Summit Series Canadians have any advice for the Americans on walking into hostile territory, as they had to do in Moscow more than 50 years ago?

"I've got no advice for them whatsoever," Henderson said with a grin. "May the better team win - and I know who's going to win."

As for Team Canada, they are tasked with carrying the hopes of a hockey-mad nation while facing a powerful U.S. squad that, whether the American players like it or not, is representing their politicians right now on enemy soil in Montreal. What will their mindset be?

"They don't know yet," said Yvon Cournoyer, star of both Team Canada and the hometown Habs. "They won't know until they're on the ice. It's a different crowd."

Throughout all the political bluster, however, it's also important to remember that we don't know if the American players even support what their president has been fomenting. Many of them are NHL teammates with their Canadian counterparts, and some of them may even win a Stanley Cup together at the end of the season. Finding empathy was something the Summit Series crew learned after the fact with their Soviet opponents.

"The problem was we hated them and we should have hated the system," Henderson said. "Because I've gotten to know them and guys like Vladislav Tretiak are wonderful people. They were trying to keep a wife happy and raise kids just like us. I've gotten to know them and they're just terrific people, but we hated them in '72. Probably Bobby Clarke a little more than the rest of us, but anyway..."

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