Question re: 1991 NHL draft

[Sonic Death Monkey]

After reading this story on Lindros and the 1991 draft, one bit of info I've never been able to find is why Quebec had the first overall pick in the first place?

San Jose Sharks, as a new expansion team (albeit a spin-off of the North Stars), picked first in the subsequent rounds of the 1991 draft. I think if Lindros was drafted by the Sharks then there would have been none of the drama.

[SP59]

Originally Posted by Sonic Death Monkey

After reading this story on Lindros and the 1991 draft, one bit of info I've never been able to find is why Quebec had the first overall pick in the first place?

San Jose Sharks, as a new expansion team (albeit a spin-off of the North Stars), picked first in the subsequent rounds of the 1991 draft. I think if Lindros was drafted by the Sharks then there would have been none of the drama.

How was San Jose a spin-off of the North Stars?

[The_Cat]

Lindros poo-pooed the idea of being drafted by Quebec, which finished in last place in 1990/91.

Minnesota North Stars were owned by the Gund family up until about 1990, who were originally planning to move the team to San Jose. Instead, the North Stars were sold to Green and the Gunds paid a $50 M franchise fee for the Sharks. I believe the Sharks had the rights to some of the Stars players after the Stars protected some players.

[deedub35]

Originally Posted by Sonic Death Monkey

After reading this story on Lindros and the 1991 draft, one bit of info I've never been able to find is why Quebec had the first overall pick in the first place?

Because they were the worst team the previous season.

http://www.databasehockey.com/league...tm?lg=&yr=1990

[jagators63]

^ Minnesota North Stars was moved to Dallas to become Dallas Stars in 1993



Quebec was finished 2nd to last place and got their 3 rd straight year to get 1st pick, Quebec drafted Lindros but his dad who is agent for his son have refused to let him signed with Nordiques and demanded a trade and got Phildelphia Flyers in it.

Philadelphia traded Peter Forsberg, Ron Hextall, Mike Ricci, Steve Ducheshe, Kerry Huffman, Chris Simon, Flyers' 1st round picks in 1993 and 1994 Entry Draft. for cash and future considerations to Quebec for Eric Lindros. on june 30 , 1992.


They had long wanted to bring hockey back to the Bay Area, and asked the NHL for permission to move the North Stars there in the late 1980s, but the league vetoed the proposed move. Meanwhile, a group led by former Hartford Whalers owner Howard Baldwin was pushing the NHL to bring a team to San Jose, where a new arena was being built. Eventually the league struck a compromise: the Gunds would sell their share of the North Stars to Baldwin's group, with the Gunds receiving an expansion team in the Bay Area to begin play in the 1991/92 season and being allowed to take a certain number of players from the North Stars to their new club. In return, the North Stars would be allowed to participate as an equal partner in an expansion draft with the new Bay Area team


Sharks got 2nd pick in this draft because Sharks is an expansion team.

[Sonic Death Monkey]

In case some of you don't understand the question, let me rephrase:

Why didn't the San Jose Sharks get the 1st overall pick of the 1991 draft?
They picked first in the subsequent rounds.

1st round
Quebec
San Jose
...

2nd round
San Jose
Quebec
...

3rd round
San Jose
Quebec
...

etc

[jagators63]

^^ I have no idea why ??? but I believe it was a deal between NHL and sharks owners ??

[deedub35]

Now that I have read a little more the OP's original question is salient. What is interesting is the following:

In the 1990-91 season the Nordiques finished last and picked FIRST in the first round of the draft. The San Jose Sharks were an expansion team but they picked SECOND in the first round of the draft. In the following rounds the Sharks had first pick followed by the Nordiques.

In the 1991-92 season the Sharks finished last and picked THIRD in the first round of the draft. The Tampa Bay Lightning and Ottawa Senators were the expansion teams and they picked FIRST and SECOND respectively in the first round of the draft. In the following rounds the Lightning and Senators alternated the first two picks and the Sharks remained the third pick.

So yeah I don't really know.

[jagators63]

During first year that San Jose Sharks play in NHL and their final record is 17 wins 58 losses and 5 ties for 39 pts

for Quebec, 20 wins, 48 losses and 12 ties for 52 pts.

you see San Jose should have got their first pick but went to Quebec instead.


to this day, I have never found out why Quebec got the first pick.

[jmart81]

Eric Lindros was drafted the same year San Jose was created, and basically sat out that whole first season waiting for a trade from Quebec. I'm sure San Jose's conditions on expansion was that they wouldn't get the first pick.

San Jose wasn't really an expansion team in the normal sense of things. In the 70s the Gunn family merged the North Stars and the Cleveland Barons together rather then having both franchises fold. They wanted to move the North Stars to San Jose, but the league wasn't keen on that. So they made a deal where they basically dissolved the merger, and paid the NHL a fee to open up shop in San Jose.

It's pretty much summed up in this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1991_NH...pansion_Drafts

[Sonic Death Monkey]

Originally Posted by jmart81

I'm sure San Jose's conditions on expansion was that they wouldn't get the first pick.

I'm sure too, but I cannot find anything on the interwebs to confirm this.