Réjean Houle looks back on his Draft year

MONTREAL -- Few events generate more fanfare than the NHL Entry Draft.

Every moment is televised via various outlets, with scores of fans watching with bated breath as they dream of the future.
Top-ranked prospects invite family and friends to the event, hoping to hear their names called as early as possible, as they dream of taking their first strides on a fresh patch of NHL ice.
Once chosen, players are whisked to the media room, where they dip their toes in the intense scrutiny that comes with the Draft. A bevy of interviews takes place, not to mention various other media availabilities, including those required by the team that made the pick.
And though it's a rather lengthy process, it's a moment that can go by in a flash. Just ask Kaiden Guhle, the 16th overall pick of the 2020 Draft.

"You only get drafted in the NHL once'" said Guhle. "Enjoy that as much as you can. There's going to be media, outside noise. Try and block it as much as possible and just enjoy the day. It's a special day."
But as is the case with most sports-related events, the Draft wasn't always an exercise in grandeur.
In fact, it was anything but grand, especially back in 1969, when the Canadiens selected Réjean Houle with the first overall pick.
"Claude Ruel called me and told me to head to the hotel," said Houle. "I stood in a hallway, we didn't have access to the main room. So I waited there until they stepped out of the room to tell me I had been chosen by the Canadiens."
Very few players attended the Draft and even fewer members of the media, which is hard to imagine given today's sports media landscape.
Houle was joined by Marc Tardif, the player the Canadiens chose second overall, but beyond some familiarity with his fellow Montreal Junior Canadiens teammate, it wasn't a particularly exciting event for Houle and company.

"After Claude Ruel told us we were the first and second picks," said Houle. "We turned around and headed back to Verdun."
In the modern era, teams have the opportunity to speak to prospects several times before the Draft. The NHL Combine, established in 1993, provides teams with a chance to interview prospects at length.
Houle, on the other hand, didn't even have an opportunity to speak to Sam Pollock, the Canadiens' legendary general manager who played a significant role in establishing the Draft.
Beyond the lack of pageantry, the rules were quite different as well.

The Amateur Draft, as it was called from 1963 until 1979, did make significant strides to improve league parity, but the talent pipeline took quite a while to optimize.
Prior to the Draft, NHL teams would sponsor Junior teams. From there, the NHL teams offered one of three forms: the A form, which closely resembles a modern-day amateur tryout contract; a B form, which gave teams an opportunity to sign the prospect in exchange for a bonus; and the C form, which secured professional rights.
This new format, which eliminated sponsorship, came at a disadvantage for teams like the Canadiens given they sponsored hundreds of teams and thousands of players, and thus they were granted the choice of either drafting normally or having the option to select two French Canadian players.
The team didn't exercise their option until 1968, when they chose goaltender Michel Plasse from the Drumondville Rangers. The following year, Houle and Tardif were chosen, though they would be the last two players to be picked via the French Canadian rule.

Not only did the Draft format evolve, but so did the money players received upon being drafted.
Today, a player can earn up to $3,750,000 in their first year if they hit certain benchmarks, including a $925,000 salary and a $92,500 signing bonus.
Comparatively, Bobby Orr, one of the best players in the history of the game, earned just $35,000 in 1968.
It comes as no surprise that Houle's contract paled in comparison to today's multi-million dollar deals.
"If I recall correctly, I received a $15,000 signing bonus," said Houle. "My first year as a professional, I received $7,500. The following year I earned $15,000. We didn't have much of a choice in that era."
The bonus itself was a relatively healthy amount, which enabled Houle to help his father buy a home.
Houle would go on to win five Stanley Cups with the Canadiens, and even spent some time with the Quebec Nordiques of the now-defunct World Hockey Association. He eventually ascended to the position of General Manager of the Canadiens, giving him the type of insight and experience necessary to provide some words of wisdom to whomever the team will select first overall at the upcoming Draft.

"Playing in Montreal is special," said Houle, who is currently President of the Canadiens Alumni Association. "I loved every moment. It's a privilege to play for the fans and the team."
Houle didn't receive the same type of fanfare that the first overall pick will receive this summer, but his message encapsulates more than just his fond memories of playing in Montreal.
He remembers his draft day with perfect clarity, because, regardless of the venue and the rules, the NHL Draft is a moment that will change the lives of all those lucky enough to earn the call.