Monday, June 17, 2013

72-73 OPC Series 2 Team Canada Inserts - Phil Esposito

As far as forwards go, Canada really didn't have anyone better at the time and Phil certainly lived up to the challenge of being Canada's best forward. He was the fire, passion and identity of a team that was thrown together and had struggled at first. Without him, Canada wouldn't have stood a chance against a Russian team that certainly was executing a better "team" game than Canada at first. During his prime in the NHL Phil was a force (Phil had set the NHL record for goals just a year and a half previous with 76) and he showed that during the tournament leading it in goals (7), assists (6) and points (13). 

 When I saw this card I immediately thought of the Simpsons episode where Ralph is subjected to the "Big Book of British Smiles".


One neat fact about Phil is when he set the record for most goals in a season, he smashed the old record by 18 goals. In the history of the NHL, no time has the goals record ever increased as much as that. Also in a span of three seasons he took the NHL record for points in a year (97) and has raised it to 152. That record lasted for about a decade before Wayne rewrote the history books.






The Big Book of British Smiles from Phil Kulak on Vimeo.

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