Speculation: Miroslav Ihnacak case: Players from Russia and Czechoslovakia were banned from Toronto

[alko]

Found here.

When Miroslav Ihnacak soon balked at the original NHL contract that the Leafs felt he had agreed to, Ballard was livid. From that point on, the edict was out by Ballard that no players from countries like Russia and Czechoslovakia would be welcome to play for his Toronto Maple Leafs.

So in the 1989 Draft, while the Leafs selected three players from the Belleville Bulls in the first round (yes, I was the general manager) any player from Russia was not even a consideration. Thus drafting he likes of a Fedorov was forbidden.

Anyone, who can confirm this?

Click to read more...

 

[Advanced stats]

That time the Maple Leafs drafted three Belleville Bulls in Round 1 - Sportsnet.ca


Sounds like a case of "depends who you talk too"

 

[rojac]

That time the Maple Leafs drafted three Belleville Bulls in Round 1 - Sportsnet.ca


Sounds like a case of "depends who you talk too"

Both pieces are written by Gord Stellick, the Leafs GM at the time.

 

[deletethis]

Both pieces are written by Gord Stellick, the Leafs GM at the time.

The author of the article would have been in the room with Ballard. So it's confirmed.

The hesitance about taking Russians was league wide. Fedorov and Bure were taken 74th and 113th respectively. They would have been top of the draft otherwise. Ignoring the Russians and Lidstrom who everyone missed, from the Leafs' perspective Bobby Holik turned out to be exactly what Scott Thornton was hoped to be. Nobody in their right mind thought Thornton was a better hockey talent than Holik. And Bobby Holik was guaranteed to come over following the draft.