The 1978 NHL amateur draft was the 16th draft for the National Hockey League. It was hosted at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal on June 15, 1978. It was the last draft to be called the "amateur draft" before the process was renamed to the NHL entry draft in 1979.
The last active player in the NHL from this draft class was Viacheslav Fetisov, who retired after the 1997–98 season, although he was re-drafted in 1983.
Selections by round Below are listed the selections in the 1978 NHL amateur draft. The Washington Capitals chose to take an extra pick in the first round instead of participating in the dispersal draft (Tim Coulis), and were allowed to pick in Cleveland's position in the second round to complete the Bob Girard/Walt McKechnie trade.Duplacey p.1293 The New York Islanders had traded their fourth round selection to Cleveland, so that pick was forfeited.Duplacey p.1397
Club teams are located in North America unless otherwise noted.
Round one # Player Nationality NHL team College/junior/club team 1 Bobby Smith (C) Minnesota North Stars Ottawa 67's (OHL) 2 Ryan Walter (C) Washington Capitals Seattle Breakers (WCHL) 3 Wayne Babych (RW) St. Louis Blues Portland Winterhawks (WCHL) 4 Bill Derlago (C) Vancouver Canucks Brandon Wheat Kings (WCHL) 5 Mike Gillis (LW) Colorado Rockies Kingston Canadians (OMJHL) 6 Behn Wilson (D) Philadelphia Flyers (from Pittsburgh)1 Kingston Canadians (OMJHL) 7 Ken Linseman (C) Philadelphia Flyers (from the Rangers)2 Birmingham Bulls (WHA) 8 Dan Geoffrion (RW) Montreal Canadiens (from Los Angeles)3 Cornwall Royals (QMJHL) 9 Willie Huber (D) Detroit Red Wings Hamilton Fincups (OMJHL) 10 Tim Higgins (RW) Chicago Black Hawks Ottawa 67's (OMJHL) 11 Brad Marsh (D) Atlanta Flames London Knights (OMJHL) 12 Brent Peterson (C) Detroit Red Wings (from Toronto)4 Portland Winterhawks (WCHL) 13 Larry Playfair (D) Buffalo Sabres Portland Winterhawks (WCHL) 14 Danny Lucas (RW) Philadelphia Flyers Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OMJHL) 15 Steve Tambellini (C) New York Islanders Lethbridge Broncos (WCHL) 16 Al Secord (LW) Boston Bruins Hamilton Fincups (OMJHL) 17 Dave Hunter (LW) Montreal Canadiens Sudbury Wolves (OMJHL) 18 Tim Coulis (LW) Washington Capitals5 Hamilton Fincups (OMJHL) The Pittsburgh Penguins' first-round pick went to the Philadelphia Flyers as the result of a trade on June 14, 1978, that sent Tom Bladon, Orest Kindrachuk and Ross Lonsberry to Pittsburgh in exchange for future considerations (Pittsburgh's eighth-round pick in 1978) and this pick. The New York Rangers' first-round pick went to the Philadelphia Flyers as the result of compensation on June 2, 1978, for the right to hire Fred Shero as their new head coach. Philadelphia received this pick as compensation for the hire. The Los Angeles Kings' first-round pick went to the Montreal Canadiens as the result of a trade on June 12, 1976, that sent Glenn Goldup and a third-round pick in 1978 to Los Angeles in exchange for a third-round pick in 1977 and this pick. The Toronto Maple Leafs' first-round pick went to the Detroit Red Wings as the result of a trade on March 13, 1978, that sent Dan Maloney and a second-round pick in 1980 to Toronto in exchange for Errol Thompson, a second-round pick in 1978, a first-round pick in 1980 and this pick. The Washington Capitals chose to take an extra pick in the first round instead of participating in the dispersal draft. They were awarded pick #18.
Round two # Player Nationality NHL team College/junior/club team 19 Steve Payne (LW) Minnesota North Stars Ottawa 67's (OMJHL) 20 Paul Mulvey (LW) Washington Capitals Portland Winterhawks (WCHL) 21 Joel Quenneville (D) Toronto Maple Leafs (from St. Louis)1 Windsor Spitfires (OMJHL) 22 Curt Fraser (LW) Vancouver Canucks Victoria Cougars (WCHL) 23 Paul MacKinnon (D) Washington Capitals (from Cleveland)2 Peterborough Petes (OMJHL) 24 Steve Christoff (C) Minnesota North Stars (from Colorado)3 University of Minnesota (WCHA) 25 Mike Meeker (C) Pittsburgh Penguins Peterborough Petes (OMJHL) 26 Don Maloney (LW) New York Rangers Kitchener Rangers (OMJHL) 27 Merlin Malinowski (C) Colorado Rockies (from Los Angeles via Philadelphia)4 Medicine Hat Tigers (WCHL) 28 Glenn Hicks (LW) Detroit Red Wings Flin-Flon Bombers (WCHL) 29 Doug Lecuyer (LW) Chicago Black Hawks Portland Winterhawks (WCHL) 30 Dale Yakiwchuk (C) Montreal Canadiens (from Atlanta)5 Portland Winterhawks (WCHL) 31 Al Jensen (G) Detroit Red Wings (from Toronto)6 Hamilton Fincups (OMJHL) 32 Tony McKegney (LW) Buffalo Sabres Kingston Canadians (OMJHL) 33 Mike Simurda (RW) Philadelphia Flyers Kingston Canadians (OMJHL) 34 Randy Johnston (D) New York Islanders Peterborough Petes (OMJHL) 35 Graeme Nicolson (D) Boston Bruins Cornwall Royals (QMJHL) 36 Ron Carter (RW) Montreal Canadiens Sherbrooke Castors (QMJHL) The St. Louis Blues' second-round pick went to the Toronto Maple Leafs as the result of a compensation to Toronto with cash from St. Louis for restricted free agent Rod Seiling on September 9, 1976. The Cleveland Barons' second-round pick went to the Washington Capitals as the result of a trade on December 9, 1977, that sent Walt McKechnie to Cleveland in exchange for Bob Girard and this pick. The Washington Capitals chose to take an extra pick in the first round instead of participating in the dispersal draft and were allowed to pick in Cleveland's position in the second round to complete the trade. The Colorado Rockies' second-round pick went to the Minnesota North Stars as the result of a trade on December 9, 1975, that sent the rights to Henry Boucha to Kansas City in exchange for this pick. The Kansas City Scouts relocated to become the Colorado Rockies for the 1976–77 NHL season. The Philadelphia Flyers' second-round pick went to the Colorado Rockies as the result of a trade on June 15, 1978, that sent Colorado's second-round pick in 1979 in exchange for this pick. Philadelphia previously acquired this pick as the result of a trade on September 29, 1976, that sent Dave Schultz to Los Angeles in exchange for a fourth-round pick in 1977 and this pick. The Atlanta Flames' second-round pick went to the Montreal Canadiens as the result of a trade on May 15, 1973, that sent Montreal's two first-round pick (#2 - Tom Lysiak and #16 - Vic Mercredi) and second-round pick (Eric Vail) in 1973 NHL amateur draft to Atlanta in exchange for Atlanta's first-round pick (#5 - STL - John Davidson) in the 1973 NHL amateur draft, first-round pick in the 1977 NHL amateur draft (Mark Napier) and this pick. The Toronto Maple Leafs' second-round pick went to the Detroit Red Wings as the result of a trade on March 13, 1978, that sent Dan Maloney and a second-round pick in 1980 to Toronto in exchange for Errol Thompson, a first-round pick in 1978, a first-round pick in 1980 and this pick.
Round three # Player Nationality NHL team College/junior/club team 37 Gord Salt (RW) Philadelphia Flyers (from Minnesota)1 Michigan Technological University (WCHA) 38 Glen Currie (C) Washington Capitals Laval National (QMJHL) 39 Steve Harrison (D) St. Louis Blues Toronto Marlboros (OMJHL) 40 Stan Smyl (RW) Vancouver Canucks New Westminster Bruins (WCHL) 41 Paul Messier (C) Colorado Rockies University of Denver (WCHA) 42 Richard David (LW) Montreal Canadiens (from Pittsburgh)2 Trois-Rivières Draveurs (QMJHL) 43 Ray Markham (C) New York Rangers Flin Flon Bombers (WCHL) 44 Dean Turner (D) New York Rangers (from Los Angeles)3 University of Michigan (WCHA) 45 Jay Johnston (D) Washington Capitals (from Detroit)4 Hamilton Fincups (OMJHL) 46 Rick Paterson (C) Chicago Black Hawks Cornwall Royals (QMJHL) 47 Tim Bernhardt (G) Atlanta Flames Cornwall Royals (QMJHL) 48 Mark Kirton (C) Toronto Maple Leafs Peterborough Petes (OMJHL) 49 Rob McClanahan (C) Buffalo Sabres University of Minnesota (WCHA) 50 Glen Cochrane (D) Philadelphia Flyers Victoria Cougars (WCHL) 51 Dwayne Lowdermilk (D) New York Islanders Seattle Breakers (WCHL) 52 Brad Knelson (D) Boston Bruins Lethbridge Broncos (WCHL) 53 Doug Derkson (C) Detroit Red Wings (from Montreal via Los Angeles)5 New Westminster Bruins (WCHL) The Minnesota North Stars' third-round pick went to the Philadelphia Flyers as the result of a trade on October 28, 1977, that sent Harvey Bennett Jr. to Minnesota in exchange for Blake Dunlop and this pick. The Pittsburgh Penguins' third-round pick went to the Montreal Canadiens as the result of a trade on August 11, 1976, that sent Don Awrey to Pittsburgh in exchange for this pick. The Los Angeles Kings' third-round pick went to the New York Rangers as the result of a trade on August 31, 1977, that sent the rights to Pete Stemkowski to Los Angeles in exchange for future considerations. The future considerations became this pick. The Detroit Red Wings' third-round pick went to the Washington Capitals as the result of a trade on August 17, 1977, that sent the rights to Ron Low and a third-round pick in 1979 to Detroit in exchange for Walt McKechnie, a second-round pick in 1979 and this pick. The Los Angeles Kings' third-round pick went to the Detroit Red Wings as the result of a trade on January 9, 1978, that sent Danny Grant to Los Angeles in exchange for the rights to Barry Long and this pick. Los Angeles previously acquired this pick as the result of a trade with Montreal on June 12, 1976, that sent a third-round pick in 1977 and a first-round pick in 1978 in exchange for Glenn Goldup and this pick.
Round four # Player Nationality NHL team College/junior/club team 54 Curt Giles (D) Minnesota North Stars University of Minnesota-Duluth (WCHA) 55 Bengt Gustafsson (RW) Washington Capitals Färjestad BK Karlstad (SEL) 56 Harald Luckner (C) Vancouver Canucks (from St. Louis)1 Färjestad BK Karlstad (SEL) 57 Brad Smith (RW) Vancouver Canucks Sudbury Wolves (OMJHL) Pick forfeited New York Islanders (from Cleveland)2 58 Dave Watson (LW) Colorado Rockies Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OMJHL) 59 Dave Silk (RW) New York Rangers (from Pittsburgh)3 Boston University (ECAC) 60 Andre Dore (D) New York Rangers Quebec Remparts (QMJHL) 61 Shane Pearsall (LW) Pittsburgh Penguins (from Los Angeles)4 Ottawa 67's (OMJHL) 62 Bjorn Skaare (C) Detroit Red Wings Ottawa 67's (OMJHL) 63 Brian Young (D) Chicago Black Hawks New Westminster Bruins (WCHL) 64 Jim MacRae (LW) Atlanta Flames London Knights (OMJHL) 65 Bob Parent (G) Toronto Maple Leafs Kitchener Rangers (OMJHL) 66 Mike Gazdic (D) Buffalo Sabres Sudbury Wolves (OMJHL) 67 Russ Wilderman (C) Philadelphia Flyers Seattle Breakers (WCHL) Not exercised Cleveland Barons (from the Islanders)5 68 George Buat (RW) Boston Bruins Seattle Breakers (WCHL) 69 Kevin Reeves (C) Montreal Canadiens Montreal Juniors (QMJHL) The St. Louis Blues' fourth-round pick went to the Vancouver Canucks as the result of a trade on June 12, 1978, that sent Mike Walton to St. Louis in exchange for future considerations and this pick. Draft pick forfeited by the Islanders due to Barons-North Stars merger on June 14, one day prior to the 1978 NHL Amateur Draft. Originally, the Cleveland Barons' fourth-round pick would have gone to the New York Islanders as the result of a trade on January 10, 1978, that sent Jean-Paul Parise, Jean Potvin Wayne Merrick, and the Islanders' fourth-round pick in the 1978 NHL Amateur Draft to Cleveland in exchange for Wayne Merrick, Darcy Regier and this pick. The Pittsburgh Penguins' fourth-round pick went to the New York Rangers as the result of a trade on October 8, 1976, that sent Dunc Wilson to Pittsburgh in exchange for this pick. The Los Angeles Kings' fourth-round pick went to the Pittsburgh Penguins as the result of a trade on November 2, 1977, that sent Syl Apps Jr. and Hartland Monahan to Los Angeles in exchange for Gene Carr, Dave Schultz and this pick. Draft pick not exercised by Cleveland due to Barons-North Stars merger on June 14, one day prior to the 1978 NHL Amateur Draft.