 Team Canada assembled in Toronto and started training camp on August 13 . Sinden named four co @-@ captains : Phil Esposito , Frank Mahovlich , Stan Mikita and Jean Ratelle . The team trained for three weeks in Toronto , and arrived in Montreal on August 31 for the first game . The team held a practice on September 1 at the Forum . The unheralded line of Bobby Clarke , Ron Ellis and Paul Henderson impressed in camp , enough to earn a place in the starting lineup for game one . 
