1972: Brad Park and the WHA’s Cleveland Crusaders

[Habsfan18]

Some interesting information that I hadn’t known before from Brad Park and Emile Francis in the book titled “We Did Everything But Win” released last year (great read, by the way. Highly recommended). Looks like Brad Park was close to becoming one of the initial WHA signees in the 1972 off-season.

Here’s an excerpt from the book:

Brad Park: “Steve Arnold, who was my agent in 1970, was now working with Nick Mileti who was the owner of the Cleveland franchise in the WHA and they came to Toronto to talk to me. Larry Rauch was my agent at that time and we had thrown a number at them of a five-year deal at $300,000 a year. And they took an hour and came back to us and he said you got it. So I said okay that’s great but I said, listen I have to go and talk to the Cat (Francis) and they said no you don’t. And I said I owe it to the Cat. So Emile flew into Toronto and we met at the Royal York Hotel. I said, ‘Emile this is what the offer is,’ and he said, ‘Well I’m not going to match that.’ So, I told him I’d like to stay in New York so I would take $250,000 a year to stay in New York. So, he says, ‘I’ll be right back’ and I told him that we had to make a deal that night or I’d be going to Cleveland the next day for a press conference. So, he goes in the other room and I guess he called Bill Jennings and the Cat told him not to do the deal. But Bill said to do the deal and he comes back in the room and says, ‘Okay, we got a deal.’ Then when I told Cleveland that I’d agreed to stay in New York for $250,000 they upped their offer to $400,000 a year! But I said no I can’t do that and they said why not? I said because I gave the Cat my word. So I ended up signing in New York. I loved New York while I was there.”

So that got me thinking. How would this have played out? How would it have affected Brad Park’s overall all-time legacy if he spent 5-7 years in the WHA? This if course would have also prevented the 1975 trade with Boston that saw Park and Esposito as the main pieces.

I guess we could also assume Park wouldn’t have been invited to play for Canada at the 1972 Summit Series.

And would this have made a huge difference in the big picture of the WHA being viewed as a threat to the NHL? Stealing Brad Park from the NHL would have been viewed as a massive coup only behind Hull in importance I would think? Bigger than Sanderson, Cheevers and Parent IMO.

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[BobbyAwe]

Some interesting information that I hadn’t known before from Brad Park and Emile Francis in the book titled “We Did Everything But Win” released last year (great read, by the way. Highly recommended). Looks like Brad Park was close to becoming one of the initial WHA signees in the 1972 off-season.

Here’s an excerpt from the book:

Brad Park: “Steve Arnold, who was my agent in 1970, was now working with Nick Mileti who was the owner of the Cleveland franchise in the WHA and they came to Toronto to talk to me. Larry Rauch was my agent at that time and we had thrown a number at them of a five-year deal at $300,000 a year. And they took an hour and came back to us and he said you got it. So I said okay that’s great but I said, listen I have to go and talk to the Cat (Francis) and they said no you don’t. And I said I owe it to the Cat. So Emile flew into Toronto and we met at the Royal York Hotel. I said, ‘Emile this is what the offer is,’ and he said, ‘Well I’m not going to match that.’ So, I told him I’d like to stay in New York so I would take $250,000 a year to stay in New York. So, he says, ‘I’ll be right back’ and I told him that we had to make a deal that night or I’d be going to Cleveland the next day for a press conference. So, he goes in the other room and I guess he called Bill Jennings and the Cat told him not to do the deal. But Bill said to do the deal and he comes back in the room and says, ‘Okay, we got a deal.’ Then when I told Cleveland that I’d agreed to stay in New York for $250,000 they upped their offer to $400,000 a year! But I said no I can’t do that and they said why not? I said because I gave the Cat my word. So I ended up signing in New York. I loved New York while I was there.”

So that got me thinking. How would this have played out? How would it have affected Brad Park’s overall all-time legacy if he spent 5-7 years in the WHA? This if course would have also prevented the 1975 trade with Boston that saw Park and Esposito as the main pieces.

I guess we could also assume Park wouldn’t have been invited to play for Canada at the 1972 Summit Series.

And would this have made a huge difference in the big picture of the WHA being viewed as a threat to the NHL? Stealing Brad Park from the NHL would have been viewed as a massive coup only behind Hull in importance I would think? Bigger than Sanderson, Cheevers and Parent IMO.

Well, there's doubt that Brad's stats would have increased greatly in the WHA, as every good NHL player's did that went there, but that would NOT have helped his historical significance because of the same reason, that points were easy to come by in the WHA. Mike Walton scored 117 points to lead the league one year there, but his real value is still judged by his NHL play. So, no matter what kind of stats Park would have had in the WHA, there would always be the question, "Yeah but how good would he be in the NHL"?

If Park went into the WHA in 1972, and then no doubt came back the NHL in 1979-80, we could only estimate his overall value, because his NHL career would have limited our opinion of him to a few years when he was still developing (up to 1972) and a few years at the end back in the NHL where he would have been past his prime.

 

[Pominville Knows]

I wonder what kind of trophy case he would have had, considering how his real life one is not exactly adding to his legacy. He spent his whole career in somebodys shadow.
He is also not seen as a winner overall either.

 

[tony d]

Interesting, guy always seemed overshadowed by Orr in the NHL. Got to think if he's in the WHA he might be more highly regarded.

 

[DowntownBooster]

I admire Brad Park for honoring his word. I think that's one thing that separates players from that era and now. A verbal agreement to them was like a binding contract that they could not back out of. That's why I also admired Bobby Hull. He gave his word to Ben Hatskin to come to Winnipeg and followed through. It would have been great to see Brad Park as a member of the Cleveland Crusaders and I'm sure that Gerry Cheevers would have been very happy to have him playing defense out front of him as well.

 

[JackSlater]

I doubt he would be in the HHOF right now had he joined the WHA in 1972 and stayed for the duration. Canada also would almost certainly have lost the Summit Series.

 

[Tarantula]

I doubt he would be in the HHOF right now had he joined the WHA in 1972 and stayed for the duration. Canada also would almost certainly have lost the Summit Series.

Very well could have worked out that way, how about another scenario? Cleveland succeeds in the WHA and the Seals never move there.....

To me Park has been somewhat under rated in general, always in the shadow of others and never won a cup, but he was very good for a long time, glad he stayed in the NHL and got to see him play deep in the playoffs for a few years. Smooth

 

[Habsfan18]

I doubt he would be in the HHOF right now had he joined the WHA in 1972 and stayed for the duration. Canada also would almost certainly have lost the Summit Series.

That’s why I’ve always loved what if scenarios. One decision can alter hockey history forever.

 

[Pominville Knows]

One never knows how the WHA's credibility could have changed by it, especially if it had made someone else go there as well.

 

[Killion]

One never knows how the WHA's credibility could have changed by it, especially if it had made someone else go there as well.

Well.... J.C. Tremblay did make the jump to the WHA and is or was the closest approximation to Park in many respects, instantly the preeminent Defenceman in the League, lending considerable credibility to both quality of play & viability. He'd won 5 Stanley Cups with the Habs, setting the record for most points by a Defenceman in franchise history, playing in 7 All Star Games etc. Star player in the NHL, earlier in Minot Pro & Junior, cutting edge along with Pierre Pilote as an early Rushing Defenceman who was also responsible defensively. Pre-Orr....

With the Draft & even those still subject to the Sponsorship byes with the first "true Draft" not really taking hold until the late 60's.... the "Hype Machine" kicking in with Park (Draft Class of 66) & others billed as "The Next One", and as Brad was & became one of the best of his & every other generation, comparisons to Orr not far off the mark. Amp'd up further of course as Park had been Drafted by the Rangers, no love lost between Boston & NY so for the NHL a great situation in terms of interest, marketing, broadcast etc. That New York low balled Park vs the Cleveland offer in taking advantage of his honor & integrity, loyalty, well.... that guy was Box Office Gold, the Rangers & the NHL would have lost a lot more than the $50,000 or $150,000 Francis wouldnt cough up in matching Clevelands offer.

I doubt very much Brad Park would be in the HHOF today had he made that move just as J.C. Tremblays's absence is noticeable. The term "Poor Mans' Bobby Orr" as Park was often referred to as, and that label rather than being meant to be complimentary as it was/is instead twisted derisively.... that Park left the NHL like J.C. Tremblay did because play was inferior, less structured, money obscene, place to go pad your stats & bank account playing against kids, wannabe's and never weres, has-beens & minor league lifers. That was the attitude the NHL had, the narrative they promoted & that their sycophantic friends in the media repeated daily. Park wouldve wound up like J.C. Tremblay who disgracefully still hasnt been inducted into the HHOF. The NHL to this day will not recognize that leagues records, its importance & influence, that it was at its best every bit as good as (better in some ways) than was the NHL. People forget, in Exhibition Games vs NHL Clubs, the WHA had a winning record. It was a crazy league, ultra violence etc but they could play. Different brand for sure. Like European Hockey slammed into the WWE....

 

[reckoning]

I wonder what Canada would have done in '72 without him. Who would they have put in? Seiling and Awrey didn't work out. Tallon and Guevremont were young and inexperienced. Maybe Sinden might have tried to persuade Bobby Orr to suit up?

On the other hand, Canada would have been a lot better in the '74 series. That team had a huge drop on the depth chart at defence after Tremblay and Stapleton.

I also second Habsfan18's recommendation of the We Did Everything But Win book. Best hockey book I've read in years.

 

[pbgoalie]

Parks agent, Larry Rauch was pretty amazing for that era.

I’m not certain, but he also got Jim neilson one of the first 6 figure deals out of the Rangers. Before Parks deal

 

[BadgerBruce]

Very well could have worked out that way, how about another scenario? Cleveland succeeds in the WHA and the Seals never move there.....

To me Park has been somewhat under rated in general, always in the shadow of others and never won a cup, but he was very good for a long time, glad he stayed in the NHL and got to see him play deep in the playoffs for a few years. Smooth

This hints at my own view — accepting a WHA contract came with so much risk. Even Hull’s deal (a cool million upfront, 1.75 million on the back end) was technically a personal services contract with Hatskin, which was meant to provide greater protection in the event of .... well, the brown stuff happens, right? Runs downhill. Sanderson signed for 2.65 million, given 1 million after 8 games to go away. Very iffy place for a youngish star like Park to hang his hat, and I’m not so sure how much his presence would have moved the attendance needle in the league. Hull and the Howes did, but did anyone else?