Monday, August 6, 2012

1971 NHL Intra-League Draft

The 1971 Intra-League Draft was known more for the antics of Punch Imlach than the transactions themselves.

The draft was held June 8. Each team protected 18 skaters and two goalies. When a goalie was lost another could be added to the protected list as a fill-in. The draft price was $40,000.

OverallPlayer ChosenByFromPlayer Removed
From Protected List
Claim player
or cash
Round 1
1Wayne CarletonCalifornia Golden SealsBoston BruinsGerry Ehmancash
2Al SmithDetroit Red WingsPittsburgh PenguinsJim Rutherfordclaim
3Dennis KearnsVancouver CanucksChicago Black HawksMurray Hallcash
4Dave BurrowsPittsburgh PenguinsChicago Black HawksDean Prenticecash
5Ray McKayBuffalo SabresChicago Black HawksJean-Guy Talbotcash
6Gary EdwardsLos Angeles KingsBuffalo SabresBruce Landoncash
passMinnesota North Stars
7Larry BrownPhiladelphia FlyersNew York RangersLarry Hillmancash
8Don MarshallToronto Maple LeafsBuffalo SabresBrian Marchinkocash
9Mike ParizeauSt. Louis BluesNew York RangersClaude Laforgecash
passMontreal Canadiens
passChicago Black Hawks
passNew York Rangers
passBoston Bruins
Round 2
10Frank HughesCalifornia Golden SealsToronto Maple LeafsDoug Robertscash
11Fred SpeckVancouver CanucksDetroit Red WingsRon Wardcash
12Tim HortonPittsburgh PenguinsNew York RangersBob Blackburncash
13Rene RobertBuffalo SabresToronto Maple LeafsFloyd Smithcash
14Frank SpringPhiladelphia FlyersBoston BruinsGarry Petersclaim
Round 3
15Stan GilbertsonCalifornia Golden SealsBoston BruinsBill Hickecash
16Rey ComeauVancouver CanucksMontreal CanadiensJim Wistecash
17Hugh HarrisBuffalo SabresMontreal CanadiensPaul Andreacash
18Brian LavenderMinnesota North StarsMontreal CanadiensBob Murdochclaim
Round 4
Dick DuffBuffalo SabresBuffalo SabresRene Robert
19Rene RobertPittsburgh PenguinsBuffalo SabresWally Boyercash
Round 5
Reg FlemingBuffalo SabresBuffalo SabresHugh Harris
Round 6
20Danny LawsonBuffalo SabresMinnesota North StarsReg Flemingcash
Round 7
Reg FlemingBuffalo SabresBuffalo SabresDick Duff
Round 8
21Rod ZaineBuffalo SabresPittsburgh PenguinsReg Flemingcash
Round 9
Reg FlemingBuffalo SabresBuffalo SabresRod Zaine
Round 10
22Tom MillerBuffalo SabresDetroit Red WingsReg Flemingcash
Round 11
Reg FlemingBuffalo SabresBuffalo SabresTom Miller
Round 12
23Ken MurrayBuffalo SabresToronto Maple LeafsReg Flemingcash
Round 13
Reg FlemingBuffalo SabresBuffalo SabresKen Murrary

(Note: After goalies Al Smith and Gary Edwards were drafted the Penguins and Sabres filled in their protected lists with Paul Hoganson and Rocky Farr, respectively.)

As you can see from the results the Sabres had no problem bending the rules a bit to get what they wanted. You see, there was nothing that said a team couldn't draft one of its own unprotected players. Punch Imlach used 35-year-old Reg Fleming, who because of his age and his salary was not likely to be picked by another team anyway, as a pawn. Fleming was 'drafted' and 'dropped' nine times, and in the process the Sabres acquired four players well after the rest of the teams were done drafting. As Imlach drafted a player from another team he'd drop Fleming, who wasn't claimed, and then reclaim him in the next round by dropping the player he'd just drafted. If the drafted player was claimed by another team the Sabres didn't really stand to lose anything: they'd get the $40,000 back from having drafted the player in the first place and they were right back were they started. If they lost Fleming to another team, so what? He was 35; he never played another game in the NHL after this anyway.

Trivia for you: Rene Robert was drafted from the Maple Leafs by the Sabres in the second round but was lost to the Penguins in the fourth round as Punch Imlach was reshuffling his list of players. Imlach wanted to have Robert on his team but ended up having to trade Eddie Shack to the Penguins in 1972 to finally get him.

Sunday, August 5, 2012

1970 NHL Intra-League Draft

The 1970 NHL Intra-League Draft was held the morning of June 9, 1970, a day before the expansion draft.

OverallPlayer ChosenByFromPlayer Removed
From Protected List
Claim player
or cash
Round 1
1Paul CurtisLos Angeles KingsMontreal CanadiensBill Inglisclaim
2Guy TrottierToronto Maple LeafsNew York Rangers cash
3Bill LesukPhiladelphia FlyersBoston BruinsDick Cherryclaim
4Bob McCordMontreal CanadiensMinnesota North StarsTed Harrisclaim
5Gary CroteauOakland SealsDetroit Red Wings cash
6John GoftonMinnesota North StarsRochester Americans (AHL) cash
7Lowell MacDonaldPittsburgh PenguinsLos Angeles KingsCraig Cameronclaim
8Steve AtkinsonSt. Louis BluesHershey Bears (AHL) cash
9Gerry LemireNew York RangersSt. Louis Blues cash
10Tom MartinDetroit Red WingsPhoenix Roadrunners (WHL) cash
Round 2
11Paul AndreaOakland SealsVancouver Canucks (WHL) cash
12Jean-Guy LagaceMinnesota North StarsPittsburgh Penguins cash
13Chris EvansSt. Louis BluesPhoenix Roadrunners (WHL) cash

You'll notice several of the players were nominally taken from minor league teams. These players were still eligible to be chosen, even though they'd been traded to minor league teams, because of arcane rules about how many games they'd played in the NHL.

1970 NHL Inter-League Draft

The 1970 Inter-League Draft was held June 9, just after the intra-league draft. The Buffalo Sabres were the only team to participate. The Canucks were excluded because they had been a WHL team themselves, thus they already had a few minor league players under contract. The rest of the league was excluded in order to give the expansion Sabres the best pick of the minor league players. This was a relatively small concession as of the four picks only Bill Inglis had any NHL experience up to that point.

OverallPlayer ChosenByFrom
1Kevin O'SheaBuffalo SabresSan Diego Gulls (WHL)
2Cliff SchmautzBuffalo SabresPortland Buckaroos (WHL)
3Brian McDonaldBuffalo SabresDenver Spurs (WHL)
4Bill InglisBuffalo SabresMontreal Voyageurs (AHL)1
(Montreal Canadiens)
1. Bill Inglis was claimed by the Montreal Canadiens from the Los Angeles Kings in the Intra-League Draft earlier in the day. He never played for the Montreal Canadiens or their affiliate in the AHL.

A tidbit of trivia for you: Kevin O'Shea and Cliff Schmautz each had more famous brothers playing in the NHL. Kevin's older brother Danny played 370 games, mostly with the North Stars. Cliff's younger brother Bobby played 764 games, mostly with the Bruins.

Friday, August 3, 2012

1970 NHL Expansion Draft

As promised here follows the results of the 1970 Expansion Draft that occurred June 10, 1970.

The protected lists:

Boston BruinsChicago Black HawksDetroit Red WingsLos Angeles KingsMinnesota North StarsMontreal Canadiens
Goaltenders
Gerry CheeversGerry DesjardinsRoger CrozierDenis DejordyCesare ManiagoPhil Myre
Eddie JohnstonTony EspositoRoy EdwardsJack NorrisGump WorsleyRogie Vachon
Skaters
Don AwreyBryan CampbellGary BergmanPaul CurtisCharlie BurnsRalph Backstrom
Johnny BucykDennis HullCarl BrewerDick DuffBill CollinsJean Beliveau
Wayne CarletonBobby HullWayne ConnellyBill FlettJude DrouinPierre Bouchard
Wayne CashmanDoug JarrettAlex DelvecchioRay FortinBarry GibbsYvan Cournoyer
Phil EspositoCliff KorollRon HarrisLucien GrenierJohn GoftonJohn Ferguson
Ted GreenChico MakiGerry HartEddie JoyalBill GoldsworthyTerry Harper
Ken HodgePit MartinGordie HoweReal LemieuxDanny GrantJacques Laperriere
Don MarcotteRay McKayNick LibettRoss LonsberryTed HarrisGuy Lapointe
Bobby OrrStan MikitaBruce MacGregorGilles MarotteClaude LaroseJacques Lemaire
John McKenzieDoug MohnsFrank MahovlichLarry MickeyDanny LawsonPeter Mahovlich
Derek SandersonEric NesterenkoHank MonteithGarry MonahanMurray OliverMickey Redmond
Dallas SmithJim PappinDale RolfeJim PetersDanny O'SheaHenri Richard
Rick SmithPaul ShmyrFred SpeckMatt RavlichJ. P. PariséBobby Rousseau
Fred StanfieldPat StapletonPete StemkowskiEddie ShackTom ReidSerge Savard
Ed WestfallBill WhiteGarry UngerJuha WidingTom WilliamsJ. C. Tremblay
New York RangersOakland SealsPhiladelphia FlyersPittsburgh PenguinsSt. Louis BluesToronto Maple Leafs
Goaltenders
Ed GiacominGary SmithDoug FavellLes BinkleyGlenn HallBruce Gamble
Gilles VillemureChris WorthyBernie ParentAl SmithErnie WakelyJacques Plante
Skaters
Dave BalonPaul AndreaBarry AshbeeJohn ArbourRon AndersonJim Dorey
Arnie BrownGary CroteauSerge BernierWally BoyerSteve AtkinsonRon Ellis
Larry BrownNorm FergusonGary DornhoeferNick HarbarukRed BerensonBrian Glennie
Bill FairbairnTed HampsonJean-Guy GendronBryan HextallChristian BordeleauJim Harrison
Rod GilbertDennis HextallLarry HaleDunc McCallumTim EcclestonePaul Henderson
Vic HadfieldErnie HickeEarl HeiskalaKeith McCrearyJim LorentzDave Keon
Ted IrvineBill HickeLarry HillmanJim MorrisonAb McDonaldRick Ley
Jim KrulickiHarry HowellWayne HillmanDean PrenticeNoel PicardJim McKenny
Don LuceEarl IngarfieldJim JohnsonJean PronovostBarclay PlagerMike Pelyk
Jim NeilsonGary JarrettAndre LacroixDwayne RuppBob PlagerBob Pulford
Bob NevinMike LaughtonBill LesukGlen SatherBill PlagerBrit Selby
Brad ParkBert MarshallLew MorrisonKen SchinkelJim RobertsBrad Selwood
Jean RatelleWayne MuloinSimon NoletRon SchockGary SabourinGuy Trottier
Rod SeilingDoug RobertsEd Van ImpeBryan WatsonFrank St. MarseilleNorm Ullman
Walt TkaczukCarol VadnaisJoe WatsonBob WoytowichBob WallMike Walton

The draft results:

OverallPlayer ChosenByFromFill-In
1Tom WebsterBuffalo SabresBoston BruinsGarnet Bailey
2Gary DoakVancouver CanucksBoston BruinsDan Schock
3Al HamiltonBuffalo SabresNew York RangersMike Robitaille
4Orland KurtenbachVancouver CanucksNew York RangersRon Stewart
5Don MarshallBuffalo SabresNew York Rangers 
6Ray CullenVancouver CanucksMinnesota North StarsDan Seguin
7Tracy PrattBuffalo SabresPittsburgh PenguinsLowell MacDonald
8Pat QuinnVancouver CanucksToronto Maple LeafsRene Robert
9Jim WatsonBuffalo SabresDetroit Red WingsBobby Baun
10Rosie PaiementVancouver CanucksPhiladelphia FlyersGarry Peters
11François LacombeBuffalo SabresMontreal CanadiensLeon Rochefort
12Darryl SlyVancouver CanucksMinnesota North StarsWalt McKechnie
13Phil GoyetteBuffalo SabresSt. Louis BluesLarry Keenan
14Jim WisteVancouver CanucksChicago Black HawksJean-Paul LeBlanc
15Reg FlemingBuffalo SabresPhiladelphia FlyersBrent Hughes
16Danny JohnsonVancouver CanucksToronto Maple LeafsGord Nelson
17Mike McMahonBuffalo SabresPittsburgh PenguinsBob Blackburn
18Barry WilkinsVancouver CanucksBoston Bruins 
19Skip KrakeBuffalo SabresLos Angeles KingsJim Stanfield
20Ralph StewartVancouver CanucksMontreal CanadiensClaude Provost
21Jean-Guy LagaceBuffalo SabresMinnesota North Stars 
22Mike CorriganVancouver CanucksLos Angeles KingsNoel Price
23Craig CameronBuffalo SabresLos Angeles Kings 
24Wayne MakiVancouver CanucksSt. Louis BluesTerry Crisp
25Chris EvansBuffalo SabresSt. Louis Blues 
26Ed HatoumVancouver CanucksDetroit Red WingsTom Martin
27Doug BarrieBuffalo SabresPittsburgh Penguins 
28Poul PopeilVancouver CanucksDetroit Red Wings 
29Gerry MeehanBuffalo SabresPhiladelphia Flyers 
30Ron WardVancouver CanucksToronto Maple Leafs 
31Paul TerbencheBuffalo SabresChicago Black HawksLou Angotti
32John SchellaVancouver CanucksMontreal Canadiens 
33Brian PerryBuffalo SabresOakland SealsGerry Ehman
34Bob DillaboughVancouver CanucksOakland SealsDick Mattiussi
35Howie MenardBuffalo SabresOakland Seals 
36Garth RizzutoVancouver CanucksChicago Black Hawks 
Goaltenders
37Dunc WilsonVancouver CanucksPhiladelphia Flyers 
38Rocky FarrBuffalo SabresMontreal Canadiens 
39Charlie HodgeVancouver CanucksOakland Seals 
40Gary EdwardsBuffalo SabresSt. Louis Blues 


As mentioned in my previous post about the 1972 Expansion Draft the draft order was determined by a game of chance, a wheel akin to that of roulette. 36 numbers were on the wheel: one 2, two 3s, three 4s, four 5s, five 6s, six 7s, five 8s, four 9s, three 10s, two 11s and one 12, corresponding to the 36 possible combinations of the roll of two six-sided playing dice. The GMs had a choice of numbers over 7 or under 7; if the pointer landed on one of the 7s it was considered a 'draw' and the wheel was to be spun again. Sabres' GM Punch Imlach won a coin toss to have his choice of numbers "over 7" or "under 7". Anecdotal stories say he picked "over 7" because 11 was his favourite number. I'm not entirely sure that's true. Punch was known to be a little melodramatic and I suspect this is all just an urban legend as it relates to Gilbert Perreault's uniform number.

Note that many modern sources state Imlach had numbers 11-20 while the Canucks' Bud Poile was left with numbers 1-10. This totally false, a complete fabrication: I have a copy of a picture of Ron Andrews standing with the wheel clearly showing the wheel's construction, with the six 7s prominently bolded and 36 spots on the wheel. I would share this picture with you but I do not hold the copyright. (edit: found a copy on Google news, see http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=04syAAAAIBAJ&sjid=IbkFAAAAIBAJ&pg=892%2C2407891)

On the first spin of the wheel it landed on 8, giving Imlach his choice of first goalie or first skater (or first overall, as skaters were chosen before goalies) in the expansion draft. He chose the latter. A second spin of the wheel determined who had first choice in the amateur draft. The story goes that when the wheel stopped Clarence Campbell believed it had landed on '1', giving the Canucks first overall. Dramatic retellings of the story state that the Canucks management team erupted in joy at having won the right to first overall in the draft of amateurs, universally believed beforehand to be Gilbert Perreault no matter who won the right to the pick. There's only one problem with this story: there were no '1's on the wheel! Well, except in '10', '11' and '12', all of which gave Imlach and the Sabres the pick. As it turned out it had landed on 11 and the Sabres had first pick in the amateur and expansion drafts.

With the first overall pick Imlach took Tom Webster of the Bruins, which reportedly greatly angered Bruins' GM Milt Schmidt. It was rumoured that Schmidt and Imlach had a back-room deal in which Imlach would take Garnet Bailey, allowing the Bruins to protect Webster, and in return Schmidt would give Imlach some 'considerations'. Instead Imlach took Webster (Schmidt protected Bailey) and traded him after the draft to the Red Wings for Roger Crozier, arguably a better goalie than any of the four taken in the draft.

Needless to say Punch Imlach was not the most popular man at the draft proceedings in 1970. He wasn't any more popular in 1971, but that's another story...

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