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| 1972 DRAFT QUICK FACTS |
DATE: JUNE 8, 1972
LOCATION:
THE QUEEN ELIZABETH HOTEL (MONTREAL) |
| DRAFT HISTORY |
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The 10th NHL Amateur Draft broke previous records for length and number of
players selected. The draft, beginning considerably later than its scheduled 2
p.m. start time, lasted three hours, 52 minutes and involved more
than 150 players. There was added pressure on the drafting teams, because most
of the top juniors had already been chosen four months earlier in the WHA draft,
and teams recognized they would have to fight the new league in signing players. Montreal, which had four first-round picks, was considered the
draft's big winner in amassing what was seen as a dominant collection of junior
talent. Thirteen of the 16 first-round picks came from the Ontario Major Junior
Hockey League, including a record four from the Toronto Marlboros. The draft
came two days after the 1972 NHL Expansion Draft, and, for the first time, teams
traded picks to expansion teams in exchange for a mere promise that the new team
wouldn't select certain players. Also, two of Los Angeles' picks were traded to
Minnesota for "cash considerations." This was only symbolic,
as money was never actually paid. Los Angeles was willing to give away the picks
until Toronto owner Harold Ballard complained that
one-way trades should not be allowed, and that at least cash had to be involved
in the transaction. |
| THE BASICS |
Eligible For Draft: All amateur players born before January 1, 1953.
Draft
Order: Expansion N.Y. Islanders and Atlanta made the first two picks.
The Islanders got the No. 1 pick, based on a mutual agreement with Atlanta
that had enabled the Flames to select Phil Myre first overall in the 1972 NHL
Expansion Draft. The rest of the
teams drafted in reverse order of their 1971-72 finish.
Irregularities: The
NHL prohibited the Atlanta and N.Y. Islanders franchises from trading their first picks
and insisted that after signing the players, these teams could not trade
them for at least three years. There was no set number of rounds. Teams had the right to pass in any round, and
the draft continued until all teams were done selecting. Atlanta passed on
N.Y. Rangers' pick in the
ninth round. Vancouver, St. Louis, Minnesota, Chicago, N.Y. Rangers and
Boston passed in the 10th round. Minnesota also passed with Toronto's pick in
the 10th round. All teams except Montreal passed in the
11th round.
Rotation: N.Y. Islanders, Atlanta, Vancouver, Los
Angeles, Buffalo, California, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, St. Louis, Detroit,
Toronto, Minnesota, Chicago, Montreal, N.Y. Rangers, Boston.
Total Rounds:
Eleven
Cost to Draft: The NHL teams paid the Canadian Amateur
Hockey Association $3,000 for each player drafted in the top 64 and $2,000 for
all other players. The total payout was $368,000.
Draft Rights:
Team could offer player contract at any time after draft. |
| DRAFT RECAP |
No. 1 pick: Billy Harris (by N.Y. Islanders)
Reached
NHL: 67 players (44.1 percent)
Won Stanley Cup: 11 players
(7.2 percent)
Most NHL Games: Don Lever (1,020 games)
Most
Playoff Games: Bob Nystrom (157 games)
Highest Pick to Miss: No.
10 (Al Blanchard)
Lowest Pick to Reach: No. 145 (Steve Lyon)
Players Drafted:
152 (88 forwards, 47 defense, 17 goalies) |
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SNAPSHOT '72 | | Total Selected: |
152 | | Forwards: |
88 | | Defense: |
47 | | Goaltenders: |
17 | | Major Junior: |
121 | | College Players: |
25 |
| Canadian: |
139 |
| Euro-Canadian: |
2 | | USA Citizens: |
11 | | U.S.-Born: |
10 |
| European: |
0 |
| Reached NHL: |
67 |
| Won Stanley Cup: |
11 | | Hall of Fame: |
2 |
| All-Star Game: |
13 |
| Year-end All-Star: |
3 |
| Olympians: |
1 |
| Picks Traded: |
24 |
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