‘The Nutcracker’ gets a hockey twist in CBC holiday special ‘Curse of Clara’

Only in Canada would an animated “The Nutcracker” special be given a hockey twist.

“The Curse of Clara: a Holiday Tale” is based on Vickie Fagan’s autobiographical short story recalling her days dancing in “The Nutcracker” for the National Ballet of Canada. The year is 1972 and a young ballerina reaches into the hockey world for inspiration — specifically, a legendary Canada-U.S.S.R showdown.

One of the stars of that unforgettable series was former Boston Bruins scoring ace Phil Esposito. The centreman led the NHL professionals to a come-from-behind win against the perennial Olympic hockey champs from what was then known as the Soviet Union. In the special, Esposito’s heroics — and charisma — inspire a young ballerina to dance to her goal.

Esposito lends his voice to the special along with veteran “Hockey Night in Canada” play-by-play announcer Bob Cole — who called the actual “Summit Series” on radio that September of 1972 — former prima ballerina Karen Kain, Sheila McCarthy, Sara Botsford and Saara Chaudry.

The special premieres Dec. 14 on CBC.

Now 73 and living in Florida, Esposito was shown a rendering of his character before recording his voice parts this past summer in a Toronto studio. Cartoon Phil is dressed in a giant red-and-white Team Canada sweater. He’s all upper body, with giant, sloping shoulders and long arms. His sweeping, dark hair is almost helmet-like.

Nailed it, agrees Esposito.

“Remember, we had the long sideburns, the long hair, the whole bit, and we didn’t wear helmets.”

The Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.-native has been turned into a cartoon character before. Immediately after that Team Canada win, the late, great Toronto Star editorial cartoonist Duncan Macpherson drew a caricature of the hockey player sniffing a rose and striking a Pierre Trudeau-like pose. The caption: Canada’s first Italian prime minister.

Esposito has the original drawing on the wall of his office at home.

“It is one of my favourite things from that tournament,” he says.

The NHL Hall of Famer is no stranger to television. Back in ’72, Esposito chastised a nation to get behind the team after a tough loss to Vancouver. The rant helped spark Team Canada’s miracle comeback.

Years later, long after he retired from professional hockey, his pal Denis Leary used to drag him in front of the camera as a rival fire-house chief on “Rescue Me.” Leary told Esposito that doing animation voiceover work on the “Ice Age” feature films “was the most fun he’s ever had doing movies and stuff.”

In the animated special, Esposito appears in “The Nutcracker” ballet in a celebrity cameo. The hockey player never did anything like that in real life, but he did participate in a Florida fundraiser, conducting the orchestra with a hockey stick in place of a baton.

Asked what cartoon character he most relates to, Esposito laughed and said, “Wile E. Coyote —except he got beat up all the time!”

Still, the choice makes sense. On the ice with Esposito and Paul Henderson for Team Canada’s winning goal in ’72 was Montreal Canadiens forward Yvan Cournoyer. The diminutive forward was nicknamed The Roadrunner.

“He’d run right over me!” says Esposito.

— Bill Brioux is a freelance TV columnist based in Brampton, Ont.