Bobby Clarke is rethinking his refusal to attend next weekend's Team Canada hockey reunion. If he does decide to show up to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Canada's victory over the Soviet Union in the Summit Series, Clarke will have a few choice words for his former linemate, Paul Henderson.

Earlier this week, Henderson criticized Clarke for slashing Soviet standout Valery Kharlamov in Game 6, putting the skilled winger on the sideline for Game 7. Henderson called the move "the low point of the series" and said "to go out and deliberately try to take somebody out, there's no sportsmanship in that. To me, it's the same as shooting a guy in the hallway. Clarke was probably the only guy on the whole team that would have done it."

Clarke was stunned by Henderson's remarks.

"I think it's improper to criticize a teammate 30 years later," Clarke said from Philadelphia yesterday. "If it was so offensive why didn't he bother to say something after the game?

"I'm surprised at him because we were a true team. Thirty years ago, we put forth the ultimate team performance. I thought it was foolish for him to say that. It doesn't hurt me, but I don't understand why he would bring it up now."

Clarke, Henderson and Ron Ellis were all long shots to crack the Team Canada lineup. But in the series they proved to be the club's most effective line and were the only unit to stay intact throughout all eight games. They combined for nine of Canada's 29 goals.

Clarke slashed Kharlamov at 10:12 of the second period. He was given a minor penalty and a 10-minute misconduct. Canada was leading 3-1 and would win the game 3-2, the first of three consecutive Canadian victories.

Kharlamov returned in Game 8 to pick up an assist.

Clarke never did have a chance to meet Kharlamov after the series. The Soviet player was killed in an auto accident on Aug. 27, 1981. However, Clarke has chatted with Soviet netminder Vladislav Tretiak a number of times.

"Not once has he mentioned it," Clarke said.

"Listen, I never brag about what I did to [Kharlamov]. The only time I talk about it is when I'm asked."

Clarke, the general manager of the Philadelphia Flyers, has been busy preparing for the coming NHL season. Initially, he told his 1972 teammates that attending next weekend's reunion in Mississauga, Ont., was out of the question because they refused to allow tournament organizer Alan Eagleson to participate.

Clarke and Eagleson, the former executive director of the National Hockey League Players' Association, have remained close friends despite Eagleson pleading guilty to three counts of fraud and theft involving players' insurance premiums in the United States and pleading guilty to three more counts of fraud in Toronto. The latter charges involved skimming Canada Cup advertising and tournament money from Labatt, Hockey Canada and the players' association. Eagleson served six months in a medium-security jail in Mimico, Ont.

"I think it was a horrible decision to eliminate Al from the reunion," Clarke said. "I wasn't going to go.

"But [Team Canada defenceman] Serge Savard called me the other day and encouraged me to show up. So I phoned Ron Ellis in order to get a copy of the itinerary and I will see if I can make it. I was very proud to be a part of that team."