WHA General Player Draft

The World Hockey Association General Player Draft was held over the course of two days, February 12 and February 13, 1972, in Anaheim, California. The purpose of the draft was to establish an orderly process through which WHA teams would stock their rosters by the beginning of their inaugural season later that year. As such, players from other professional teams (notably National Hockey League clubs) were eligible to be drafted. The draftees were not under any legal obligation to sign with the drafting WHA club: other WHA clubs were prevented from negotiating with the players who had been drafted.

The draft was held in two parts: a "Preliminary" round in which teams made so-called "priority" selections, and the rounds of the "General Draft" which followed. For the Preliminary round, each team wrote four names on a piece of paper, which were then submitted and announced prior to the start of the General Draft.[1] The priority selections were the most sought after players, consisting mostly of NHL veterans and highly touted prospects.

Twelve teams took part in the draft: the Calgary Broncos, Chicago Cougars, Dayton Aeros, Edmonton Oil Kings, Los Angeles Sharks, Miami Screaming Eagles, Minnesota Fighting Saints, New England Whalers, Winnipeg Jets, and three then-unnamed franchises based in New York (later the Raiders), Ontario (later the Ottawa Nationals) and Quebec City (later the Nordiques).

The Broncos folded within months, before the beginning of the season, and the negotiating rights to their picks were transferred to a new club: the Cleveland Crusaders. Similarly the Screaming Eagles never took to the ice, and their picks transferred to the Philadelphia Blazers. The Dayton Aeros moved to Houston before the playing season, and the Oil Kings changed their name to Alberta Oilers with the intent of splitting home games between Edmonton and Calgary.

Preliminary round

Selections by team

Calgary Broncos

Player Position Nationality Team League
Barry Gibbs D  Canada Minnesota North Stars NHL
Jim Harrison C  Canada Toronto Maple Leafs NHL
Dale Hoganson D  Canada Montreal Canadiens NHL
Jack Norris G  Canada Seattle Totems WHL

Chicago Cougars

Player Position Nationality Team League
Stan Mikita F  Canada Chicago Black Hawks NHL
Jerry Korab D  Canada Chicago Black Hawks NHL
Jim McKenny D  Canada Toronto Maple Leafs NHL
Gary Smith G  Canada Chicago Black Hawks NHL

Dayton Aeros

Player Position Nationality Team League
Guy Trottier RW  Canada Toronto Maple Leafs NHL
Andre Hinse LW  Canada Phoenix Roadrunners WHL
Larry Lund D  Canada Phoenix Roadrunners WHL
Wayne Rutledge G  Canada Salt Lake Golden Eagles WHL

Edmonton Oil Kings

Player Position Nationality Team League
Norm Ullman C  Canada Toronto Maple Leafs NHL
Bobby Clarke C  Canada Philadelphia Flyers NHL
Bruce MacGregor C  Canada New York Rangers NHL
Phil Myre G  Canada Montreal Canadiens NHL

Los Angeles Sharks

Player Position Nationality Team League
Ken Dryden G  Canada Montreal Canadiens NHL
Gilbert Perreault C  Canada Buffalo Sabres NHL
Matt Ravlich D  Canada Boston Bruins NHL
Steve Sutherland LW  Canada Port Huron Wings IHL

Miami Screaming Eagles

Player Position Nationality Team League
Bernie Parent G  Canada Toronto Maple Leafs NHL
Jude Drouin C  Canada Minnesota North Stars NHL
Derek Sanderson C  Canada Boston Bruins NHL
Bill White D  Canada Chicago Black Hawks NHL

Minnesota Fighting Saints

Player Position Nationality Team League
Pete Mahovlich LW  Canada Montreal Canadiens NHL
Mike Curran G  United States United States Olympic team
Bill Goldsworthy RW  Canada Minnesota North Stars NHL
Dale Tallon D  Canada Vancouver Canucks NHL

New England Whalers

Player Position Nationality Team League
Bobby Sheehan C  United States California Golden Seals NHL
Eddie Johnston G  Canada Boston Bruins NHL
Rick Ley D  Canada Toronto Maple Leafs NHL
Larry Pleau C  United States Montreal Canadiens NHL

New York

Player Position Nationality Team League
Gerry Desjardins G  Canada Chicago Black Hawks NHL
Dave Gardner C  Canada Toronto Marlboros OHA
Billy Harris RW  Canada Toronto Marlboros OHA
Steve Shutt F  Canada Toronto Marlboros OHA

Ontario

Player Position Nationality Team League
Doug Favell G  Canada Philadelphia Flyers NHL
Dave Keon C  Canada Toronto Maple Leafs NHL
Brad Park D  Canada New York Rangers NHL
Eddie Shack LW  Canada Buffalo Sabres NHL

Quebec City

Player Position Nationality Team League
Gilles Villemure G  Canada New York Rangers NHL
Guy Lapointe D  Canada Montreal Canadiens NHL
Jacques Lemaire F  Canada Montreal Canadiens NHL
John McKenzie RW  Canada Boston Bruins NHL

Winnipeg Jets

Player Position Nationality Team League
Bobby Hull LW  Canada Chicago Black Hawks NHL
Ted Green D  Canada Boston Bruins NHL
Ted Irvine LW  Canada New York Rangers NHL
Ernie Wakely G  Canada St. Louis Blues NHL

Regular rounds

Selections by team

Rounds 1–10

Player Position Nationality Team League
Steve Carlyle D  Canada University of Alberta Golden Bears CIAU
Ron Homenuke F  Canada Calgary Centennials WCHL
Ross Lonsberry LW  Canada Philadelphia Flyers NHL
Jim McMasters F  Canada Calgary Centennials WCHL
Morris Mott RW  Canada Queen's University Golden Gaels CIAU
Gerry Pinder RW  Canada California Golden Seals NHL
Larry Romanchych C  Canada Dallas Black Hawks CHL
Gregg Sheppard C  Canada Oklahoma City Blazers CHL
Brian Walker C  Canada Calgary Centennials WCHL
Jimmy Watson D  Canada Calgary Centennials WCHL

Rounds 11–20

Player Position Nationality Team League
Ron Boehm LW  Canada Boston Braves AHL
Anatoli Firsov F  Soviet Union HC CSKA Moscow USSR
Jozef Golonka F  Czechoslovakia SC Riessersee Bundesliga
Lorne Henning C  Canada New Westminster Bruins WCHL
Skip Krake C  Canada Salt Lake Golden Eagles WHL
Bernie Lukowich F  Canada New Westminster Bruins WCHL
Ray Martyniuk G  Canada Columbus Golden Seals IHL
Randy Rota LW  Canada Nova Scotia Voyageurs AHL
Dallas Smith D  Canada Boston Bruins NHL
Stan Weir C  Canada Medicine Hat Tigers WCHL

Rounds 21–50

Player Position Nationality Team League
Jeff Ablett LW  Canada Medicine Hat Tigers WCHL
Wayne Bell G  Canada Omaha Knights CHL
Dwight Bialowas D  Canada Regina Pats WCHL
Yury Blinov F  Soviet Union CSKA Moscow USSR
Lyle Bradley C  Canada Salt Lake Golden Eagles WHL
Gary Braun D  Canada Toledo Hornets IHL
Ken Brown G  Canada Dallas Black Hawks CHL
Jim Cardiff D  Canada San Diego Gulls WHL
Valeri Kharlamov LW  Soviet Union CSKA Moscow USSR
Dave Dunn D  Canada Seattle Totems WHL
Ed Dyck G  Canada Vancouver Canucks NHL
Grant Erickson LW  Canada Cleveland Barons AHL
Jan Eysselt  Czechoslovakia
Gerry Hart D  Canada Fort Worth Wings CHL
Petr Hejma F  Czechoslovakia/ West Germany Düsseldorfer EG Bundesliga
Ted Hodgson RW  Canada Salt Lake Golden Eagles WHL
Doug Horbul LW  Canada Calgary Centennials WCHL
Josef Horesovsky D  Czechoslovakia
Ken Ireland C  Canada New Westminster Bruins WCHL
Darrel Knibbs C  Canada Muskegon Mohawks IHL
Al McDonough RW  Canada Pittsburgh Penguins NHL
Ray McKay D  Canada Cincinnati Swords AHL
Murray McNeil LW  Canada Cleveland Barons AHL
Ernie Moser RW  Canada Nelson Maple Leafs WIHL
Vaclav Nedomansky C  Czechoslovakia HC Slovan Bratislava Czech.
Rod Norrish LW  Canada Cleveland Barons AHL
Veli-Pekka Ketola C  Finland Assat Pori SM-sarja
Darryl Sittler C  Canada Toronto Maple Leafs NHL
George Swarbrick RW  Canada San Diego Gulls WHL
Joe Watson D  Canada Philadelphia Flyers NHL

Rounds 51–70

Player Position Nationality Team League
Grant ClayG CanadaUniversity of ManitobaCIAU
Wayne DollG CanadaLong Island DucksEHL
Len FrigD CanadaDallas Black HawksCHL
Ken GustafsonC CanadaSpokane JetsWIHL
George HillC CanadaCalgary StampedersPrHL
Les JacksonLW CanadaNew Westminster BruinsWCHL
Marshall JohnstonRW CanadaCalifornia Golden SealsNHL
Gunnar Lindquist
Barrie MeissnerLW CanadaOmaha KnightsCHL
Peter Muller
Wayne MorusykD CanadaOklahoma City BlazersCHL
Tom PinderF CanadaSaskatoon BladesWCHL
Al RycroftC CanadaFort Wayne KometsIHL
Alois SchloderRW West GermanyEV LandshutGermany
Jim ShawG CanadaPortland BuckaroosWHL
Ed SidebottomD CanadaCharlotte CheckersEHL
Karl Swetberge
Ron WillyC CanadaSaskatoon QuakersPrHL
Richard WilsonD CanadaUniversity of North DakotaNCAA
Jerry WrightC CanadaRoanoke Valley RebelsEHL

Rounds 71+

Player Position Nationality Team League
Dave AmadioD CanadaSalt Lake Golden EaglesWHL
Leigh BannisterC CanadaFlint GeneralsIHL
Dave BonterLW CanadaDayton GemsIHL
Bill HayC CanadaRetired
Rob HeaneyD CanadaDayton GemsIHL
Herb HowdleD CanadaOklahoma City BlazersCHL
Aleksander MaltsevC Soviet UnionHC Dynamo MoscowUSSR
Darwin MottLW CanadaMichigan TechNCAA
Vladimir PetrovC Soviet UnionHC CSKA MoscowUSSR
Morris StefaniwC CanadaProvidence RedsAHL
Garry SwainC CanadaFort Wayne KometsIHL

Footnotes

References

  • Surgent, Scott Adam (1999). The Complete Historical and Statistical Reference to the World Hockey Association, 1972-1979 (4th ed.). Tempe, Arizona: Xaler Press. pp. 447–51. ISBN 0964477408.
  • "The draft, round by round". The Globe and Mail. Toronto. February 14, 1972. p. S6.
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