1972: The Series That Changed Hockey Forever

by Scott Morrison

#1 BESTSELLER The legacy of the greatest hockey series ever played, fifty years later, with stories from the players that shed new light on those incredible games and times.“Cournoyer has it on that wing. Here’s a shot. Henderson made a wild stab for it and fell. Here’s another shot. Right in front...they score! Henderson has scored for Canada!” These immortal words, spoken to hockey fans around the world by the legendary broadcaster Foster Hewitt, capture the historic final-seconds goal scored by Paul Henderson that won the 1972 Summit Series against the Soviet Union. Hockey fans know the moment well, but the story of those amazing eight games has never been fully told—until now. The series was the first of its kind, and one of the most dramatic sporting showdowns in history. With the Soviets dominating international hockey, this series was meant to settle the debate, once and for all, of who owned the game. It was Canada’s best against the Soviets for the first time. And in the shadow of the Cold War, this was about more than eight games of hockey. Expectations were high as the series began. This was supposed to be easy for Team Canada, but after the disappointing first four games on home ice with only one win, victory seemed out of reach. With the final four games in Moscow, Canada got a rare glimpse behind the iron curtain as the team, as well as three thousand raucous fans, arrived in the USSR. Amid the culture shock and strained relations, what followed was a tug-of-war battle that lasted to the dying seconds of game 8. Now, five decades after this historic event, it’s time to reflect on the greatest hockey series ever played. Veteran journalist and hockey analyst Scott Morrison uses a storyteller’s voice to reveal what it meant to hockey then, and what it means now. Filled with the memories of the players and others involved with the series, he shows how it changed the game, and challenged a nation’s sense of identity and place in the world.

Genres: Sports, Hockey, Nonfiction, History, Canada, Russia

342 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 3, 2022

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Reviews

[Ian M. Pyatt]

Written by one of the most respected hockey journalists in North America.

I've read three or four other books about this epic series that I now realize was more than just 8 games of hockey between the best players in the Soviet Union and the NHL. There was so much politics involved such as the comparison of between "our" democratic way of life, having plenty of food, fuel, freedoms, choices, jobs, etc., versus the iron-fisted communism rules.

More details of how Harry Sinden & John Ferguson chose the players for Team Canada and pressures from (now disgraced lawyer and player rep) Alan Eagleson and others to (or not to) add them to the squad. This book also provided more game summaries, conversations with players from Canada and the USSR, two of the 3,000 fans who travelled to Russia to watch the games, the various methods the Soviet officials tried to throw the Canadian off of their game; stealing food, late night phone calls, not allowing wives/girl friends to be in the same rooms (though later resolved) - stuff you might see in spy novels/movies.

The "In Memoriam" chapter was a nice addition and it was very surprising to me how many of these players had passed away and I knew nothing about the vast majority of them.

I think this will be the last book I'll read about the series as there is nothing more for me to learn about the series.

[Matt]

“Cournoyer has it on that wing. Here’s a shot. Henderson made a wild stab for it and fell. Here’s another shot. Right in front...they score! Henderson has scored for Canada!”

Perhaps one of the best-known pieces of Canadian sports history, this call during the eighth and deciding game of the 1972 Summit Series sums up the entire event, a Cold War on Ice. Scott Morrison breathes new life into the event, five decades in the past, with this stunning book that looks not only at the games, but at the preparation, politics, and intense rivalry that grew between Team Canada and the USSR. He does a fabulous job at illustrating the importance of the games, the lengths to which players went to defend their honour, and how one country put it all out there, in hopes of slaying Goliath once more. Morrison does a great job at injecting more than the game into the story and dives to depths that kept me turning pages well in the the night to get to the truth behind all the hype.

While the National Hockey League (NHL) was full of Canadians, hockey for Canada had been illusive on the international scene. With the powerful Soviets steamrolling through any international competition they entered, the world looked at the powerhouse behind the Iron Curtain to keep moving along. It did not make sense, on paper, that Canada would be able to defend itself with amateurs at every event (oddly, the USSR, Red Army members, was deemed an amateur club), but with NHL vets and upcoming stars, this would surely change. Tossing the idea out in early 1972, Canadian hockey executives and their Soviet counterparts agreed to an eight-game series, four in each country, to determine superiority and perhaps some bragging gifts. Thus came the 1972 Summit Series.

Scott Morrison depicts the preparation for the opening game in Montreal as a means to ensure the cakewalk that Canadians expected came to pass. However, with little knowledge of the inside perspectives of the Soviets, no one could be entirely sure. The Soviets came out swinging and left the Canadians limp and without direction, which led to protests by fans and a vilification on home soil, which could not be good for morale. As the series moved to Toronto, Winnipeg, and Vancouver, the Canada-Soviet game advanced, but the grit between them was less than expected. Soviet players played what they knew and rallied when behind, keeping the Canadians on their toes and behind after four games. Headed to Moscow trailing in the series, Canadian players and the country as a whole knew they would need to pul up their bootstraps.

With Canada poised to embarrass themselves on the world scene, Canadian players found their grittiness and determination, working through some of the antics of Soviet army officials, last-second game choices by the home country, and even some sly attempts to bully, pushing things to the brink and an eighth game to settle it all. With the score tied in the dying minutes, Team Canada seems to have found their gel and came out ready to win. The quite above sums it up, when Canada made sure to capitalize on mistakes and score the game/series winner in the dying seconds. Canada’s position, albeit temporarily, was secured and calmness could be retuned across the vast expanse of the Canadian tundra.

While the book depicts a series from five decades ago, Scott Morrison brings it all to life once more in this book. Exploring the sentiment of both countries, their approached to hockey, and how their respective politics shaped the development of the series and the games played, Morrison illustrates by this was such an important event for Canada and ho it gets in the larger scheme of Canadian political and sports superiority. Canada has struggled to define itself, but this was one moment when the country could come together and unite under the banner of defeating an enemy, while showcasing their strong abilities.

Morrison uses great snippet of interviews, paces the chapters to reflect the games (and between game antics), as well as pushing the reader to understand the pressures that emerged on all sides to create the Summit Series and enshrine it in Canadian sports folklore forever. Hockey fans, even those who were not yet around (like myself) and who must rely on replays oor recordings of the games can feel right in the middle of the action with Scott Morrison’s depiction and detailed analysis. I cannot thank him enough for putting this together or praise him sufficiently for all the details that made their way into this book.

Kudos, Mr. Morrison, for lighting a spark inside my sports-loving heart.

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[Lance]

Sports have many moments that prompt the question “Where were you when…?” For hockey fans, especially Canadian hockey fans, one of those moments occurred on September 28, 1972 when Paul Henderson scored with 34 seconds left to give Team Canada a 6-5 win over the Soviet Union in the eighth and final game of a series between the Russian national team and an all-star NHL team representing Canada. This entire series is recounted in this terrific book by Scott Morrison.

Going into the series, it was believed by not only the players and coaches, but by most hockey fans and journalists in the country that Canada would win this series easily. This was bolstered by a scouting report on the Russian team that they were not very good. The report included notes such as the equipment used by the team was in poor shape and the goaltending was not very good. Therefore, Team Canada went into the first game of the series, played in Montreal, extremely confident. Morrison does an excellent job of illustrating this overconfidence through research and interviews over time with players and coaches from the team. Throughout the book, coach Harry Sinden supplies great information on the games.

After the 7-3 win by the Soviet Union in game one, the next three games were played in Toronto, Winnipeg and Vancouver respectively. The teams essentially split these three games, with each team winning one game apiece and the Winnipeg game ending in a tie. That game was noteworthy because of who was one of the spectators – Bobby Hull. Even though he was clearly one of the best players in the game at the time, he was ruled ineligible for Team Canada because he had signed with the Winnipeg Jets of the rival WHA. That added to the already tense situation that came about when it was clear that this series was not going to be the cakewalk Team Canada thought it would be.

Another illustration of Morrison’s excellent work is his writing about Phil Esposito’s passionate speech after the game in Vancouver. Not to give away too much about that moment, it is fair to say that it was a moment in which Team Canada knew who was the captain of their team, even if it was not official. Then my favorite part of the book comes, when Morrison writes about the team’s time in Sweden before playing the final four games in Moscow. It is there that a reader will really feel a connection with the players profiled and understand how during that time they finally felt like a true team and what they did to play and act like one.

The chapters on the four games in Moscow, much like those about the four games in Canada, are terrific in that they blend the perfect combination of game action with insight from the players and coaches. It should also be noted that while the book has more of this information from the Canadian point of view, there is also good insight into what some Russian players and coaches saw as well. Of course, as one might expect, the best of this came when Henderson scored the historic goal. While reading this part, I, an American hockey fan who was 11 at the time of the series, remembered that moment and got goose bumps just from this description nearly 50 years later. That alone will make me give this book a glowing recommendation for anyone who is interested in either learning more about this historic hockey season or wants to read it to bring back fond memories.

I wish to thank Simon & Schuster for providing a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

https://sportsbookguy.blogspot.com/20...

[Joe]

Did the 1972 hockey series between Canada and the Soviet Union really "change hockey forever"? Yes, actually. After this tense and tightly fought set of eight games, both countries had to walk away from their concept of hockey superiority and incorporate strategies from the other. This lead to an evolution in the way hockey is played and an appreciation of the game's global reach, leading to more European players coming to the National Hockey League through the 1970s.

This book, however, is more of a players' account of what it was like to be there and offers little information that hasn't been reported over the past fifty years. With so many players recalling the same incidents, the writing can get repetitive. There is also a strong current of Canadian patriotism that colors the story. Did the Canadians really prevail because they had more heart than the Soviets?

For serious hockey fans only. Tip a Molson every time the series is referred to as "war" and you'll be drunker than Team Canada on the flight home from Moscow.

[Dlmrose]

3.5

[Brandon]

Last year, a deluge of books hit the market celebrating the 50th anniversary of the '72 Summit Series. If you reside in Canada, but have been living under a rock with your fingers in your ears, you may not know anything about this historic event, so I'll give you a coles notes. The Summit Series was a hotly contested eight game series between two hockey superpowers at the height of the Cold War. Having beaten just about every international team on skates, the Soviets felt it was finally time to set their sights on the Canadian professionals. Orchestrated by NHLPA boss and agent-to-the-stars Alan Eagleson, a date was then set for the two teams to clash on the ice. Four games would take place in Canada with the series then shifting to behind the Iron Curtain for four additional games in Moscow.

Longtime sports journalist Scott Morrison took up the task of writing a book that both celebrated the event while also trying to avoid sounding like regurgitated material. I mean, there is only so much you could possibly write about the series when countless other books (retrospectives and memoirs alike) have done so over the years. We also have to factor in that this series took place fifty years ago and many of those who participated have since passed on. Could Morrison uncover new material? Is that even the goal?

Having just recently read Gary Smith's excellent recollection of the series in his 2022 book ICE WAR DIPLOMAT, I still found myself on the edge of my seat during many of the game recaps and the seemingly relentless drama that unfurled from the puck drop in game one right up to Henderson's miraculous goal in game eight. Morrison interjected a lot of direct quotes from both Canadian and Russian players alike that allowed for the widest possible scope when looking at the effect the series had on not only those in the games but the world of hockey itself.

My only complaint is that after a certain point, I could have done with less of the "democracy vs. communism" talking points that littered the players' recollection. I understand that politics played a big part in why the series became so heated and the result mattered so much, but I didn't need someone to hit me over the head with a hammer and sickle every time Phil Esposito spoke about battling back from the edges of defeat.

I enjoyed Morrision's examination of the WHA v. NHL debacle that kept one of hockey's greatest players on the sidelines in Bobby Hull as well as a recap from CBC Radio broadcaster Bob Cole and his experiences calling the games (even if most of it is covered in Bob's memoir from a few years back). I also didn't know a whole lot about the exhibition games played in between games four and five when Canada played against the Swedish national team. There is also a touching story surrounding Stan Mikita and his return to Prague to play in front of his family after having been forced to leave Czechoslovakia around the Second World War.

This will likely be the last book I read on the series as I would be hard pressed to venture into the series a third time (although I do intend on watching the acclaimed CBC documentary). In closing, it is always worth reminding people to never forget that Harold Ballard was a rotten bastard.

[Jeff]

Any book that keeps my interest to the degree that I read it within 24 hours has to get five stars. Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Canada vs. Soviet Union Summit Series, this book does a great job helping us older folks relive the memories, and explaining to younger readers what all the fuss was about. The book hits all the key stories from the series. The one minor drawback of the book is that, for someone like me who has read extensively about the series, it doesn't offer too much in the way of new stories or insight. The extensive quotes from players are very interesting and enlightening to a degree, but there isn't much in the way of deep analysis until the last chapter. This book excels, though, at what it is meant to be - a history of the most pivotal series of games in hockey history. The author doesn't interject himself or his analysis into the narrative. He tells the story in a compelling way through first person accounts and player quotes. One interesting twist is a section devoted to the 3000 Canadian fans who went to Moscow for games 5-8, describing some of their experiences. There is also more description of Team Canada's exhibition game in Czechoslovakia than I've seen in other books. This is a very interesting book that moves the narrative along nicely. If you're too young to remember '72, or if you're old enough and want to relive the experience, this is an excellent resource. Highly recommended.

[Daniel Kukwa]

I'm not a hockey fan, but this breezy, easy to read, informative book flies by. It contains more than enough incidental information to make it more than just a book about hockey, although I was puzzled by the absence of any mention of the post-summit legacy of Alan Eagleson...not even a passing remark. The perfect concise summation regarding a seminal cold war event.

[Michael Owens]

An interesting read if you are a hockey fan. I think some of the aura of the series is lost on me as an American and someone born about a quarter century later but the book does a good job tying the events into the things they’ve shaped in hockey today

[Calvin Daniels]

OK I am not sure there is a perfect anything, books included, but as a CDN who was 12 in 1972 this book 50 years later is darned close.

LOVED IT!

[Boni]

This seminal moment in Canadian history (and not just sports history) is a story worth telling with an epic novel. This came out on the 50 year anniversary by a well-respected Canadian hockey author, Scott Morrison, who had access to interviews of many of the players (both Canadian and Russian) still living… some interviews taken by others, and some from his previous books. Seemed at times like he wanted to include every player interview talking about the same thing, so there was a good deal of redundancy and repetitive storytelling. Despite that, I thought the interviews were the plus side… a very BIG plus side. And that multiple perspective of players really paid off with the 34-seconds goal, the golden goal, the Series WINNER! Esposito, Cournoyer, Henderson, Mahovlich, Sinden, Dryden, even Ellis on the bench (and poor Liapkin)…all their thoughts exposed on that moment, PRICELESS!

The book also delved into the Canada’s soul, the inside politics of a nation still reeling over the kidnapping and assassination of politicians by a Quebec rogue separatist group (the FLQ). It covered our embarrassment of Russian dominance over our amateurs at world hockey events (and then Game 1 in our sacred hockey cathedral, the Montreal Forum)… when we invented the game and they were supposed juniors, neophytes. And the eventual realization of athletic parity.

One thing I wasn’t so enamored with, was the author’s repetition of Canadian heart/spirit being behind the heroic come-from-behind win. I think luck could have been acknowledged, as the Russians played with big hearts as well. Perhaps also, they were burdened with worse conditions of training, equipment, sweaters, food,…worse conditions of life, so that’s part of why they lost? Perhaps win-at-all-costs (Bobby Clarke breaking ankles) played a role? The Soviets missing Kharlamov over the final Canadian 3 wins was great ‘luck’ for the Broadstreet Bullies/Big Bad Bruins/Team Canadian Heart, eh? Sadly (but at least honestly) it’s pretty clear that the author and many nationalists are allowing themselves to turn a blind eye where convenient, mistaking ‘playing with heart’ for ‘lack of sportsmanship’? I never really realized that until I read the blind fervor repeated over and over here. Mirrors are scary things sometimes, eh? Arrogance is a suite that doesn’t fit well on Canadians, but is often unholstered for our love of hockey. I’m in that nationalistic vein myself, so I can’t throw too many stones, but perhaps the author could have been a little less jingoistic. (BTW, looking into mirrors can be sad, but enlightening too 👍) Glad that Serge Savard and Paul Henderson vocalized their minority teammate opinion. The resulting acrimony between Henderson and Clarke was very interesting to read, though somewhat painful.

That nationalistic fervor was displayed in several anecdotes throughout the book. in a privileged tone in describing the super fan in Moscow, who seemed to constantly ignore a host country’s culture and laws Russian, entitled to misbehave. Or on the plane ride after, Esposito and Parise throwing cherry tomatoes at the referee they hated, rationalizing “When I think about it that’s terrible. How bad were we? But we won.” And of course, there is always Alan Eagleson you can count on for being the Ugly Canadian in every breath he takes. (I wish they had a little more follow-through in telling his story with Bobby Orr, as he did with a lot of the other key ‘players’.) Scott Morrison seemed to let the Eagle off Scott free, with the only (gentle) scolding being presented by in the interview with Mikhailov and Yakushev.

We Canadians learned so much from these 8 games, and in 1972, Brezhnev and Kosygin (with help from Alan Eagleson) helped thaw the Cold War, helped “tear down that wall” decades before Gorbachev and Yeltsin. This series was unintended glasnost with no losers. To label this event as “the series that changed hockey forever”, to me seems to minimize the earth-shaking, history-making, world-rocking that took place over this memorable September.

It is a gem of a story, and feels like vaults were opened to see the secrets. The spy-type decisions, the Coaches’ psychology strategies, the politics of bad refereeing, and oh man, all the paranoia about the communists (loved the fessing up of Frank Mahovlich over the legend of the KGB bugging his room 😂); followed by the ecstasy and relief of winning. Only now do we appreciate and love the Russian hockey players (well, actually it’s been a very long love affair starting with that Russian Number 17, Valeri Kharlamov in 1972). And today, we are on the cusp of one Alex Ovechkin breaking The Great One’s untouchable goal-scoring record. And this Russian-bred, Russian-citizened, Putin-associating hockey icon is ironically the Captain of the USA-based Washington Capitals, in the heart of Amrica’s beloved District of Columbia. The anecdote of young Vyacheslav Anisin bringing a gift samovar to the locker room for Espo right after losing speaks volumes of what we learned from the series. Humanity doesn’t get characterized by communism or capitalism or politics or race or country.

What a fun trip back to Russia!! My only negative comment is the repetition of facts and events as though a word-count were in play for publisher payment. So it feels like a scattered story-telling, a little disorganized. Regardless, LOVED this history lesson that dragged me back 50 years to an innocent time… when we were ignorant of (and were taught to fear) (and were taught to hate) the Red Communist Menace. Glad we (have had the opportunity to) grow!

[Shawna Butler]

The series was a clash of hockey cultures, which ultimately became one of its legacies: Canadians learning from the training methods of the Soviets, which at the time were wildly different, and the Soviets learning something about the Canadians’ determination.

There is a reason why, fifty years later, people are still talking about 1972. It’s quite simple, actually. It’s not because I got up off my ass, but because we as a team did and we won. Everybody loves a winner; nobody cares about a loser. So, there you have it.

This book is not just a trip down hockey member lane but it offers stories that have never been told about this iconic series. Morrison digs deep uncover these stories for us to enjoy and cherish. The foreword is written by Phil Esposito who was reluctant at first to play as a member of Team Canada during this unforgettable series. The book is not just well written but very organized within the chapters and layout. The In Memoriam was a great way to not only recognize but also honour these players who have passed on but are never to be forgotten.

Sports journalist Scott Morrison reflects on the 50th anniversary of the Summit Series in his book “1972: The Series That Changed Hockey Forever.”

Veteran journalist and hockey analyst Morrison uses a storyteller’s voice to reveal what it meant to hockey then, and what it means now. Having reported and provided analysis for Sportsnet, Hockey Night in Canada, and CBC Television and Radio. He has written numerous books, including 100 Years, 100 Moments: A Centennial of NHL Hockey, and Catch 22: My Battles, in Hockey and Life with Rick Vaive.

In Moscow in Game Five, the Canadians again lost but played well. The next three games were tense and full of excitement and controversy. Morrison captures it all in his dramatic rendering of the game action and the off-ice dramas. Each game had its ups and downs, it’s heroes and villains. Games Six and Seven were won by the Canadians, and so, going into Game Eight the series stood at three wins each with one tie.

All of this led to high tension and drama culminating with the aforementioned “Henderson goal,” maybe the most significant goal in Canadian hockey history breaking a tie in the waning moments of the game.

[Russell R]

Excellent book on the 1972 summit series

[Ken Heard]

I was 12 and living in northern Minnesota when the Summit Series between Team Canada and USSR raged on. We all rooted for Canada, of course, not just because of my proximity to the country, but because we wanted bad ol' Russia to lose.

It was a huge event; we could pick up the televised games on a CBC station out of Winnipeg and watch them unfold. Paul Henderson's shot in Game 8 is such an iconic, historical Canadian moment that The Tragically Hip, the greatest band ever, noted it in their song "Poets."

"It was back in old seventy-two," Gord Downie sings. "We all squeezed the stick and we all pulled the trigger, and all I remember was sitting beside you."

Scott Morrison captures that Canadian feel in his book, complete with the spellings of "honour," "colour" and "defencemen." He also expands the series. It's not just eight hockey games wrapped around a three- or four-week period. Morrison deftly shows other events in Canada (strikes, the prime minister, economics, etc) which may have added to the negative reaction shown by fans when Team Canada lost three of its first four games in Canada. They needed the diversion of a winning hockey team, but were stunned by the Soviets. There was also the 1972 Olympics and the tragedy suffered by the Iraseli team in Munich that occurred at the same time.

This is a hockey book, but it's also a history book.

Morrison provides fantastic look backs by the players involved, including Espisito's fall when given a rose during the opening game ceremonies.

It's hard to believe it's been 50 years since that series was played. Morrison does a superb job of bringing that back, adding the context to fill it out even more richly and then includes the look-back by those involved. A must for any hockey fan's book shelf.

[Adrian]

A new look at the Canada-Russia series. For someone who lived the series when it happened this is a popcorn read. Morrison hits all the high points and though there is considerable repetition since he quotes players on their memories in their own words-there are new slants as well. For me his view of how the coaching staff of Sinden and Ferguson handled the task is the most valuable part of the book. Choosing 35 players was both the saving and near ruination of the team. And Sinden's promise that everyone would get to play at least one of the eight games was the cause of most of the dissension which led to four players leaving the team in Russia. The four were crucified in the media at the time but the explanation of how it went down here changes my mind on their decisions to a degree. A lot of ink is spilled here trying to define what quality Canada possessed to come from behind to win. Heart and spirit seems to be the answer which implies the Russians had none. This isn't fair. One wonders if this will be the final word on a series now 50 years old.

[Joe Seliske]

Another book on the hockey Summit Series between the Soviet Union and Canada in September 1972. This one was written with the knowledge of the future in mind. Canada was able to use its best hockey players, professionals from the NHL against the "amateur" Soviets who spent their lives playing hockey for their country. The game-by-game narratives were backed up by information known of the results. The ending tells of all the players that are no longer with us and how they passed on; a nice touch.

I still remember watching game eight from the Biology 120 lab at the Ramsay Wright building at the University of Toronto. We all went nuts when Paul Henderson scored the winning goal. Classmates Jim Wemyss and Jean McColl were there as well.

[Andy Park]

So this is a sporting event that I never knew much about. As an American, it’s USA hockey, and the 1980 Miracle on Ice.

After learning about the 8 game Summit Series, this did change hockey, on an international level. The author was right, that the Canadians won, but the Soviets felt like they won too, having been able to go toe to toe Team Canada, and almost won the series. Plus, the Soviets continues to dominate on the world stage, and weren’t considered amateurs any more, despite playing for a state sponsored team.

At the end of the day… the author summed up the result of the series.

The winner was the game, and the sport of hockey.

[Gary Kirchner]

Through the recollections of many of the participants, Scott Morrison shows how the Summit Series of 1972 evolved from what was supposed to be a simple—albeit intriguing—set of exhibition games, to arguably the most emotionally fraught and significant hockey series ever played. The Canada-Soviet series of 1972, the first time the world champion “amateurs” from the Soviet Union met the professionals from the NHL, undeniably changed hockey on both continents. I found 1972 a bit repetitive at times; the story is gripping nevertheless, and I thoroughly enjoyed the trip back to the days when I was a very young sports fan.

[Doug Hauser]

Brought make many memories for a then 13 year old American born hockey player. I listened to every one of those games that I could on a little transistor radio. If you loved hockey you were cheering for the Canadians to win every bit as much as a little Canadian kid. Two years later I was playing Junior B Hockey in Windsor Ontario during the 1974 series between Russia and the WHA All-Star Team. I gained a lot of respect from my Canadian teammates because of how passionate I was about the series.

[Maurice Tougas]

Sportswriter Scott Morrison provides a comprehensive, if a little dry, exploration of the epic Canada-Russian Summit Series of 1972. Everything you need to know about the greatest sports event in Canadian history is in this book, with dozens of interviews. Oddly, however, for the most emotional and thrilling sports event ever, the book is fairly flat. It works as an introduction to the event, but I just feel it could have been better.

[Joe Corrigan]

This is a very detailed history of the Canada / USSR hockey challenge of 1972. Scott Morrison certainly sheds light on the insider's view of what took place with scores of interviews with the players from both teams and other key participants. A worthwhile read for those who are old enough to remember the events of 50 years ago and those who have only seen the video. The political atmosphere of the times is brought forward and it colours the narrative in an impactful way.

[John Schorg]

Even for those people who have just a passing interest in hockey, this is a good accounting of the seminal series of matches between Canada and the USSR in 1972. The match recaps are handled briefly and effectively, and the author doesn't leave out some of the saltier aspects of the event, such as efforts to deliberately injure opponents.

[Donald Paulsrud]

A great walk down memory lane for those of us who were alive when it happened and a great "learn about it" book for the younger hockey fans. It does a good job of dealing with the politics of the time without getting boring or caught up in it. This series was the first crack in opening the door for Russian players to get into the NHL. If you are a hockey fan you need to read this book.

[Jonas Short]

Fantastic account of a historic event in sports and geopolitics. With that said, the “ra ra” capitalism/Canada good, USSR/Communism bad comments from the author and interviewees got very old very quickly. While that was certainly a significant part of how and why the series was played, I would have appreciated at least a brief interrogation of those ideas

[Howie]

an excellent update to a previously written book by Morrison on the Summit Series. New insights and quotes from some of the involved parties. 1972 Summit Series changed hockey forever, how can you not read about that.

[Matt]

I wasn’t alive for the series but have heard from my parents and many others how big a deal it was. It was cool to read the story and learn how it all unfolded. I did have a few critiques but overall I am glad I read the book.

[Rich Larson]

I loved reading this book. In 1972 I was 16. I remember the series and certain highlights like Espo falling on his ass and Hendersons GWG. It was cool hearing the players comments and insight. A must read for Hockey fans.

[Chris Schaffer]

Gary Smith’s book is better on the organization and diplomatic/geopolitical issues involved as well the overall inception/conception of the series. This one is better from the Canadians players perspectives.

[Bob Freeman]

Very good book, a few new insights into the Series. Brought back memories. Finished in one day. Well worth the read.

[Richard Lehingrat]

I’d go five stars, except a lot of repeated quotes … whose the editor? Needs a two hander from Clarkie in many places. ****