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Home , Punch Imlach, Red Kelly

PUNCH SLUGS THE KINGS THE FIRST EXPANSION draft, held in 1967 when the NHL doubled in size, allowed the Original Six clubs to protect 11 skaters and one goalie. After losing a player, BENGT GUSTAFSSON they could add another to their protected list. Prior to the draft, Maple Leafs center retired, and GM agreed release him BENGT-ING from his contract so that he could coach the newly formed Los An- THE RULES geles Kings, who ended up land- BENGT GUSTAFSSON was the pro- verbial rope in a tug-o-war be- the draft, Imlach tried to protect tween the Capitals and the Ed- bothing the of firsthis pick.goaltenders, On the daylisting of monton Oilers. Gustafsson was as the Leafs’ pro- drafted by the Caps in 1978 but tected goalie and Terry Sawchuk instead signed with the World among their 11 protected skat- Hockey Association’s Oilers in ers. “Well, he can skate, can’t he?” the spring of 1979, appearing Imlach reasoned, unsuccessfully, in two playoff games. When four to the other GMs in the room. WHA teams joined the NHL prior The Kings used the No. 1 pick to the 1979-80 season, all WHA to select Sawchuk, much to Im- players whose rights were held lach’s annoyance, and after nine by NHL teams would again be more rounds of losing players, property of those clubs, while Sick of having players plucked from the Leafs’ GM had had enough. He the WHA teams could protect his roster, Imlach sought a measure added Red Kelly to his protected two skaters and two goalies, of revenge from the Kings. list, a move that didn’t make regardless of NHL rights. Natu-

sense since Kelly was retired. But rally, the Oilers protected Wayne WOLFE: PORTNOY/HOCKEY HALL OF CHABOT: FAME; DENIS BRODEUR/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES Imlach wouldn’t budge, claim- Gretzky, along with Gustafsson ing he should get something in and goaltenders Dave Dryden return for Kelly’s services be- and Eddie Mio. The Capitals cause he was better than any of had no problem with this – until DRAFT the players L.A. had drafted. Two three months later. days later, the Kings relented and In September, the Capitals traded minor league D-man Ken raised a stink over Gustafsson Block to the Leafs for the right to to NHL president John Ziegler hire Kelly as their coach. because the Oilers had signed him in early 1979. During the ongoing negotiations that took place between the NHL and WHA throughout the 1978-79 season, the NHL mandated that WHA teams couldn’t sign any players after Dec. 31, 1978. This was to Over the past 50 years, expansion draft shenanigans have keep WHA teams from stockpil- TRICKSranged from astute to annoying to absurd BY SAL BARRY ing players. The WHA didn’t in- form its clubs of this directive, VERY TIME THE NHL expands, the established teams gladly ac- but it didn’t matter. Ziegler ruled cept their cut of the fees forked over by the expansion clubs. In Edmonton had illegally signed turn, the new teams try to get their money’s worth by building their rosters with players selected from existing clubs during awarded his rights to Washing- the expansion draft. ton.Gustafsson Had the in Capitalsthe first raisedplace andthe Although the old teams don’t mind taking their money, they issue during the expansion draft don’tE like the new teams taking their players, and some GMs have in June, and not three months gone to great lengths to try and lose as little as possible. Here’s a look TERRY SAWCHUK later, the Oilers could have pro-

tected a different player. IMLACH: FRANK GUSTAFSSON: VIA GETTY GRAIG LENNON/ IMAGES; ABEL/ABELIMAGES STAR; STAR SAWCHUK: TORONTO at five notable examples.

34 | JANUARY 23, 2017 Bill Barber and Bobby Clarke seasons for the Caps in the SHARK BAIT available. Just think, Clarke, GM 1970s, retired in 1979 and GUSTAFSSON WAS of the North Stars at the time, a part of another could have drafted his playing company in Washington expansion draft 12 years later rights from his former team. that’sstarted still a financial in business services to- when the San Jose Sharks joined As it turned out, he ended up day. “(Capitals’ GM) David the league. He left the NHL in Poile, who’s a friend and 1989 and returned to Sweden, Nordiques, who had made his a client of mine, called me and his rights ended up with the intentionsdrafting Guy to retire Lafleur known from but the and said it would be great FREDERIC CHABOT Red Wings, who left him unpro- publicity,” said Wolfe al- tected in the 1991 draft. Gustafs- Clarke did this so he wouldn’t most 25 years later. “I said, son was selected by San Jose but behadn’t on the filed hook the for paperwork a contract yet. he ‘Jeez, I’m 40 years old. What if quickly traded back. “Getting re- never played another NHL game. someone drafts me?’ He said, acquired by Montreal was a good That 1991 draft was a bit con- back to Quebec the next day for ‘Don’t worry, no one’s going to thing,” said Chabot, now a - voluted, as was the formation Alandidn’t Haworth, want and who traded was playing Lafleur draft you.’ ” tending development coach with of the Sharks franchise itself. in Europe and wouldn’t factor Of course, the NHL voided the the AHL’s Iowa Wild. “I was get- George and Gordon Gund, own- into Minnesota’s payroll. contract, but Wolfe never had ting good coaching with Francois ers of the North Stars, wanted to any intentions of strapping the Allaire, and Montreal is a great move their team to San Jose, but pads back on anyway. “I loved organization, so in the long run the NHL wanted keep a presence the publicity,” he said. “For a guy that ended up being a really good in Minnesota, so a compromise CRYIN’ WOLFE thing that I stayed there.” was met. The Gunds would sell FOR THE 1992 ex- company, I’m sure I got the big- Montreal left Chabot exposed the North Stars and get their ex- pansion draft, each who was just starting a financial a third time in the ’93 draft, pansion team in the Bay area. team, save for the Sharks, had to though he wasn’t picked. Five To stock their roster, the make a goaltender available with gest benefit of everybody.” years later, now with Los Ange- Sharks received 24 players from at least one game of NHL expe- les, Chabot was selected by the the North Stars in a dispersal rience. And that’s exactly what GOALIE Nashville Predators in the ’98 draft. Then both teams took some teams did. The Blackhawks draft, which allowed the Kings to turns drafting exposed players recalled career minor-leaguer CAROUSEL keep their tandem of Stephane from the remaining 20 teams. Ray LeBlanc, who had shined at FREDERIC CHABOT COULD count Fiset and Jamie Storr intact. Plus, Among the B- and C-list talent the 1992 Olympics as Team USA’s on one thing during his career: by losing Chabot, they wouldn’t available were numerous retired backstop, and played him in one if there was an expansion draft, have to expose a goalie in the players, including some legends. game before demoting him. The there was a good chance he’d be 1999 expansion draft. As a thank

WOLFE: PORTNOY/HOCKEY HALL OF CHABOT: FAME; DENIS BRODEUR/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES For example, the Canadiens brought up goal- available. Chabot was exposed in you, L.A. traded Kimmo Timonen listed Jean Beliveau, Yvan Courn- ie Warren Sharples, played him and Jan Vopat to the Predators oyer and Ken Dryden for the in a single contest then shipped ’93, ’98 and 2000 – and was se- for future considerations. draft, while the Islanders offered him back to the minors. Guess lecteda record in three, five drafts also a – record. 1991, ’92, Later that summer, Chabot Denis Potvin and the Flyers made which goalies these two teams The Canadiens frequently re- was put on waivers and re- left unprotected for the draft? acquired Chabot throughout his acquired by the Kings. Three But the real showstoppers career, seemingly for the purpose months after that, he was left were the Capitals, who signed of exposing him in the next draft. unprotected in the waiver draft I TOLD DAVID long-retired goaltender Bernie The Habs left him unprotected in and selected by (you guessed it) Wolfe solely for the purpose of the 1991 draft, and again in ’92, the Canadiens, who played him POILE, ‘JEEZ, making him available in the ex- when the Tampa Bay Lightning in enough games to make him pansion draft. Wolfe played four selected him, though Chabot was eligible for the 2000 expansion I’M 40 YEARS draft. The Columbus Blue Jack- ets picked Chabot, which meant OLD. WHAT Montreal couldn’t lose another goalie or a defenseman in the IF SOMEONE draft. A year later, the Habs sent a second-round pick to the Jack- DRAFTS ME?’ ets for future considerations, a thank you for drafting Chabot. “I HE SAID, ‘DON’T would have loved to have played for an expansion team, but it WORRY, NO never happened” Chabot said. “It looked like I was a good piece to ONE’S GOING , and NHL GMs just found ways to play with the draft so TO DRAFT YOU’ they could protect more players. – Bernie Wolfe, BERNIE WOLFE I was the guy who was always

IMLACH: FRANK GUSTAFSSON: VIA GETTY GRAIG LENNON/TORONTO IMAGES; ABEL/ABELIMAGES STAR; STAR SAWCHUK: TORONTO former NHL goalie available.”

JANUARY 23, 2017 THE HOCKEY NEWS | 35