Top 10 Draft Facts from the '60s and '70s

The Draft has evolved over the years since its inception in the 1960s.

SHOP: Official 2022 NHL Draft Cap
With the NHL Draft coming to Montreal in less than a month, let's take a look back at some of the most significant events related to the Canadiens and the NHL Entry Draft through the '60s and '70s.
10.The NHL's first draft was held on June 5, 1963, at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal.
9.The Draft excluded players that were already signed to A, B, and C forms, which eliminated the vast majority of prospects available. Only 23 players were chosen in the four-round event, with a few teams opting out of the last two rounds.
8.The Canadiens made the first-ever pick at the Draft, choosing forward Garry Monahan, who went on to have a steady NHL career. The second-overall pick was none other than Peter Mahovlich, who was chosen by the Detroit Red Wings.
7.In 1964 the Boston Bruins drafted a goaltender playing for Cornell University named Ken Dryden. A few hours later, Dryden was traded to the Canadiens. Dryden went on to become one of the most successful goaltenders in league history.

6.In anticipation of the 1967 Expansion, the Draft rules were amended. Sponsorship of junior teams (A, B, C forms) was phased out, giving way to a more balanced playing field for all teams.
5.Seeing as the Canadiens had the most to lose in the new arrangement, they were given priority when it came to drafting local talent. They only used the option three times, drafting goaltender Michel Plasse in 1968, as well as forwards Marc Tardif and Réjean Houle in 1969.

4.Canadiens general manager Sam Pollock helped guide the league in its Draft-related decisions, which gave him the inside track when it came to anticipating and planning for the future.
3.Pollock made his greatest move in 1970, trading the Canadiens' first-round pick to the California Golden Seals for their first-round pick in 1971. To ensure the Golden Seals would finish last and therefore grant the Canadiens the first-overall pick, Pollock then traded forward Ralph Backstrom to the Los Angeles Kings, who were threatening to disrupt his plans by finishing last. The maneuver worked, and the Canadiens drafted Guy Lafleur first overall in 1971. And the rest, as they say, is history.

2. The 1972 Draft also yielded a great return for the Canadiens, particularly Hall of Famer Steve Shutt, who was chosen fourth overall. The following year, the Canadiens drafted another Hall of Fame player with the eighth overall pick, forward Bob Gainey.
   1.Until 1979, the event was known as the Amateur Draft. The name was changed to make way for an influx of professional players from the defunct WHA (World Hockey Association).