In today’s National Hockey League, with advanced scouting
and technology added to the fact that there are 30 teams and plenty of job
openings, the first round picks at the NHL Entry Draft often, but not always,
stick. In the 1970’s, it wasn’t so much the case. The fact that three of the
top eight picks at the 1973 NHL Amateur Draft are now in the Hockey Hall of
Fame is quite astounding.Bob Gainey
Bob Gainey was
selected eighth overall in 1973 by the Montreal Canadiens. 20 years later, in
1992, Gainey was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. Also picked fourth
overall in the WHA amateur draft in 1973 by the Minnesota Fighting Saints,
Gainey chose the NHL route and was a regular on the league’s top team in
1973-74.
Bob was taken from the OHA’s Peterborough Petes after
playing just one season, 1972-73. He played his entire NHL career with Montreal
from 1973-74 to 1988-89, winning five Stanley Cups with the team. He was a four
time Frank J. Selke Trophy winner as the league’s most defensive forward. In
fact, he won the trophy in its first four years of existence and is the only
four-time winner to date. Gainey’s number 23 was retired by the Canadiens in
2008.
Lanny McDonald
Lanny McDonald
was taken fourth overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs, one of three first round
picks by Toronto at the 1973 NHL Draft. Like Bob Gainey, McDonald was also
taken in the first round of the WHA draft, 10th overall by the
Cleveland Crusaders. He had played two seasons of junior hockey in the WCHL
with the Medicine Hat Tigers in 1971-72 and 1972-73. In his two seasons, Lanny
contributed 114 and 139 points.
Over his NHL career that spanned from 1973-74 to 1988-89,
McDonald played 1,111 regular season games with an additional 117 in the
playoffs. He began with Toronto, made a stop with the Colorado Rockies then
finished off his career with the Calgary Flames. With Calgary, he scored 66
goals in 1982-83 and won the Stanley Cup in 1985-86. He finished his career with
exactly 500 goals and entered the Hockey Hall of Fame along with Bob Gainey in
1992.
Denis Potvin
Denis Potvin was
the first overall pick at the 1973 NHL Amateur Draft, going to the New York
Islanders. After five years of junior hockey with the OHA’s Ottawa 67’s, Potvin
jumped right into a starring role with New York for the 1973-74 season, winning
the Calder Trophy as NHL rookie of the year. Denis played his entire career
with the Islanders, retiring after the 1987-88 season. He captained the team
for eight years, from 1979-80 to 1986-87, including the team’s four year
Stanley Cup championship run from 1979-80 to 1982-83.
In all, Potvin played 1,052 NHL games and scored 310 goals.
He was a three time Norris Trophy winner as the NHL’s top defenseman, winning
in 1975-76, 1977-78 and 1978-79. In 1991, his number 5 was the first jersey
number ever retired by the New York Islanders. Denis had a one year head start
on Gainey and McDonald, being inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1991.
