Canadian hockey player Phil Esposito: biography, sporting achievements

Phil Esposito - hockey player, who became a real legend, one of the brightest participants in the historic series of 1972 hockey matches between the USSR and Canada. Twice the athlete was honored to receive the Stanley Cup. The first in the NHL (National Hockey League) scored more than 100 points in performance and scored more than 70 goals in one season. In total, the NHL for 18 years, conducted 1282 matches, made 873 assists and scored 717 goals.

Phil Esposito is known for his expressive and often aggressive enough game, which, however, is expected from a good hockey player. In the super series of Canada-USSR games, consisting of 8 friendly matches, he was one of the leading players of Canadian professionals, and in the Soviet national team he was perceived as a very worthy and dangerous rival. After that confrontation, his name was forever included in the history of world hockey.

Becoming a legend

Phil Esposito was born on February 19, 1942 in Canada, Ontario, the city of Su-Sainte-Marie. His full name is Philip Anthony. In the family of the future famous hockey player, honest physical work has always been valued. In addition to Phil, his parents also brought up his younger brother Tony. The father of the boys worked at the steelmaking plant.

In his childhood, Phil and Tony were practically inseparable. They spent most of their free time playing hockey. So, quite often after the lessons, the brothers hid in the basement, where they held their hockey matches, and the washer was a folded sock. Years passed, and gradually the child's enthusiasm grew into serious sports aspirations.

As a result, Tony managed to achieve significant results in hockey. In 1962, he was already taken to the junior championship. Over time, he began to act as a goalkeeper for the club "Michigan". A little later he moved to the club "Chicago Black Hawks", becoming a professional player.

It was on his recommendation that Phil also took part in the same club, which, from the very first matches, became truly indispensable and won the fame of the bustler, showing his violent character in dealing with the rival. In the future, Phil was waiting for a brilliant future.

Boston Bruins

Even more revealing sports talent Phil in the club "Boston Bruins", where he moved in 1967. It was thanks to the game in this team that Phil Esposito became known to the world. The biography of the legend took its beginning here. So, in one of the matches, which the young hockey player was still holding for the Boston club, he managed to score four goals in the goalie of the Montreal goalkeeper, literally "destroying" that one. And this is just one example.

The season of 1968-1969 was really productive for Esposito. He received prestigious awards, including as the best striker. In this season he became the first hockey player in history, who collected more than 100 points. Two years later he managed to repeat his success together with his team. "Boston Bruins" became the leader of the championship, and Phil - again the owner of the trophy of the best player.

During this period, Phil Esposito - a hockey player, has already honed his special individual style of play. For example, he masterfully mastered the method of leading the puck forward, and then sharply backwards and could perform it equally qualitatively on both sides. Now Esposito has become not just a notable player during the match, but also a true, albeit unofficial, leader of his team, really dangerous for rivals.

Super Series Canada-USSR 1972

In 1972, fans of professional hockey could watch the confrontation between the USSR national team and the Canadian hockey team Montreal Canadiases, surprising in terms of complexity and intensity. The dramatism of that series of matches was off scale, and even the most experienced players sometimes could not hold back tears.

There were a lot of completely opposite predictions about the result of that historical confrontation. Sports reviewers, the hockey players themselves and their coaches expressed their own guesses, as the multimillion-dollar public attention was riveted to this series of games. For the participation in those historic games, Phil and Tony Esposito dissolved their summer hockey school for children and joined the national team. Phil Esposito largely deserves credit for the success of Canadians in those really special historical games.

The beginning of confrontation

September 2, 1972 was the first super series match in Montreal. Already after the first 30 game seconds, Phil scored in the gate of the opponents the first puck. However, the well-started match was eventually devastating for the NHL. The Soviet team scored a convincing victory with a score of 7: 3.

Nikolay Ozerov, the famous sports commentator of those years, said that on that day the myth about the invincibility of Canadian professionals was dispelled. After this game, Phil in his interview asked for forgiveness from the nation and very emotionally promised in the return meeting, which was supposed to take place in Moscow, to win at any cost. As time will tell, he completely kept his word.

The next, held in Toronto, the match was also won by Canadians with a score of 4: 1. One of the hockey players of the Soviet team recalled that Esposito played so confidently and enthusiastically that no action directed against him - no strikes, no jerks, no attempts to raise the stick - did not work, Phil literally went ahead.

The third game in Winnipeg ended for both teams in a draw, the score was 4: 4. But the last game of the series was for Canadian professionals a failure. The USSR won with a tense score of 5: 3.

On that day, the hooting and cursing hard curses of the stadium fans hurt the players very much. In his interview, Phil could not restrain his characteristic fervor, he accused the fans of ingratitude and at the same time confidently said that his team will find ways to become better and eventually will be the winner.

The reciprocal series of games

Before the start of the return matches in Moscow, Canadian hockey players were very nervous. There was an unpleasant incident with Phil Esposito. On the eve of the first game in Luzhniki, Canadian hockey players were presented with flowers, but from excitement Phil so tightly squeezed the bouquet in his hand that the flower stems broke and they scattered on the ice. A little later, during the presentation of the players, Phil, riding on the ice, stumbled over a crumbling bouquet and fell. Laughter was heard in the stands. But here again the combat character of the hockey player was manifested.

Having risen and noticing the look of Leonid Brezhnev, who was sitting in the government box, he did not lose his head, but sent an air kiss to the Soviet leader. The people accompanying Brezhnev started to smile, but the smiles quickly disappeared after several quiet words spoken to them. However, as later recalled Esposito, the famous Brezhnev eyebrows in that unusual episode also laughed. Thus, Phil Esposito in Moscow immediately attracted many millions of attention and was remembered by the fans even before the start of the counter confrontation.

The first meeting in Moscow ended with the victory of the USSR team. Then Esposito, perceived as the informal leader of the Canadian team, said that the next three games and the response series as a whole, they will certainly win and will never yield to the Soviet team any more. It is not surprising that the subsequent matches of the super series became a real "ice slaughter", which, unfortunately, was also transferred to the stands.

Sports commentator Boris Fedorov claimed that Canadians were literally hunting for the main attacker of the Soviet team - Valery Kharlamov, and especially rude was exactly Phil Esposito. Nikolay Ozerov, commenting on the style of the game of Canadians, even uttered a phrase that became the result of the winged: "We do not need such hockey".

In fact, the famous Canadian hockey player Phil Esposito was not a hooligan and did not like to participate in the ice skating. However, he always followed the principle - victory at any cost, so often he said that if you can not win, you need at least to bite your opponent. And such a playful mood was expensive Esposito. In one of the matches, he received a fracture of the hand, and in the other - a fracture of the nose. Still, Phil continued to do everything possible to win his team and selflessly played the result. Both sides perceived their confrontation, like a real war - a battle for their Motherland.

As a result, the NHL team performed very well, having managed to win in a far-reaching confrontation. However, we can say that in this super series of losers in fact was not. The last return match in Moscow was particularly tense. Almost at the very end of the confrontation, the judges were not credited with a washer thrown by the Canadians. Then Alan Iglson, in a fit of emotion, tried to break through to the judge's table.

From the police desperate coach saved the intervention of hockey players under the leadership of Esposito. In addition, it was Phil, just 34 seconds before the end of playing time, managed to score the decisive puck of that match. On that day, Canadian hockey players and their fans were really intoxicated with victory. Coach of the Soviet national team Kulagin said in an interview that in one his players could not compare with the Canadians - in a rage with which they were eager to win.

Opinion of Esposito about Russian hockey players

Recalling the famous opposition of 1972, Phil Esposito called him a truly "infernal series" and said that he never again showed hockey of such a high level - almost beyond the bounds of the possible. An incredibly strong opponent caused the Canadians a real gambling excitement.

In one of the interviews, Phil Esposito about Kharlamov said that many feared him, because he was bringing a lot of trouble to the Canadians, but Alexander seemed to be the most serious rival Alexander Yakushev. He even noticed that in North America Yakushev with his huge growth, strength and powerful cast could become a real superstar. With admiration, Phil Esposito spoke about Kharlamov, Petrov, Mikhailov and two defenders Gusev and Vasiliev as an inseparable five, whose authority was indisputable and which gained the well-deserved reputation of the best in world hockey.

Career after the super series

In 1976, Esposito became the winner of the Canadian Cup. And in 1977 he played at the World Championships for Canada for the last time. In 1987, his career as a hockey player he ends already in New York, but they honor the legendary sportsman as a favorite of Boston fans. Hockey players who have entered the new national team of the "Boston Bruins", drive up to Esposito and in turn with deep respect shake his hand. And Ray Burke even takes off his game sweater with number 7, under which Esposito played once, and stays in a sweater at number 77. Such an act vividly testified that the hockey legend was not forgotten and still remained important for his Native team.

Now Esposito is busy with coaching and business. He is the owner of the hockey club "Cincinnati Cyclone", serving in the East Coast League. As general manager of Tampa Bay, he invited the first female hockey player to the NHL's starting line-up in the history of the NHL. Phil Esposito also works as a commentator for hockey matches. In addition, over a number of years he had fruitfully cooperated with one major sports television company, but due to congestion associated with coaching, he was forced to leave this work.

"Thunder and lightning"

Since 1976, the legendary hockey player has been working on his own book. Edited by his three-year work known writer and sports journalist Pete Holenbock. In the US and Canada, the book went on sale under the name "Thunder and Lightning." The language used by the author is rather crude and differs in its directness. Esposito truthfully and quite colorfully describes the world of hockey players outside the sports ground. Thanks to him, readers can look into that part of the life of their sports idols, which was previously unavailable to them: locker rooms, bars where victories were celebrated, and so on.

On the super series of matches the USSR-Canada particularly recalls in his memoirs Phil Esposito. The book, and mainly this part of it, has caused quite a lot of controversy and contradictory opinions. Famous Soviet hockey players Petrov and Tretyak were surprised by the unexpected interpretation of the events of that year from the position of Phil. However, the author himself claims that his story is true and he does not distort facts. He also mentions that at the time he hated not the Russians, but the political system that existed in the USSR. This hatred gave the hockey player almost superhuman powers and allowed literally to snatch victory in the decisive match.

The book "Thunder and Lightning" Phil Esposito takes the third place in terms of sales and became in the homeland of his author this bestseller. In the near future, the legendary hockey player plans to release Thunder and Lightning in Russia. What is hockey, Phil Esposito knows firsthand and talks about it in his book. Therefore, it has a lively and exciting plot and will surely find a positive response in the Russian hearts.

Russian relatives Esposito

Phil is a happy person not only in terms of sports career, but also in love. He was married twice. From the first marriage, the daughter of Carrie was born to a hockey player. Now Esposito is happy in his second marriage with his wife, Bridget, but with his first wife he still maintains a warm and friendly relationship.

It is also interesting that today the irreconcilable Canadian striker has three Russian grandchildren. They were born by Carrie - the daughter of Phil Esposito, who married a famous Russian hockey player Alexander Selivanov. Grandfather is proud of his grandchildren Dalan, Nico and Rocky and I am sure that they have a bright future, including in the field of hockey. At the moment, boys are engaged in the CSKA hockey school and are already showing outstanding sports ability.

Phil's son-in-law, Esposito Selivanov, played in the NHL and played more than 450 matches for the Tampa team in the second half of the 90s - early 2000s. It was here that he met with Carrie, who helped the "newcomer" who fell into the exchange club, with the arrangement after his arrival. At first, Esposito was somewhat outraged by his daughter's choice, because he could not even imagine that he would ever be related to the Russians. However, he almost immediately gave in, deciding that the daughter is already an adult and has the right to make his own decisions. Subsequently, Esposito never regretted it. Father Selivanov Yuri Nikolaevich quickly found a common language with Phil and considers him a "very Russian" person, since he can always sit quietly, drink vodka and talk on a variety of topics, with the exception of politics.

Now the son-in-law of the famous Canadian Alexander Selivanov is the coach of "Hayes den Haag" - the Dutch hockey team. But the daughter of Phil Esposito Carrie died in 2012 at the age of 43 years. The cause of premature death was some kind of disease - more media information is not given.

The Legend of Hockey

Today Esposito is respected in Russia as a strong, talented hockey player and a person who has devoted his entire life to sports. Should be in 1972, so fiercely playing against the Soviet team, Esposito could not think that in the future the Russian spirit would become so close to him.

Now Phil is keenly interested in Russian hockey. In 2015, he attended a friendly hockey match of the team "Wings of the Soviets". In 2016, the meeting of the legendary Canadian striker with this club took place again. Phil Esposito in "Wings of the Soviets" saw real potential, and young players managed to surprise him. Many were happy to meet with their idol, and the famous hockey player gave out many autographs. However, young athletes could also notice that Esposito has absolutely no excessive pride, which is often inherent in the sports stars, and it keeps very simply.

Phil Esposito does not just remain a hockey legend, but to this day remains popular among fans all over the world. In Toronto, his name is entered in the Hall of Hockey Glory. He is a worthy example for all connoisseurs of professional hockey and, most importantly, for his grandchildren, who dream of repeating the achievements of the famous grandfather.