Publisher: International Ice Hockey Federation, Editor-in-Chief: Jan-Ake Edvinsson Editors: Kimmo Leinonen and Szymon Szemberg, Layout: Szymon Szemberg, Photos: IIHF Archives, Jukka Rautio, City Press September 2002 - Vol. 6 - No 4 IIHF President René Fasel in an interview on the state of the game:
Photo: JAN DÜSING FORMAT NEEDS SOME POLISH: IIHF President René Fasel wants to stay with 16 teams in the top group of the World Championship, but conceeds that the championship format needs an overlook. “But if we change, we must be sure that it is for the better.” “Competing by overpaying doesn’t work”
René, according to you, which are the most pressing issues in the hockey can also make several players stay in Europe instead of going overseas. world today? Do you feel that the EHL should be a permanent league where clubs leave - In no specific order: to find the best possible format for the men's senior's World their domestic competition and only play in the EHL, or should it be more of Championship which is our core business; future co-operation with the NHL and soccer's Champions League style league where they compete in both? NHLPA, which virtually decides Olympic participation; and finally, club hockey in Europe. Although the leagues in Europe compensate the constant migration of play- - I don't think we are ready for a permanent league yet. According to me it should be ers very well, I have some concerns regarding financial responsibility. Some leagues more or less a Champions League style league. or clubs try to compete with the NHL by overpaying the players. That's not possible in the long run. How do you envision the 2006 Olympic hockey tournament in Turin, with or without NHL-participation? Why is a re-launch of the EHL vital for the IIHF? - Honestly, I can live with both. But of course, after the outstanding tournament in - I don't think it's vital for the IIHF itself. It's more important for hockey in Europe in Salt Lake City, I will do my best to have the NHL and NHLPA with us. I see that as my general. It's the most natural instinct in sport - to have the desire to compete against duty as the President of the IIHF. But if it doesn't work out, we will have a great the best. It's important for the clubs to broaden their horizon and it's important for tournament anyway, just like we had in Albertville 1992 and in Lillehammer 1994. the fans to get a feel for international club competition. Good international competi- Continued on page 5 tion is always better than good domestic competition. A healthy and competitive EHL September 2002 - Vol. 6 - No 4
Chinese officials visit IIHF We’re the champions of the world to discuss long range plans All national (men’s) champions from IIHF national associations Australia: Adelaide Avalanche Austria: EC Heraklith VSV Belarus: Keramin Minsk Belgium: Phantoms Deurne Bosnia & H: Competition starts 02/03 Bulgaria: Slavia Sofia Canada: Toronto Maple Leafs (highest ranked Canadian NHL-team) Kootenay Ice (Memorial Cup Champions) Le Garaga de Saint-George (Allan Cup Champions) China: Harbin Emerging hockey power: Four high ranked officials Chinese Taipei: Husky and one Olympic gold medallist visited the IIHF Zurich Croatia: KHL Medvescak Zagreb office on August 19 to discuss the development of ice Czech Republic: Sparta Praha hockey in China, which is the biggest emerging hoc- Denmark: Rungsted IK key market in the world. The capital city of Bejing will Estonia: Välk 494 host the 2002 IIHF World Women Championship and Finland: Jokerit Helsinki Harbin is one of eight applicants to hold the 2010 Olympic Winter Games. From left: Ji Junfeng, Chinese France: Reims Ice Hockey Federation, Zhu Chengyi, member of the Germany: Kolner Haie Chinese Olympic Committee, Dave Fitzpatrick, IIHF Great Britain: Sheffield Steelers GREAT BRITAIN: Steelers celebrate their second consecutive championship Sports Director, Ms. Ye Caiyun, Vice President Chinese Hungary: Alba Volan Ice Hockey Association, René Fasel, IIHF President, Iceland: Skautafélag Akureyri Yang A Yang, double gold medallist in Speed Sakting Ireland: Dublin Flyers at the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City, Jan-Ake Israel: HC Maalot Edvinsson, IIHF Gen. Secretary and Li Chunyuan, Vice Italy: Milano Vipers President Chinese Ice Hockey Association. Japan: Kokudo Tokyo GERMANY WANTS 2007 CHAMPIONSHIP: On Kazakhstan: Kazzinc-Torpedo August 20, 2002 the IIHF officially received the Korea: Halla Winia candidature from the German Ice Hockey Latvia: Liepajas Metalurgs Association to organize the 2007 IIHF World Lithuania: Garsu Pasaulis Vilnius Championship. Other applicants for that year’s Luxembourg: Tornado Luxembourg SWEDEN: Farjestad with golden helmets tournament are Canada and Sweden. The alloca- Malaysia: Kuala Lumpur Barracudas tion of the 2007 champion-ship will be decided during the 2003 IIHF General Congress in Mexico: Distrito Federal I Marbella, Spain. If Germany will not be awarded Mongolia: Economical University the 2007 championship, their bid will be applica- Netherlands: Tigers Amsterdam ble for 2008. The only other 2008 applicant right New Zealand: Auckland now is Switzerland. Norway: Frisk-Asker Poland: Unia Oswiecim IIHF News & Appointments Portugal: No competition 01-02 Romania: Steaua Bucaresti Gunda Bossel is the new secretary to Hannes Russia: Lokomotiv Yaroslavl Ederer, Deputy General Secretary and Director of Singapore: Continental Wings Administration. Slovakia: Slovan Bratislava SPAIN: And you thought FC Barcelona only Gunda is 28 years played soccer... old, finished business Slovenia: Olimpija Ljubljana school in Baden in South Africa: AMA-Horney Pretoria 1993 and since then Spain: FC Barcelona ITALY: worked in different Sweden: Farjestads BK Alessandro sectors, mostly in the Switzerland: HC Davos Rotolo of travel business. Thailand: Chevron Canstar champions Gunda joined the Turkey: Ankara Spor Kulubu Milano IIHF on August 15th. Ukraine: HC Bercut Vipers Utd Arab Emirates: Al Wahda Abu Dhabi USA: Detroit Red Wings (Stanley Cup champions) University of Minnesota (NCAA Champion) Yugoslavia: Vojvodina Novi Sad
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2 September 2002 - Vol. 6 - No 4 IIHF mourns long time associate Cesar W. Lüthi The long time partner of the name. In 1996, amid accusations between two rival observers seem to agree that he is the right man for International Ice Hockey groups, the club was split into two teams. One retained the job since he is on the same wavelength as the Federation, Cesar W. Lüthi pas- the original name while the other, which played in the young crop of players who could represent Russia at sed away early Thursday mor- lower division, took the name HC CSKA Moscow. HC the 2006 Olympics in Turin. ning of 18 July 2002, in his was led by former national team coach, the legendary home in Switzerland after a Viktor Tichonov. ❑ ❑ ❑ long period of illness. Cesar W. Tichonov, 72, will again be the head coach of the mer- Cesar W. Lüthi Lüthi was 71 years old. ged club, which will play in the Russian Hockey League. While Plyushev goes from juniors to seniors, USA's Lou CSKA won 32 national championships between 1948 Vairo takes the opposite route. On July 19, 2002, USA “We have lost a great friend and an outstanding per- and 1989. The club was relega- Hockey named the 57-year old Vairo as Head Coach of son”, said IIHF President René Fasel. “The International ted from the RHL after the 2001- the 2003 USA U20 national team, which will compete Ice Hockey Federation owes Mr. Lüthi a lot”. 2002-season while HC CSKA in the World U20 Championship in Canada (Halifax and Moscow was promoted from the Sydney, December 26, 2002 - January 5, 2003). Cesar W. Lüthi was born on September 6. 1930 in minor league. Czechs Dusan Wohlen, Switzerland. His early employments included Salficky, Miloslav Guren and Vairo's coaching experience with the U.S. national being a managing director of Gloria, a company in the Michal Straka have all signed with junior team dates back to 1977, when he served as an field of marketing and advertising. The very first time CSKA for the upcoming season. assistant during the inaugural IIHF World U20 Lüthi was involved in board advertising business was to Never too old Championship in the former Czechoslovakia. He later supply the advertising to the World Rowing One week after the merger, the guided the United States entry as head coach for four Championship in Bled, Yugoslavia back in 1966. relegated CSKA Moscow was dismantled. The team, straight years, from 1979-82. In February Vairo served which was supposed to play in the minor league, was as an assistant coach of the silver medal-winning 2002 Six year later he founded his own company "Cesar W. recalled from a pre-season tournament in Nizhni U.S. Olympic men's team at the Lüthi, Marketing and Sales Promotion" and rapidly pio- Novgorod and the players were told that only five on Olympic Winter Games in Salt neered the so-called rolling board advertising. A few the 30-man roster would be retained. Lake City. Vairo also coached years later CWL Telesport and Marketing AG was foun- Team USA at the 2002 IIHF World ded, and the inaugural contract with the IIHF was esta- ❑ ❑ ❑ Championship in Sweden. blished in 1981 for the board advertising sales at the IIHF World Championship in Sweden in the same Kjell Nilsson was elected as the new President of the Team USA will be one of the spring. The contract between CWL Telesport and Swedish Ice Hockey Association on June 15, 2002. favourites in Nova Scotia. The Marketing AG and the IIHF was later extended to cover Nilsson, 59, replaces Rickard Fagerlund who decided core of the U18 team which won Lou goes for gold the television right sales as well. In 2000 Lüthi sold his not to run for a new term after 19 years at the helm of the gold medal at the 2002 U18 company to KirchSport AG, the current rights holder of Swedish hockey. Nilsson has World Championship in Slovakia, has graduated to the IIHF World Championship television and advertising played in the Swedish league for Vairo's U20 squad. rights. AIK and Rogle and was selected on nine occasions for internatio- ❑ ❑ ❑ As an avid sport fan Lüthi soon became a familiar per- nal games with Tre Kronor, the son in the international family of ice hockey. His con- national team. After his playing Anders Hedberg, the General Manager of the tributions to the game of ice hockey was recognised by career Nilsson worked as minor Swedish national team program for the last two years, the IIHF when he was inducted to the IIHF Hall of Fame and junior coach and made a is back in the NHL. On August 1, 2002, the Ottawa in 1998. Dr. h.c. Cesar W. Lüthi was a recipient of the New boss in Sweden civil career with the Swedish Senators announced that they have signed Hedberg for Olympic Order and an honorary member of the armed forces. three years as Director of Player Personal. International Ice Hockey Federation. Cesar will be missed by his wife Eva and two daugh- ❑ ❑ ❑ “I know the player market, I ters. know hockey,” Hedberg said. Dr. Dieter Kalt was re-elected as “It's a wonderful combination of ❑ ❑ ❑ President of the Austrian Ice desk work and live hockey.” Hockey Federation on June 22, Boris Alexandrov, the Head Coach of the Kazakhstan 2002, for a four-year term. Hedberg played seven years in national team died in a car accident on July 31, 2002, the NHL and, before returning to not far from the city of Ufa (Russia). ❑ ❑ ❑ Swedish hockey for two years, he Dr. Kalt re-elected Senator Hedberg held the job as an assistant Alexandrov, 47, was on his way general manager in the Toronto to Moscow when his car was Vladimir Plyushev knows how to win world junior tit- Maple Leaf organization. involved in a head-on collision les for Russia. Now he will have to prove that he can with an oncoming vehicle. do it with the big boys as well. On August 7, 2002, the ❑ ❑ ❑ He was a member of the Soviet Russian Ice Hockey Federation announced that gold medal team in the 1976 Plyushev is replacing Boris Michailov as Head Coach of Johnny Misley has been named the Canadian Hockey Winter Olympics in Innsbruck the national team, the Association's Vice-President, Hockey Operations, the and represented the mighty "Zbornaya". CHA announced on August 1, 2002. CSKA Moscow in the 70s. Boris Alexandrov Aleksandrov scored the tying The 47-year old Plyushev led Since 1998, the position of “CHA Vice-President, goal for CSKA Moscow in the 1975 New Year's Classic Russia to gold at the 2001 IIHF Hockey position” (Tom Renney 1998-2000, Wayne with the Montreal Canadiens. The 3-3-game is still con- World U18 Championship in Fleming 2000-2002) has included the position of Head sidered as best ever played between two club teams. Finland and at the 2002 World Coach of Canada's National Men's Team. The Vice- U20 Championship in Czech President, Hockey Operations position that Misley has From 1995 on, he was the head coach of the Torpedo Republic. Plyushev played for Vladimir Plyushev been named for, will not have a coaching component Ust-Kamenogorsk elite team and the national team of CSKA Moscow as a junior and or capacity for any of Canada's National Teams. Kazakhstan. spent parts of his senior career at Dynamo Moscow. Alexandrov will be missed by his wife Zhanna and his Apart from his assignments with the Russian junior ❑ ❑ ❑ two sons, Alan and Viktor, who both are hockey play- program, Plyushev has been the assistant coach of ers. major league club Ak Bars Kazan. Former Finnish star Jari Gronstrand has been appoin- ted head coach of the Australian national team. The ❑ ❑ ❑ Plyushev also has a background as an agent for the defender played 188 games in the NHL with 4 teams former KGB. “I worked for 13 years with the depart- (Minnesota North Stars, NY Rangers, Quebec Nordiques After a bitter six-year feud, the CSKA Moscow hockey ment for terrorism prevention” Plyushev told the and NY Islanders. He ended his playing career in France club is back as one entity, but with a slightly different Moscow based paper Sport-Express. Russian hockey with Reims in 1997. 3 September 2002 - Vol. 6 - No 4 CONTINENTAL CUP 02-03 First Round This year’s crop of hopefulls September 20 - 22 Group A European players who have signed with NHL teams during the 2002 off-season Barcelona, ESP April 22, Tomas Plekanec (CZE), 20, F. From HC Kladno to Montreal Canadiens KHNL Zagreb, CRO May 8, Igor Radulov (RUS), 20, F. From St. Petersburg to Chicago Blackhawks Riga 2000, LAT May 16, Henrik Zetterberg (SWE), 22, F. From Timra IK to Detroit Red Wings Pirjeta: From Finnish Tilburg Trappers, NED May 31, Filip Novak (CZE), 20, D. From Regina Pats to Florida Panthers blue to Blue Jackets June 3, Rastislav Pavlikovsky (SVK), 25, F. From HV71 (SWE) to Minnesota Wild Group B June 3, Jonathan Hedstrom (SWE), 25, F. From Lulea to Anaheim Mighty Ducks Amsterdam Tigers, NED June 17, Alexander Svitov (RUS), 19, F. From Avangard Omsk to Tampa Bay CH Jaca 2010, ESP June 18, Alexei Smirnov (RUS), 20, F. From CSKA Moskva to Anaheim Kazzinc Torpedo, KAZ June 18, Martin Samuelsson (SWE), 20, F. From Hammarby to Boston Bruins Vojvodina Novi Sad, YUG June 26, Lasse Pirjeta (FIN), 28, F. From Karpat Oulu to Columbus Blue Jackets June 28, Fredrik Sjostrom (SWE), 19, F. From Frolunda (via Calgary, WHL) to Phoenix Group C July 2, Nils Ekman (SWE), 26, F. From Djurgarden to NY Rangers Acroni Jesenice, SLO July 2, Tomi Pettinen (FIN), 25, D. From Ilves Tampere to NY Islanders Zetterberg: Takes off Medvescak, CRO July 3, Petr Cajanek (CZE), 26, F. From HC Zlin to St. Louis Blues with the Red Wings Progym Apicom, RUM July 3, Alexei Komarov (RUS), 24, D. From Spartak Moskva to Dallas Stars BB Ankara, TUR July 3, Mattias Weinhandl (SWE), 22, F. From Modo to NY Islanders July 10, Cristobal Huet (FRA), 26, G. From Lugano (SUI) to Los Angeles Kings Group D July 10, Tom Koivisto (FIN), 29, D. From Jokerit Helsinki to St. Louis Blues Slavia Sofia, BUL July 11, Martin Chabada (CZE), 25, F. From Sparta Praha to NY Islanders. Crvena Zvezda, Beograd, YUG July 11, Pauli Levokari (FIN), 23, D. From IFK Helsinki to Atlanta Thrashers. Dunaferr, HUN July 12, Christian Bäckman (SWE), 22, D. From Frolunda (SWE) to St. Louis Blues. HC Maalot, ISR July 13, Anton Kadeykin (RUS), 18, D. From Elektrostal to New Jersey Devils. July 13, Krisjanis Redlihs (LAT), 21, D. From Liepaja Riga to New Jersey Devils. Group E Seidenberg: Takes a July 13, Matus Kostur (SVK), 22, G. From HKM Zvolen to New Jersey Devils. Alba Volan, HUN Flyer in Philly July 13, Rickard Wallin (SWE), 22, F. From Farjestad to Minnesota Wild. HK Bled, SLO July 13, Mathias Johansson (SWE), 28, F. From Farjestad to Calgary Flames. Energija Elektrenai, LTU July 13, Anton Volchenkov (RUS), 20, D. From Krylia Sovetov to Ottawa Senators Steaua Bucaresti, ROM July 14, Kari Haakana (FIN), 28, D. From Jokerit to Edmonton Oilers. July 14, Kristian Antila (FIN), 22, G. From Assat Pori to Edmonton Oilers. Second Round July 15, Radoslav Hecl (SVK), 28, D. From Slovan Bratislava to Buffalo Sabres October 18 - 20 July 15, Dennis Seidenberg (GER), 21, D. From Adler Mannheim to Philadelphia Flyers Group F July 15, Konstantin Koltsov (BLR), 21, F. From Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk (RUS) to Pittsburgh HC Rouen, FRA July 15, Vladimir Vujtek (CZE), 30, F. From HPK Hameenlinna (FIN) to Pittsburgh Penguins. Ayr Scottish Eagles, GBR July 15, Alexander Frolov (RUS), 20, F. From Krylya Sovietov to LA Kings. Redlihs: Latvian beco- Storhamar Dragons, NOR July 15, Aleksei Shkotov (RUS), 18, F. From Elektrostal to St. Louis Blues mes Devil Winner "A" July 15, Martin Gerber (SUI), 27, G. From Farjestad (SWE) to Anaheim Mighty Ducks. July 15, Dmitri Bykov (RUS), 25, D. From AK Bars Kazan to Detroit Red Wings. Group G July 15, Tony Martensson (SWE), 22, F. From Brynas to Anaheim Mighty Ducks. GKS Katowice, POL July 15, Stanislav Chistov (RUS), 19, F. From Avangard Omsk to Anaheim Mighty Ducks. EHC Linz,AUT July 15, Jan Tabacek (SVK), 22, D. From Slovan Bratislava to Anaheim Mighty Ducks. GMH 38 Grenoble, FRA July 15, Tony Salmelainen (FIN), 21, F. From Ilves Tampere to Edmonton Oilers. Winner "B" July 16, Pavel Rosa (CZE), 25, F. From Jokerit Helsinki (FIN) to Los Angeles Kings July 19, Ivan Majesky (SVK), 25, D. From Ilves Tampere to Florida Panthers. Group H July 23, Sergei Klyazmin (RUS), 20, F. From Dynamo M. (via Halifax, QMJHL) to Colorado Lintner: Slovak hits Liepajas Metalurgs,LAT Broadway July 30, Richard Lintner (SVK), 25, D. From Modo (SWE) to NY Rangers. Jukurit Mikkeli, FIN Sokol Kiev, UKR Top ranked Euro teams to play reshaped Continental Cup Super Final Winner "C" The IIHF Continental Cup, Europe's prime club competition has Super Final Competition Format Group I adopted a new structure for the Final Round. Instead of a four- Group M Unia Oswiecim, POL team playoff, the 2003 IIHF Continental Cup will have a one week- HC Davos, SUI, HC Lugano, SUI, Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, RUS, Winner “J” Khimvolokno-Mogilev, BLR HC Lugano appointed organizer end (January 10-12) final stage with eight teams divided into two Winner "D" Group N Winner "E" groups. HC Milano Vipers, ITA, Jokerit Helsinki, FIN, Winner “K”, Winner “L”. HC Milano Vipers appointed organizer The Super Final group games will be played in Lugano, Switzerland Third Round and Milan, Italy with the Gold Medal Game scheduled for Lugano January 10 (in Milan) November 22 - 24 on January 12. Game 1 HC MIlano - Winner Pool "K" 16.30 Group J Game 2 Jokerit Helsinki - Winner Pool "L" 20.00 Valerenga IF, NOR Together with the hosting clubs HC Lugano and HC Milano Vipers Belfast Giants, GBR January 10 (in Lugano) (last year's Continental Cup runners-up) the following teams are Winner "F" Game 3 HC Lugano - Winner Pool J Winner "G" seeded directly to the finals: Lokomotiv Yaroslavl (Russian cham- Game 4 HC Davos - Lokomotiv Yaroslavl pions), Jokerit Helsinki (Finnish champions) and HC Davos (Swiss champions). January 11 (in Milan) Japanese Giant: Can Group K Other champion teams from European leagues will play for the Game 5 Loser Game 1 - Loser Game 2 16.30 newly recruited Ryan HC Asiago,ITA remaining three spots among the top eight. Game 6 Winner Game 1 - Winner Game 2 20.00 Kuwabara of Japan HC Keramin Minsk, BLR help the Belfast Giants HDD Olimpija Ljubljana, SLO January 11 (in Lugano) to the CC-Super Final? "We believe that this format will increase the quality and the pre- Winner "H" Game 7 Loser Game 3 - Loser Game 4 16.30 stige of the Continental Cup", says IIHF President René Fasel. Game 8 Winner Game 3 - Winner Game 4 20.00 "Several observers believe that Lokomitv Yaroslavl is the best club Group L Slovan Bratislava, SVK team in Europe. This is the stage where they can prove it." January 12 (tentative allocation of the games) VSV Villach, AUT Game 9 (in Milan) Loser Game 5 - Loser Game 7 17.00 (Place 7 - 8) Former winners of the IIHF Continental Cup: 1997 Kosice, SVK, Game 10 (in Lugano) Winner Game 5 - Winner Game 7 TBA (Place 5 - 6) Bercut Kyiv, UKR 1998 Ambri-Piotta, SUI, 1999 Ambri Piotta, SUI, 2000 ZSC Zurich Game 11 (in Milan) Loser Game 6 - Loser Game 8 14.00 (Bronze Medal) Winner "I" Lions, SUI, 2001 ZSC Zurich, Lions. Game 12 (in Lugano) Winner Game 6 - Winner Game 8 20.30 (Gold Medal) Allocated organizer of group is marked in bold. 4 September 2002 - Vol. 6 - No 4 Continued from page 1 Can hockey learn something from the global game? Around 45 players left the European - I am a big sports fan and soccer at this level is great entertainment. We can always leagues for the NHL this off-season as learn, but this World Cup left me with a feeling that we are much more progressive opposed to 73 the year before. How than soccer on some important issues. The World Cup proved that the best referee do you comment that on decrease, do must officiate the game, regardless of his or her nationality. To start looking for refe- you think we see a trend? rees from a neutral continent proved to be a bad idea. We had a Canadian referee doing the Canada-USA Olympic men's final. No one complained. He did a great job - I am very pleased. The GM's of the NHL because he was the best. Competence and not your passport must be the bottom teams probably line. Watching the World Cup, I was also very pleased with us Referees: Quality over passport understand that they using the video replay for disputed goals. can not stock their “I am really teams with too many Europeans. There are 300 Europeans play- Back to hockey. The IIHF is in a process of evaluating ing there already. I hope that next year there will be even less happy that the World Championship format. What do you think will players leaving. Despite the great education programs in Europe, come out of it? I simply can not imagine that you can send over 50 highly quali- we are not fied players every year. Some of the players leaving this year - The final decision will be made by Congress next year in could hardly make it on to their European teams and some are as Spain. Personally I feel we should stay with 16 teams and face even from lower divisions. I still feel that many players go over conservative the problems we have with the second round. We must find a too soon. If you want to work on your skills, you would be better way. But if we change, we must be sure we are changing for to do it in Europe than in the NHL. as the better. Just changing for the sake of it confuses the fans.
This is really not on the IIHF agenda, but what are your soccer” We have great season coming up with the World U20 thoughts regarding the possible labour conflict if the NHL Championship in Canada, World Women's and the NHLPA cannot agree on a new bargaining agree- Championship in China and the Men's Senior's World ment before it expires in 2004? Championship in Finland? What are your thoughts and your hopes? - In the best interest of the game, I hope they'll find a way. But I prefer to mind our own business. - The first feeling I get is that we have a game with a great international appeal. I mean, first we go to Canada where Halifax But can that have any ramifications on the international game and can a already has sold out virtually every game, labour conflict affect the re-negotiations of the next IIHF-NHL agreement then we cross the globe and go over to which also expires in 2004? China which is a phenomenal emerging hockey market, and then to Finland which - Almost everything in the hockey world is intertwined, so of course it will affect us. holds the all time world championship Hockey will suffer. My simple philosophy is to always find the best possible solution. attendance record from 1997 with over But as I said, our duties go beyond the NHL. Our program is the most important. 500,000 fans. The Finns are really crazy about their hockey. All that makes me feel The whole world was watching the soccer World Cup earlier this summer? that we have the best game in the world. Numbers game: Should stay with 16 It’s been 30 years since Henderson scored THE GOAL September 28, 2002 marks the 30-year anniversa- Valeri Kharlamov, the Soviet star whom Team Canada Americans re-discovered the finer aspects of the game, ry of game 8 of the 1972 Summit Series between Team simply couldn't contain. things which were lost during the many years of interna- Canada and the Soviet Union, the most intriguing Clarke whacked Kharlamov with a vicious slash, tional isolation. Team Canada found out the hard way match-up in the history of hockey. Whatever one thinks breaking his ankle. The Soviet's where quick to learn that there was another way of playing the game than of the series and of how it influenced the future of the and respond. Boris Michailov kicked Canadian defense- "bang-it-in-chase-the-damn-thing-and-shoot". game, this is probably the only thing we can be sure of man Gary Bergman so hard that he bloodied his leg - - there will never be anything like it again. through the shin pads. The Soviets learned too. Defensive positioning, using the boards as a sixth player, aggressiveness, charging This series had no official title at stake, no trophy and But if you exclude the extremes, it was a series which the net, and face-off skills were standard Canadian no medals. It boiled down to the most essen- qualities which the Soviet's later adopted. tial incentives and basic instincts - national pride and the desire to be the best. It was a Many observers feel that just as the 1958 head-on collision of two totally different Soccer World Cup marks the start of modern sport traditions, hockey cultures and, this soccer, it was the 1972 Summit Series that should never be underestimated, two vastly was the beginning of modern, international different political systems. hockey.