Caulking Also Works

We've looked at how the older players from the Central Hockey League moved en masse to the WHA in its first season. Sixteen of the Top-20 scorers signed with the new league. It’s not unreasonable to assume that some if not all of the other 4 were still under contract.

The prospects playing in that prospects league stayed put though. There were 55 regulars aged 22 and under on the 6 CHL teams. I don't know if it was signed contracts or the NHL beacon burning bright that kept all but two from moving to the new League.

Ron Plumb an undersized, 5.10 / 175, defenseman was drafted 9th overall by the Bruins in 1970. He paraded his decent offensive skills for all seven WHA seasons with the Blazers, Mariners, Stingers and finally moved to the NHL with the Whalers.

The other was Ken Baird, drafted 15th by the Seals out of Flin Flon in ‘71; he jumped to the Alberta Oilers after one professional season. Baird was a big lad at 6 feet, 190 pounds. With all the weight and diet work players do now, that 190 converts to about 210 in today's pounds. He was drafted as a defenseman, but played on the Left Wing as much, or more in the pros. Versatility, that's good! Right?
Hmmm. It was more that he got moved in hope he'd be better at one than the other. Baird could've used a little Laura Stamm action, he wasn't the fastest skater. But did score 30 goals one season for the Oilers.

Both of these guys finished their pro careers in West Germany. One of Plumb's teammates was a fellow from Calgary named Murray Heatley.

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I recently re-acquired possession of the 1971 issue of Hockey World magazine. In amongst stories about the NHLPA golf tournament and the HNIC golf tournament, there is a little feature on the 1971 NHL Amateur Draft.

The Oakland/ California Seals [Golden and not] have achieved some fame among the subset of Edmonton Oiler fans who read blogs. Thanks to one man's efforts.
In 70-71 Oakland finished last in the NHL, 10 points behind Detroit. The top 2 prospects that year were Guy Lafleur and Marcel Dionne. Detroit picked second and got Dionne, the Seals, selected, well, Ken Baird.
The Seals, in a move which defined the operation, had traded their first rounder to Montreal.

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Herb Tarlick was on acid when he helped Jocelyn Guevremont choose that jacket.