Canada Russia '72 (2006)

Mike Dopud: Vic Hadfield

Quotes 

• Vic Hadfield : This is bullshit. Are you blaming us for last night? Is that why we're not playing?

  Harry Sinden : I'm not blaming anyone. Didn't you here what I said in the dressing room?

  Rod Gilbert : No, we heard what you - Look, it just seems that there's an awful lot of "Rangers" sitting.

  Harry Sinden : Don't start with that crap.

  Vic Hadfield : Oh, one bad game, and you bench the best line in the NHL. Come on!

  Harry Sinden : You guys were on the ice for three goals against last night.

  Vic Hadfield : So what? The whole team stunk up the joint!

  Harry Sinden : I can't bench the whole team, Vic.

  Rod Gilbert : So, so we're not playing tomorrow night. Is that it?

  [Harry looks at Gilbert and ignores him] 

  Rod Gilbert : [in disgust]  Oh, man.

  [Gilbert leaves] 

  Vic Hadfield : Ah, Jesus Christ, Harry! You know, this is humiliating! It's my hometown!

  Harry Sinden : I know where we are, Vic.

• Alan Eagleson : Uh, listen. I just got a call from the Russians. There's some kind of mix up with the hotel rooms in Moscow. Something about being overbooked or something. So basically what it means is that there's uh, there's no rooms for your wives. Alright?

  Phil Esposito : Ah, tell them to go screw themselves, Al! Come on!

  Alan Eagleson : You know what, Phil? You know how much I'd love to tell those Commie bastards to go screw themselves, right?

  Phil Esposito : Right.

  Alan Eagleson : Okay. But it's not gonna do any good this time, okay? There are no rooms. You got it? There are no rooms.

  Phil Esposito : That's horseshit, Al.

  Vic Hadfield : That's stupid, Al.

  Alan Eagleson : For Christ's sake, we've got a job to do here! And the only way to accomplish that job is to stop all this goddamn whining, and bitching, and complaining and all this... crap! We are playing for our country here. We are on a leaky rowboat, and unless we all start rowing together...

  Phil Esposito : [interupting]  You know Al from day 1...

  [Phil stands up] 

  Alan Eagleson : ...we are gonna go down.

  Phil Esposito : From day 1, we've done everything that's been asked of us!

  Alan Eagleson : We are gonna go DOWN!

  Phil Esposito : Everything! And more! And what have we got in return, huh? Ridicule, and contempt. People coming up to us, saying they're ashamed of us. Ashamed to be Canadians because of us? Not one of these guys has anything to apologize for. Jesus! And as far as I'm concerned, my wife doesn't go to Russia, neither do I.

• Harry Sinden : What's going on?

  Vic Hadfield : Well, what difference does it make? I'm not even on a line.

  Harry Sinden : Hey, the players decide who plays.

  Vic Hadfield : Well, what do you mean? What the players... made a vote?

  Harry Sinden : No. Every guy here determines how much ice time he gets by how hard he plays. How hard he practices.

  Vic Hadfield : Okay. Well if I'm not good enough then why the hell d'you bring me here?

  Harry Sinden : Same reason I brought everybody else, Vic.

  Vic Hadfield : [angrily]  Then play me!

  Harry Sinden : You get out there, you prove to your teammates you belong.

  Vic Hadfield : I have nothing to prove to anyone.

  Harry Sinden : Then get off the goddamn bench and get out of that gear. You make us look foolish in front of the Russians.