During the 1972 Summit Series, NHL talent was paid $3000 dollars for giving up part of their summer time (with one report going as high as $5,000). That money - small potatoes for NHLers even back then - was supposedly split $500 for each exhibition game - the 2 games vs. Sweden, one game vs. Czechoslovakia plus 3 intra-squad games - and not for the actual games against the Soviets.

 

In addition, the players had all their expenses paid - hotels, meals, equipment etc. And their wives/girlfriends and in some cases other family members or close friends were granted a free trip to Moscow, including hotel and meal money.

 

The NHLers were not overly worried about money at this time. They were satisfied that all the profits from the series would be split up between Hockey Canada and their pension funds.

 

The Soviets were amateur players, but were paid just like a professional. In Ken Dryden's book "Face-off At The Summit" Ken and Mark Mulvoy write:

 

"Tretiak's salary is more than 400 rubles a month (approx $500 in the early 1970s). But like other Soviet hockey players, he also earns sizable bonuses for outstanding athletic accomplishments, such as winning Olympic gold medals and victories over Canadian professionals. His bonus for this series will be as much as two thousand rubles if the Russians win, somewhat less if they lose."

Where Dryden and Mulvoy got their numbers from is uncertain, but there is no doubt that the premise of what they wrote is accurate. Which makes it ironic that the Russian "amateurs" were the ones being motivated by money, not the Canadian professionals!