The NHL intra-league was an annual draft held by the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1952 to 1975. The intra-league draft was created to help address the league's competitive balance issues during the Original Six era, as the Detroit Red Wings, Montreal Canadiens, and Toronto Maple Leafs were the only teams to win the Stanley Cup in the ten years preceding the draft's inception. It had an inauspicious start as the first two drafts featured no players being selected, and after the third saw only one player selected, the fourth draft wasn't even held due to unanimous agreement among the six NHL teams that none of the available players was worth drafting. Eventually, more players started being selected in the intra-league draft and was held every year through 1975 (with the exception of 1967 when the NHL expanded in size from six to twelve teams). It was not held in 1976 and was replaced by the NHL waiver draft in 1977.
Rules From 1956 until 1975, the intra-league draft was held in June during the NHL's summer meetings. A few days prior to the intra-league draft, each NHL club would be required to turn in a list of players to protect from selection. Players under a certain number of professional hockey seasons played and below a minimum number of NHL games played were exempt, as were amateur players NHL clubs owned the rights to.
The order of the intra-league draft was the reverse of the previous season's standings, the non-playoff teams picking twice before playoff teams. Once a team claimed an unprotected player from another team, that team would be required to drop a player from their protection list. The team losing the player would receive a cash payment set by the league before the draft. In the first draft in 1952 this cash payment was set at $10,000 and by the final intra-league draft it increased to $40,000.
Drafts
1952 The 1952 NHL intra-league draft was held on October 5, 1952. No selections were made.
1953 The 1953 NHL intra-league draft was held on September 10, 1953. No selections were made.
1954 The 1954 NHL intra-league draft was held on September 15, 1954. One selection was made.
RoundPickPlayerClaimed byClaimed from 1 1 John McCormack Chicago Black Hawks Montreal Canadiens
1955 The 1955 NHL intra-league draft was to have taken place on September 7, 1955, however no meeting was held due to a lack of desirable players to select. Protection lists were submitted on September 1. The Intra-League draft was permanently moved to the NHL's summer meetings in June the following year.
1956 The 1956 NHL intra-league draft was held on June 6, 1956. Two selections were made.
RoundPickPlayerClaimed byClaimed from 1 1 Larry Cahan New York Rangers Toronto Maple Leafs 2 Tom McCarthy Detroit Red Wings New York Rangers
1957 The 1957 NHL intra-league draft was held on June 5, 1957. Five selections were made.
RoundPickPlayerClaimed byClaimed from 1 1 Larry Hillman Chicago Black Hawks Detroit Red Wings 2 Bob Bailey Chicago Black Hawks Detroit Red Wings 3 John Hanna New York Rangers Montreal Canadiens 4 Norm Johnson Boston Bruins New York Rangers 2 5 Bronco Horvath Boston Bruins Montreal Canadiens
1958 The 1958 NHL intra-league draft was held on June 4, 1958. Ten selections were made.
RoundPickPlayerClaimed byClaimed from 1 1 Bert Olmstead Toronto Maple Leafs Montreal Canadiens 2 Jack Evans Chicago Black Hawks New York Rangers 3 Jerry Wilson Toronto Maple Leafs Montreal Canadiens 4 Al Arbour Chicago Black Hawks Detroit Red Wings 5 Jean-Guy Gendron Boston Bruins New York Rangers 6 Danny Lewicki Montreal Canadiens New York Rangers 2 7 Earl Balfour Chicago Black Hawks Toronto Maple Leafs 8 Gord Redahl Boston Bruins New York Rangers 9 Dave Creighton Montreal Canadiens New York Rangers 3 10 Earl Reibel Boston Bruins Chicago Black Hawks
1959 The 1959 NHL intra-league draft was held on June 10, 1959. Eight selections were made.
RoundPickPlayerClaimed byClaimed from 1 1 Gary Aldcorn Detroit Red Wings Toronto Maple Leafs 2 Irv Spencer New York Rangers Montreal Canadiens 3 John McKenzie Detroit Red Wings Chicago Black Hawks 4 Ian Cushenan New York Rangers Chicago Black Hawks 5 Bruce Gamble Boston Bruins New York Rangers 2 6 Brian Cullen New York Rangers Toronto Maple Leafs 7 Aut Erickson Boston Bruins Chicago Black Hawks 3 8 Charlie Burns Boston Bruins Detroit Red Wings
1960 The 1960 NHL intra-league draft was held on June 8, 1960. Nine selections were made.
RoundPickPlayerClaimed byClaimed from 1 1 Billy McNeill New York Rangers Detroit Red Wings 2 Ted Green Boston Bruins Montreal Canadiens 3 Ted Hampson New York Rangers Toronto Maple Leafs 4 Jim Bartlett Boston Bruins New York Rangers 5 Parker MacDonald Detroit Red Wings New York Rangers 6 Larry Hillman Toronto Maple Leafs Boston Bruins 2 7 Jim Morrison New York Rangers Chicago Black Hawks 8 Tom Thurlby Boston Bruins Montreal Canadiens 9 Guy Rousseau Toronto Maple Leafs Montreal Canadiens
1961 The 1961 NHL intra-league draft was held on June 14, 1961. Eight selections were made.
RoundPickPlayerClaimed byClaimed from 1 1 Pat Stapleton Boston Bruins Chicago Black Hawks 2 Jean-Guy Gendron New York Rangers Montreal Canadiens 3 Earl Balfour Boston Bruins Chicago Black Hawks 4 Bronco Horvath Chicago Black Hawks Boston Bruins 5 Al Arbour Toronto Maple Leafs Chicago Black Hawks 2 6 Aut Erickson Chicago Black Hawks Boston Bruins 3 7 Vic Hadfield New York Rangers Chicago Black Hawks 4 8 Orland Kurtenbach Boston Bruins New York Rangers
1962 The 1962 NHL intra-league draft was held on June 6, 1962. Nine selections were made.
RoundPickPlayerClaimed byClaimed from 1 1 Jean-Guy Gendron Boston Bruins New York Rangers 2 Alex Faulkner Detroit Red Wings Toronto Maple Leafs 3 Warren Godfrey Boston Bruins Detroit Red Wings 4 Barclay Plager Detroit Red Wings Montreal Canadiens 5 Bert Olmstead New York Rangers Toronto Maple Leafs 2 6 Irv Spencer Boston Bruins New York Rangers 7 Floyd Smith Detroit Red Wings New York Rangers 8 Bronco Horvath New York Rangers Chicago Black Hawks 9 Ed Van Impe Toronto Maple Leafs Chicago Black Hawks
1963 The 1963 NHL intra-league draft was held on June 5, 1963. Six selections were made.
RoundPickPlayerClaimed byClaimed from 1 1 Andy Hebenton Boston Bruins New York Rangers 2 Val Fonteyne New York Rangers Detroit Red Wings 3 Wayne Rivers Boston Bruins Detroit Red Wings 4 Irv Spencer Detroit Red Wings Boston Bruins 2 5 Ted Hampson Detroit Red Wings New York Rangers 3 6 Art Stratton Detroit Red Wings Chicago Black Hawks
1964 The 1964 NHL intra-league draft was held on June 10, 1964. Seven selections were made.
RoundPickPlayerClaimed byClaimed from 1 1 Jim Mikol New York Rangers Boston Bruins 2 Bob Woytowich Boston Bruins New York Rangers 3 Gary Bergman Detroit Red Wings Montreal Canadiens 4 Dickie Moore Toronto Maple Leafs Montreal Canadiens 2 5 Murray Hall Detroit Red Wings Chicago Black Hawks 3 6 George Gardner Detroit Red Wings Boston Bruins 7 Terry Sawchuk Toronto Maple Leafs Detroit Red Wings
1965 The 1965 NHL intra-league draft was held on June 9, 1965. Seven selections were made.
RoundPickPlayerClaimed byClaimed from 1 1 Gerry Cheevers Boston Bruins Toronto Maple Leafs 2 Earl Ingarfield New York Rangers Montreal Canadiens 3 Pat Stapleton Chicago Black Hawks Toronto Maple Leafs 4 Bryan Watson Detroit Red Wings Chicago Black Hawks 2 5 Poul Popiel Boston Bruins Chicago Black Hawks 3 6 Norm Schmitz Boston Bruins Montreal Canadiens 4 7 Keith Wright Boston Bruins New York Rangers
1966 The 1966 NHL intra-league draft was held on June 15, 1966. Seven selections were made and twelve players total changed teams.
RoundPickPlayerClaimed byClaimed fromCompensation 1 1 Orland Kurtenbach New York Rangers Toronto Maple Leafs claim: John Brenneman 2 Al LeBrun Detroit Red Wings New York Rangers claim: Max Mestinsek 3 Don Blackburn Toronto Maple Leafs Montreal Canadiens claim: Wally Boyer 4 Wally Boyer Chicago Black Hawks Montreal Canadiens claim: Al MacNeil 2 5 Al MacNeil New York Rangers Montreal Canadiens claim: Mike McMahon Jr. 6 Ted Taylor Detroit Red Wings Montreal Canadiens claim: Pat Quinn 3 7 Ray Cullen Detroit Red Wings New York Rangers claim: Bryan Campbell
1968 The 1968 NHL intra-league draft was held on June 12, 1968. Eleven selections were made and 17 players total changed teams. Protection lists were released prior to the draft.
RoundPickPlayerClaimed byClaimed fromCompensation 1 1 Carol Vadnais Oakland Seals Montreal Canadiens claim: Larry Cahan 2 Brian Conacher Detroit Red Wings Toronto Maple Leafs claim: Gary Marsh 3 Charlie Burns Pittsburgh Penguins Oakland Seals claim: George Konik 4 Larry Mickey Toronto Maple Leafs New York Rangers claim: Larry Hillman 5 Larry Hillman Minnesota North Stars New York Rangers claim: Bill Plager 6 Jacques Plante St. Louis Blues New York Rangers cash 7 Ron Buchanan Philadelphia Flyers Boston Bruins claim: Jean Gauthier 2 8 Fern Rivard Minnesota North Stars Philadelphia Flyers cash 9 Myron Stankiewicz St. Louis Blues Los Angeles Kings cash 3 10 Larry Hale Philadelphia Flyers Minnesota North Stars claim: Bill Sutherland 4 11 Bill Sutherland Toronto Maple Leafs Minnesota North Stars claim: Duane Rupp
1969 The 1969 NHL intra-league draft was held on June 11, 1969. 16 selections were made and 22 players total changed teams. Protection lists were released prior to the draft.
RoundPickPlayerClaimed byClaimed fromCompensation 1 1 Dick Sentes Minnesota North Stars Montreal Canadiens cash 2 Tony Esposito Chicago Black Hawks Montreal Canadiens claim: Jack Norris 3 Glen Sather Pittsburgh Penguins Boston Bruins claim: Bill Speer 4 Matt Ravlich Detroit Red Wings Chicago Black Hawks cash 5 Larry Hillman Philadelphia Flyers Montreal Canadiens claim: Jean-Guy Gendron 6 Andre Boudrias St. Louis Blues Chicago Black Hawks cash 7 Marv Edwards Toronto Maple Leafs Pittsburgh Penguins claim: Al Smith 8 Larry Mickey Montreal Canadiens Toronto Maple Leafs cash 2 9 Grant Erickson Minnesota North Stars Boston Bruins cash 10 Lou Angotti Chicago Black Hawks St. Louis Blues claim: Bobby Schmautz 11 Dean Prentice Pittsburgh Penguins Detroit Red Wings cash 12 Ron Anderson St. Louis Blues Los Angeles Kings cash 3 13 Charlie Burns Minnesota North Stars Pittsburgh Penguins cash 14 Bob Blackburn Pittsburgh Penguins New York Rangers claim: Forbes Kennedy 15 Wayne Maki St. Louis Blues Chicago Black Hawks cash 4 16 Howie Menard Chicago Black Hawks Los Angeles Kings cash
1970 The 1970 NHL intra-league draft was held on June 9, 1970. 13 selections were made and 17 players total changed teams.
RoundPickPlayerClaimed byClaimed fromCompensation 1 1 Paul Curtis Los Angeles Kings Montreal Canadiens claim: Bill Inglis 2 Guy Trottier Toronto Maple Leafs New York Rangers cash 3 Bill Lesuk Philadelphia Flyers Boston Bruins claim: Dick Cherry 4 Bob McCord Montreal Canadiens Minnesota North Stars claim: Ted Harris 5 Gary Croteau Oakland Seals Detroit Red Wings cash 6 John Gofton Minnesota North Stars Rochester Americans (AHL) cash 7 Lowell MacDonald Pittsburgh Penguins Los Angeles Kings claim: Craig Cameron 8 Steve Atkinson St. Louis Blues Hershey Bears (AHL) cash 9 Gerry Lemire New York Rangers St. Louis Blues cash 10 Tom Martin Detroit Red Wings Phoenix Roadrunners (WHL) cash 2 11 Paul Andrea Oakland Seals Vancouver Canucks (WHL) cash 12 Jean-Guy Lagace Minnesota North Stars Pittsburgh Penguins cash 13 Chris Evans St. Louis Blues Phoenix Roadrunnners (WHL) cash
1971 The 1971 NHL intra-league draft was held on June 8, 1971. 23 selections were made and 25 players total changed teams. The draft lasted a record 13 rounds due to a loophole exploited by Buffalo Sabres general manager Punch Imlach, who noticed there was no rule preventing a team from reclaiming a player it had dropped from its protection list for a previous selection. Buffalo was involved in every selection from the fourth-round through the end of the draft.