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2022-09-17 03:34:29 By : Ms. Anna wang

Meat and potatoes hockey eventually triumphed for Team Canada ‘72, but would a dose of donuts and coffee on defence have made a difference against the Russians before they fell behind?

One of many stories coming to light in this month’s 50th anniversary of the series is a revelation from the family of the late, great Tim Horton that he was invited to play against the Russians, two years before his death in a post-game car accident. Though Horton was 42 at the time of the series, he’d just joined former Maple Leafs coach Punch Imlach’s Buffalo Sabres for what would be an effective 75-game season.

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Respected as one of the strongest men in NHL history (foes feared the ‘Horton Hug’ whenever the four-time Cup winner broke up a post-whistle scrum), he received the same offer from Players’ Association boss Alan Eagleson as more than 30-plus stars.

Family friend Jim Miller spent quality time at the Horton household on Bannatyne Dr. in North York as the Hall of Famer had been like a second father to Miller’s girlfriend at the time, Suzanne Pelletier, after her own had died. Suzanne was tight with Kim Horton, the second of four daughters, and Suzanne’s mother Renette was asked in 1973 to move in with her own two daughters and watch all the girls as Tim split his time in Buffalo.

That brought Jim to the inner circle and while sitting in Horton’s former study later in 1974, he and Suzanne happened to see the invite among loose correspondence on his desk.

It would’ve been dated May 20, 1972, on NHLPA letterhead, calling him to a camp in Toronto in mid-August. All players were to get $200 a week and $100 for every game played against the Russians, though they were reminded the biggest pay-off was revenue for the union pensions.

“It was strange that two years later the letter was still just lying there,” said Miller, now a 68-year-old retiree whose own hockey roots stretch to St. Michael’s Arena. “But it’s fascinating, 50 years on, to think of players who could have been on that team.”

Jeri Horton, another daughter, verified her father was asked to play in ‘72, but can’t pinpoint just why he refused. It was well known Horton was not a fan of summer training as he got older, especially if he didn’t have a satisfactory contract. He and Eagleson were not pals.

Like many NHLers at the time, Horton needed to run lucrative summer businesses to supplement low salaries, which he would’ve been reluctant to give up for six weeks. His chain of coffee houses was just getting off the ground at the time, eventually becoming today’s US$4.5 billion global powerhouse.

But adding Team Canada honours would’ve been even bigger for his burgeoning brand. Walt Tkaczuk, Ed Giacomin and Jacques Laperriere were among others who turned Eagleson down for various reasons, while Bobby Orr was injured and Bobby Hull was blackballed for signing in the WHA.

Miller has the same January birthday as Horton, shared a cake and candles with him at the house and was present for some NHL parties. But he’s still haunted by the tragedy of Feb. 21, 1974, after a Sabres’ game at the Gardens.

“Mr. Horton was at the house that previous afternoon and left for the game. It had snowed a little, I was brushing off my ’72 VW, he was just using his glove on his white Pantera (an Italian-made sports car). I had an extra brush and gave it to him.

“My friend Jeff Delaney and I got tickets to the game from the Hortons and were supposed to meet him after. That was the last time I saw him.”

Horton, in pain from a sore ankle and healing jaw injury, was not a factor that night but was named third star in a 4-2 loss. After a meeting at business partner Ron Joyce’s home in Oakville ran late, Joyce urged him to stay over, but Horton wanted to drive back to Buffalo for a home game the next night.

Police later clocked his car doing160 kilometres an hour near Burlington around 4 a.m. before it hit an elevated sewer grate outside St. Catharines and flipping several times. Years later, it was revealed he had an excessive blood alcohol level in addition to whatever factors his pain medication and the road conditions might have been.

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