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PHT Morning Skate: Where Phil Esposito is still hardcore about the Summit Series

Legends of Soviet hockey Vladislav Treti

Legends of Soviet hockey Vladislav Tretiak (R) and Canadian top star Phil Esposito talk after the end of the game in Moscow on February 25, 2012. Top hockey players and former stars faceed off on the invitation of Russian strongman Vladimir Putin to celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Cold War era Summit Series between the Canadian and Soviet teams. The Summit Series was the first ever meeting between the Soviet and an NHL-inclusive Canadian national ice hockey teams and an eight-game series was held in September 1972. In 1970s the Cold War between West and East was in full swing with intense feelings of nationalism were aroused by the contest both in Canada and the Soviet Union. The clash between the all-conquering Soviet Red Machine and Canadian NHL professional players represented the confrontation of two systems, which both desperately desired to prove their supremacy. AFP PHOTO/ ALEXANDER NEMENOV (Photo credit should read ALEXANDER NEMENOV/AFP/Getty Images)

AFP/Getty Images

PHT’s Morning Skate takes a look around the world of hockey to see what’s happening and what we’ll be talking about around the NHL world and beyond.

Phil Esposito sounds as if he could play the 1972 Summit Series against the Soviet Union all over again right now. (Calgary Sun)

It must be Blake Wheeler day at the Winnipeg Sun, but Ken Wiebe has a great story about how Claude Noel lit a fire under him last season. (Winnipeg Sun)

Young forward Brett Connolly will get some needed time to work on his game in Syracuse in the AHL. (The Tampa Tribune)

Many Oilers forwards and prospects are eating it up in Europe already. Sure beats Seattle, right? Ahh, jokes. (Edmonton Journal)

Former Binghamton Senators coach Kurt Kleinendorst landed a new job as head coach the University of Alabama-Huntsville hockey team, replacing Chris Luongo. (The Huntsville Times)

Finally, check out Nikolay Zherdev’s goal for Atlant in the KHL. (KHL-YouTube)