We look back on the 1972 Summit Series as a victory that transcended a game. It was a battle of nations, of political ideals, of the fundamental difference between them and us. The result was taken as proof of our superiority on the ice and the “free world’s” superiority off it. But after the headlines declared victory for the West and democracy, after the parades and the brief reassurance that the game was ours, we were left with a lingering admiration: Damn, those Soviets could play. In their dazzling display of speed and skill, the Soviets effectively changed the game. And a decade later, Victor Nechaev became the first Soviet-trained player to skate in the NHL. From Vladislav Tretiak to Alex Ovechkin, the past 40 years in hockey are unimaginable without the presence of Russian stars. In the end, that was the real victory of ’72.
