1966 NHL Amateur Draft

1966 NHL Amateur Draft was the fourth entry draft conducted by the National Hockey League. Held at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal, the event was a pivotal moment in the league's evolution toward a more systematic approach to acquiring young talent. The draft is historically notable for its small size and for producing several future Hall of Fame inductees, including Brad Park and Gilbert Perreault, who was selected via a special lottery the following year. The proceedings were deeply influenced by the league's ongoing competition with the Western Hockey League for players and the impending 1967 expansion.

Background and Format

The league's amateur draft process was still in its formative years, operating under rules starkly different from the modern system. The event was not the primary method of player acquisition, as teams still heavily relied on sponsoring junior clubs and territorial rights, particularly within the Ontario Hockey Association. The draft itself was a brief affair, limited to players who had reached their 20th birthday and were not already on an NHL reserve list. This rule was a direct response to the threat posed by the WHL, which was aggressively signing young talent. The format consisted of only four rounds, with the six existing franchises—the Boston Bruins, Chicago Black Hawks, Detroit Red Wings, Montreal Canadiens, New York Rangers, and Toronto Maple Leafs—selecting in reverse order of their finish in the 1965-66 season. The last-place Boston Bruins held the first overall selection.

Draft Selections and Notable Picks

With the first overall pick, the Boston Bruins selected defenseman Barry Gibbs from the Estevan Bruins of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League. The New York Rangers then used the second overall selection to choose another defenseman, Brad Park, from the Toronto Marlboros, a pick that would become one of the most consequential in draft history. Park would enjoy a legendary career, earning multiple Norris Trophy nominations and induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame. Other notable selections included goaltender Tony Esposito, chosen by the Montreal Canadiens in the third round, who would later win the Calder Trophy and Vezina Trophy with the Chicago Black Hawks. The Detroit Red Wings selected center Garry Unger fourth overall, who would later become famous for his ironman streak. The draft's limited scope meant many future stars, like Bobby Clarke and Darryl Sittler, were not yet eligible and would be selected in later years.

Impact and Legacy

The long-term impact of the draft was profound, solidifying the event as an essential mechanism for competitive balance, especially with the addition of six new teams the following year. The success of picks like Brad Park and Tony Esposito demonstrated the potential value of the draft in building franchise cornerstones. Furthermore, the league's decision to award the first overall pick in 1970 via a special lottery to the Buffalo Sabres, who selected franchise icon Gilbert Perreault, was a direct legacy of the expansion era initiated in the late 1960s. The 1966 draft is often viewed as a transitional event, marking the beginning of the end for the old sponsorship system and moving the National Hockey League toward the universal amateur draft model that would be fully implemented by 1969. It underscored the increasing importance of systematic scouting and prospect development in the modern hockey era.

Category:NHL Entry Draft by year Category:1966 in ice hockey Category:Sports in Montreal