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[QUOTE="jncuse, post: 3876370, member: 1969"]
His whole point on regional draft protection "lasting decades" is off base to put it kindly.  The NHL draft started in 1963. And in the first few years (up to 1968) hardly anybody of value was available in the draft because players were claimed via sponsorship much earlier than their draft year.

The Canadiens like the Leafs had the ability to get players within a radius of their city prior to the NHL draft era.   This was an unfair advantage too both teams in the Orginal 6 / pre draft era as the American markets did not have much hockey played in both of them.

Fact is during the NHL draft era the Canadiens had the special regional advantage to select 2 players for 1968 and 1969!!!  Two years -- not decades -- two years!.   In 1968 they got Michel Plasse and Roger Belisle.   In 1969 they got Marc Tardif and Rejean Houle.  How someone can claim that was the basis for the Sam Pollock late 70's dynasty era blows my mind.

Those late 70s teams were built on the draft and shrewd trades -- with no regional protection.
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