A HISTORIC EVENT IN THE ERA OF INTERNATIONAL DETENTE: THE 1974 USSR–CANADA HOCKEY SUPER SERIES

DOI: 10.47026/2712-9454-2025-6-2-14-23

УДК 94:[796.966.093.1(470:71)]”1974″

ББК [Ч557.95,3(2)63+Ч557.95,3(7Кан)63],49

Ivan A. KATALOV, Oleg V. ANDREEV

Key words

historical event, international detente, the «1974 USSR–Canada Super Series», the USSR, Canada, sports, hockey.

Abstract

The Soviet-Canadian rivalry in the hockey Super Series is a unique phenomenon in the history of sports. Scientific publications focus on the «1972 USSR–Canada Super Series», while international hockey tournaments of other years have undeservedly remained behind scientific study. This work aims to eliminate this gap and comprehensively disclose the history of the «1974 USSR–Canada Super Series», in which Soviet hockey players won their first victory. The success achieved and the tournament itself as a whole were of great international and political importance during the Cold War, contributing to reducing tensions between the Soviet Union and the West. The 1974 USSR–Canada Super Series demonstrated the great importance of sports in the XX century in the lives of countries and peoples, the Soviet society and its citizens. The importance of this victory is also great for preserving historical memory and forming the sense of pride, continuity of generations of citizens of the USSR and modern Russia.

The purpose of the study is to comprehensively study the history of the «1974 USSR–Canada Super Series» and its importance in ensuring stability in international relations and patriotic education of the Russian youth.

Materials and methods. This paper analyzes the memoirs of eyewitnesses and participants to the events under consideration, as well as articles from periodicals of the Soviet period. The research was carried out using general scientific and special historical methods and approaches.

Results. An important event in the history of Soviet and world sports, the hockey competition between the USSR and Canada in the framework of the 1974 USSR–Canada Super Series, became possible by the policy of «detente». It is noteworthy that the goals of the USSR and the representatives of the World Hockey Association were very different and reflected primarily the value orientations of the parties. The Soviet athletes won, which became their first triumph in the hockey Super Series. A more significant result of the «1974 USSR–Canada Super Series» was fulfillment of the international peacekeeping mission – achieving a significant reduction in tension between the two countries, representing two opposing military and political blocs.

Conclusions. The 1974 USSR–Canada Super Series became a significant event in the history of hockey rivalry between the USSR and Canada. It has provided significant assistance in normalizing the international situation, changing perceptions of the Soviet Union, its citizens and the Soviet way of life among millions of citizens of the United States and Canada. In turn, Soviet athletes and a huge army of fans were able to make sure that ordinary people in the West are also peaceful. Since 1974, the Western experience of popularizing sports has been widespread in the Soviet Union, in particular, production of sports paraphernalia has begun. At the same time, it should be noted that the Soviet part got an instructive lesson following the results of the 1974 USSR–Canada Super Series: it did not receive a substantial sum of money due for its performance, which indicated a certain dishonesty of the Western organizers of the tournament.

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Information about the authors

Ivan A. Katalov – Lecturer, Department of Russian History, Chuvash State University, Russia, Cheboksary (katalov02@mail.ru; ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0003-6907-6070).

Oleg V. Andreev – Candidate of Historical Sciences, Associate Professor, Department of Russian History, Chuvash State University, Russia, Cheboksary (olevasandr@mail.ru; ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0004-3057-2525).

For citations

Katalov I.A., Andreev O.V. A historic event in the era of international detente: the 1974 USSR–Canada Hockey super series. Historical Search, 2025, vol. 6, no. 2, pp. 14–23. DOI: 10.47026/2712-9454-2025-6-2-14-23 (in Russian).

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