From the Eastern Bloc to Québec City: the saga of the Šťastný brothers
In 1980, a hockey tournament was held in Austria, featuring teams from several communist Eastern Bloc countries. At the time, it was forbidden for athletes from these countries to emigrate to the West. Marcel Aubut and Gilles Léger, two executives of the Quebec Nordiques, organized the incredible escape of brothers Peter and Anton Šťastný, two talented hockey players from Czechoslovakia. The following year, the Nordiques also managed to bring a third and older brother, Marián. These pioneering siblings from Eastern Europe were responsible for a major chapter in the international history of Québec City ice hockey, much to the delight of the locals!
Jacques Deschênes
This photo shows brothers Anton and Peter Šťastný upon their arrival in Canada at Mirabel airport. They are accompanied by Marcel Aubut and Gilles Léger of the Quebec Nordiques. When the Czechoslovak team was visiting Innsbruck, Austria, for a hockey tournament, the two brothers seized the opportunity to flee their communist homeland with help from Aubut and Léger.
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