Ironic, Respect, or Obvious choice ?

[Analyzer*]

For Montréal drafting Vladislav Tretiak ?

He could have been almost deemed an enemy of Montréal, since he had played the Canadiens a few times and played very well and had played against Hab players on Team Canada.

Did they draft him out of respect for the performances he put on ?

Was it just an obvious choice since he had obvious talent ?

Or was it a combination, or something else ?

Was there a possibility of him actually coming over at the time ?

Click to read more...

 

[kmad]

It was a late pick (post-100th) and they drafted him on the off chance that world politics would change, allow him to come to North America, and play in the NHL.

It didn't work out, but I still think it was an astute use of an otherwise useless draft pick. Consider that Dominik Hasek was chosen in the same draft under near-identical circumstances.

 

[begbeee]

I think when CSSR started to leave veteren players to NHL legally - around 1980 (Nový, Hlinka, Bubla, Pouzar, etc..), NHL teams thought there was a possibility of same change in USSR in near future.
Also as I know from many interviews with emigrated players, if you were drafted it was easier to make a decision to leave a country than when you were not drafted and had no guaranty of anything.
E.g. Reason why Stastny started to play for Quebec was that Anton was drafted by Nordiques. They made the contact with Nordiques officials first and rest is the history.
Same with Peter Ihnacak with Toronto.

Teams started to believe for similar legally change in USSR and also were convinced if player would emigrate, draft pick made them sure he start the career in their team.

 

[optimus2861]

It was a bit of a hail-mary pick, being the 7th round and all. Interestingly, the Devils drafted Fetisov in the 8th round that year and it paid off for them.

There was a goalie who went in the 10th round that the Canadiens just missed, too. Wouldn't that have been something.

Update to add: Kasatonov and Makarov got drafted that year, too, in the 12th round.

 

[BraveCanadian]

Throughout the 80s (maybe even before?) teams made use of some low level picks as a form of playing the lottery.

All in the hope that these guys may defect or the political situation would allow them to play in the NHL and they would have a great player for almost nothing.

 

[Theokritos]

Tretiak, an enemy? In fact, he received standing ovations from the crowd in the Montréal Forum when the USSR beat the Canadiens 5:0 on 12/31, 1982. On this occation Tretiak told the Canadian press that he would love to play for the Canadiens after the 1984 Olympics. He compared the Canadiens to his club CSKA Moscow/Red Army (both being "many times champions") and even posed holding a jersey of Canadien Goalie Ken Dryden, a picture that made the front pages in January 1983. Of course, to pick him in the June 1983 entry draft was still a gamble, but one surely worth a low level pick, although nothing ever came out of it, as we know. By the time the Soviet authorities allowed their players to join the NHL, in 1989, Tretiak had long retired. Other NHL clubs were luckier with their picks (see Fetisov, Makarov etc.).

 

[Psycho Papa Joe]

Tretiak, an enemy? In fact, he received standing ovations from the crowd in the Montréal Forum when the USSR beat the Canadiens 5:0 on 12/31, 1982. On this occation Tretiak told the Canadian press that he would love to play for the Canadiens after the 1984 Olympics. He compared the Canadiens to his club CSKA Moscow/Red Army (both being "many times champions") and even posed holding a jersey of Canadien Goalie Ken Dryden, a picture that made the front pages in January 1983. Of course, to pick him in the June 1983 entry draft was still a gamble, but one surely worth a low level pick, although nothing ever came out of it, as we know. By the time the Soviet authorities allowed their players to join the NHL, in 1989, Tretiak had long retired. Other NHL clubs were luckier with their picks (see Fetisov, Makarov etc.).

I recall Tretiak, post 1991, telling a story that he came very, very close to defecting in the early to mid-80's. He thought about his family and the fact he did truly love his country and decided against it.

There was also alot of talk about the Soviets letting him join the NHL in 1984, but it never panned out and he retired instead.

 

[TheDevilMadeMe]

I recall reading that the Red Army players all had an immense amount of respect for the Canadiens. I think it's because the Canadiens played "classy," skilled hockey instead of the "goon" hockey the Flyers played.

I have read that Tretiak said he would only play for the Canadiens if he played for an NHL team, but I'm not sure if that was before or after he was drafted.

 

[TonyTinglebone]

Didn't the Habs also draft Fetisov first back in the late 70s?

 

[Psycho Papa Joe]

Didn't the Habs also draft Fetisov first back in the late 70s?

12th round of the 78 draft. I guess you didn't get a Euro's rights in perpetuity back then, hence why he was re-drafted in 83

 

[Rhiessan71]

Tretiak earned the respect of the Montreal fans way back in '75 on New Years eve when he stood on his head, holding the Habs to a 3-3 tie.
The Habs absolutely dominated the Soviets the entire game and only Trekiak kept it from being a massive blowout.

 

[Stray Wasp]

12th round of the 78 draft. I guess you didn't get a Euro's rights in perpetuity back then, hence why he was re-drafted in 83

At the time, an unsigned draft pick's rights lasted five years.

Meanwhile, a rule had been passed forbidding Europeans of any age to enter the league by any other means than the draft.

I don't know whether this latter rule was a reaction to Peter Stastny's defection, or whether it was a measure to eliminate a rare avenue of unrestricted free agency.

 

[Scott1980]

Tretiak earned the respect of the Montreal fans way back in '75 on New Years eve when he stood on his head, holding the Habs to a 3-3 tie.
The Habs absolutely dominated the Soviets the entire game and only Trekiak kept it from being a massive blowout.

And USSR hit the crossbar with the score tied 3-3. They were THAT close!

 

[Theokritos]

Tretiak earned the respect of the Montreal fans way back in '75 on New Years eve when he stood on his head, holding the Habs to a 3-3 tie.

True, but Tretiak made a name for himself even earlier: In the opening game of the 1972 Summit Series, when the Soviets beat the Canadians 7:3 at the Montréal Forum. That's what caused the NHL to dream of Tretiak, Kharlamov and the likes.

Didn't the Habs also draft Fetisov first back in the late 70s?

A complete list of players from the Soviet Union in the NHL entry draft can be found here: http://www.chidlovski.com/personal/1954/02nhl.htm