1963 NHL Amateur Draft
Encyclopedia
The 1963 NHL
Amateur Draft
was held on June 5 at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel
in Montreal
, Quebec
, Canada
. It was the first NHL Amateur Draft and consisted of 16-year-old players.
The Amateur Draft was instituted by NHL President Clarence Campbell
as a means of phasing out the sponsorship of amateur teams by the league's member clubs. The NHL wanted to create what Campbell called "a uniform opportunity for each team to acquire a star player." Prior to the creation of the draft NHL teams would sponsor amateur teams and players, pre-empting other NHL clubs from acquiring new, young talent, and limiting amateur players' prospects in the NHL to the team which sponsored them.
Eligibility in this draft was limited to all amateur players who would reach 17 years of age between August 1, 1963 and July 31, 1964. Under the league rules, teams were not allowed to talk to the drafted players about turning professional until they turned 18. At that point, the teams had 72 hours to get the players signed or placed on their negotiation list. Players already on sponsorship lists were ineligible.
The draft order was determined by giving the teams choice of their place in the six-team order based on a reverse order of the standings, for example, as the Boston Bruins
finished last in the 1962–63 season they were given first choice of pick in the order. The final draft order was chosen to be Montreal Canadiens
, Detroit Red Wings
, Boston Bruins, New York Rangers
, Chicago Black Hawks
and Toronto Maple Leafs
. The order would rotate in the next draft such that each team moved up one spot in the order, and the first pick Canadiens would move to sixth.
This first draft consisted of four rounds, however few top prospects were available to the draft in the early years as most of hockey's top junior players had already been assigned to NHL clubs through sponsored junior teams. In the 1963 draft only 21 players, out of a possible 24 picks, were chosen. This is because teams were allowed to defer their pick to the next team in the draft order. The Red Wings chose not to exercise their third and fourth round picks, and the Black Hawks elected not to exercise their fourth round pick.
Of the players selected five eventually played in the NHL, and only one won the Stanley Cup
(Peter Mahovlich
). None of the players selected have been inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame
.
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
Amateur Draft
NHL Entry Draft
The NHL Entry Draft is an annual meeting in which every franchise of the National Hockey League systematically select the rights to available amateur ice hockey players who meet draft eligibility requirements...
was held on June 5 at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel
Queen Elizabeth Hotel
The Queen Elizabeth Hotel is a grand hotel in Montreal, Quebec. Completed in 1958, it was built by the Canadian National Railway, but was later sold to Canadian Pacific Hotels, now Fairmont Hotels and Resorts...
in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. It was the first NHL Amateur Draft and consisted of 16-year-old players.
The Amateur Draft was instituted by NHL President Clarence Campbell
Clarence Campbell
Clarence Sutherland Campbell OBE, QC was the third president of the National Hockey League from 1946 to 1977.-Early life and career:...
as a means of phasing out the sponsorship of amateur teams by the league's member clubs. The NHL wanted to create what Campbell called "a uniform opportunity for each team to acquire a star player." Prior to the creation of the draft NHL teams would sponsor amateur teams and players, pre-empting other NHL clubs from acquiring new, young talent, and limiting amateur players' prospects in the NHL to the team which sponsored them.
Eligibility in this draft was limited to all amateur players who would reach 17 years of age between August 1, 1963 and July 31, 1964. Under the league rules, teams were not allowed to talk to the drafted players about turning professional until they turned 18. At that point, the teams had 72 hours to get the players signed or placed on their negotiation list. Players already on sponsorship lists were ineligible.
The draft order was determined by giving the teams choice of their place in the six-team order based on a reverse order of the standings, for example, as the Boston Bruins
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the...
finished last in the 1962–63 season they were given first choice of pick in the order. The final draft order was chosen to be Montreal Canadiens
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...
, Detroit Red Wings
Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...
, Boston Bruins, New York Rangers
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the...
, Chicago Black Hawks
Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They have won four Stanley Cup championships since their founding in 1926, most recently coming in 2009-10...
and Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
. The order would rotate in the next draft such that each team moved up one spot in the order, and the first pick Canadiens would move to sixth.
This first draft consisted of four rounds, however few top prospects were available to the draft in the early years as most of hockey's top junior players had already been assigned to NHL clubs through sponsored junior teams. In the 1963 draft only 21 players, out of a possible 24 picks, were chosen. This is because teams were allowed to defer their pick to the next team in the draft order. The Red Wings chose not to exercise their third and fourth round picks, and the Black Hawks elected not to exercise their fourth round pick.
Of the players selected five eventually played in the NHL, and only one won the Stanley Cup
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
(Peter Mahovlich
Peter Mahovlich
Peter Joseph "Little M" Mahovlich , known in his playing years as "Little M", is a retired Canadian professional hockey forward and head coach.-Playing career:...
). None of the players selected have been inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame
Hockey Hall of Fame
The Hockey Hall of Fame is located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Dedicated to the history of ice hockey, it is both a museum and a hall of fame. It holds exhibits about players, teams, National Hockey League records, memorabilia and NHL trophies, including the Stanley Cup...
.
Selections by round
Below are listed the selections in the 1963 NHL Amateur Draft.| = NHL All-Star National Hockey League All-Star Game The National Hockey League All-Star Game is an exhibition ice hockey game that is traditionally held at the midway point of the regular season of the National Hockey League , with many of the league's star players playing against each other... |
= Hall of Famers Hockey Hall of Fame The Hockey Hall of Fame is located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Dedicated to the history of ice hockey, it is both a museum and a hall of fame. It holds exhibits about players, teams, National Hockey League records, memorabilia and NHL trophies, including the Stanley Cup... |
Round one
| Pick # | |Player | |Position | |Nationality | |NHL team | |College/junior/club team |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Garry Monahan Garry Monahan Garry Michael Monahan is a retired Canadian professional hockey player who played 12 seasons in the National Hockey League.- Playing career :... |
Centre Centre (ice hockey) The centre in ice hockey is a forward position of a player whose primary zone of play is the middle of the ice, away from the side boards. Centres have more flexibility in their positioning and are expected to cover more ice surface than any other player... |
 Canada |
Montreal Canadiens Montreal Canadiens The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ... |
St. Michael's Buzzers St. Michael's Buzzers The St. Michael's Buzzers are a Junior "A" ice hockey team from Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are a part of Central Canadian Hockey League.-History:... (MetJHL) |
| 2 | Peter Mahovlich Peter Mahovlich Peter Joseph "Little M" Mahovlich , known in his playing years as "Little M", is a retired Canadian professional hockey forward and head coach.-Playing career:... |
Right Wing Centre (ice hockey) The centre in ice hockey is a forward position of a player whose primary zone of play is the middle of the ice, away from the side boards. Centres have more flexibility in their positioning and are expected to cover more ice surface than any other player... |
Canada |
Detroit Red Wings Detroit Red Wings The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York... |
St. Michael's Buzzers (MetJHL) |
| 3 | Orest Romashyna Orest Romashyna Orest Romashyna is a German-Canadian former ice hockey left winger.Romashyna was drafted 3rd overall by the Boston Bruins in the 1963 NHL Amateur Draft but never played in the National Hockey League.... |
Left Wing Winger (ice hockey) Winger, in the game of hockey, is a forward position of a player whose primary zone of play on the ice is along the outer playing area. They typically work by flanking the centre forward. Originally the name was given to forward players who went up and down the sides of the rink... |
Canada |
Boston Bruins Boston Bruins The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the... |
New Hamburg Firebirds New Hamburg Firebirds The New Hamburg Firebirds are a Canadian Junior ice hockey team based in New Hamburg, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Western Division of the Niagara & District Junior C Hockey League of the Ontario Hockey Association.-History:... (CJCHL) |
| 4 | Al Osborne Al Osborne Al Osborne is a retired professional Canadian ice hockey player who was selected in the first round of the 1963 NHL Amateur Draft.... |
Right Wing Winger (ice hockey) Winger, in the game of hockey, is a forward position of a player whose primary zone of play on the ice is along the outer playing area. They typically work by flanking the centre forward. Originally the name was given to forward players who went up and down the sides of the rink... |
Canada |
New York Rangers New York Rangers The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the... |
Weston Dodgers Weston Dodgers The Weston Dodgers are a defunct Tier II Junior "A" ice hockey team from Weston, Ontario, Canada. They were a part of the Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League.-History:... (MetJHL) |
| 5 | Art Hampson Art Hampson Art Hampson is a retired ice hockey player that was drafted by the Chicago Black Hawks in the 1st round with the 5th overall pick of the 1963 NHL Draft. Even though he was drafted, he never played a game in the National Hockey League .-Career statistics:-External links:... |
Defence Defenceman (ice hockey) Defence in ice hockey is a player position whose primary responsibility is to prevent the opposing team from scoring... |
Canada |
Chicago Black Hawks Chicago Blackhawks The Chicago Blackhawks are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They have won four Stanley Cup championships since their founding in 1926, most recently coming in 2009-10... |
Trenton Midgets (OAAAMHL) |
| 6 | Walt McKechnie Walt McKechnie Walter Thomas John McKechnie is a retired Canadian professional hockey centre. He played for nine teams in the National Hockey League and four minor professional teams over a 17-year pro career.-Playing career:... |
Centre | Canada |
Toronto Maple Leafs Toronto Maple Leafs The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League... |
London Nationals (WJBHL) |
| Reference: | |||||
Round two
| Pick # | |Player | |Position | |Nationality | |NHL team | |College/junior/club team |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | Rodney Presswood | Defence | Canada |
Montreal Canadiens | Georgetown Midgets (OAAAMHL) |
| 8 | Bill Cosburn | Centre | Canada |
Detroit Red Wings | Bick's Pickles Midgets (OAAAMHL) |
| 9 | Terrance Lane | Centre | Canada |
Boston Bruins | Georgetown Midgets (OAAAMHL) |
| 10 | Terry Jones | Centre | Canada |
New York Rangers | Weston Midgets (OAAAMHL) |
| 11 | Wayne Davison | Defence | Canada |
Chicago Black Hawks | Georgetown Midgets (OAAAMHL) |
| 12 | Neil Clairmont | Left Wing | Canada |
Toronto Maple Leafs | Parry Sound Midgets (OAAAMHL) |
| Reference: | |||||
Round three
| Pick # | |Player | |Position | |Nationality | |NHL team | |College/junior/club team |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 | Roy Pugh | Centre | Canada |
Montreal Canadiens | Aurora Bears (SOJCHL) |
| 14 | Roger Bamburak | Right Wing | Canada |
Boston Bruins | Isaac Brock Secondary School (HS-Manitoba) |
| 15 | Mike Cummings | Forward Forward (ice hockey) In ice hockey, a forward is a player position on the ice whose primary responsibility is to score goals. Generally, the forwards try to stay in three different lanes, also known as thirds, of the ice going from goal to goal. It is not mandatory however, to stay in a lane. Staying in a lane aids in... |
Canada |
New York Rangers | Georgetown Midgets (OAAAMHL) |
| 16 | Bill Carson | Defence | Canada |
Chicago Black Hawks | Brampton Birdgets (OAAAMHL) |
| 17 | Jim McKenny Jim McKenny James Claude "Howie" McKenny is a retired NHL defenceman and a sports reporter for the Citytv television station in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He played 604 games between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Minnesota North Stars. His nickname 'Howie' came from his resemblance to Howie Young... |
Defence | Canada |
Toronto Maple Leafs | Toronto Neil McNeil Maroons Toronto Neil McNeil Maroons The Toronto Neil McNeil Maroons were a junior ice hockey team in the Metro Junior A League for one season in 1962-63. The Maroons were operated by Neil McNeil Catholic Secondary School in Scarborough, Ontario. When St. Michael's College discontinued its hockey program after the 1961-62 season, the... (MetJHL) |
| Reference: | |||||
Round four
| Pick # | |Player | |Position | |Nationality | |NHL team | |College/junior/club team |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 | Glen Shirton | Defence | Canada |
Montreal Canadiens | Port Colborne Midgets (OAAAMHL) |
| 19 | Jim Blair | Forward | Canada |
Boston Bruins | Georgetown Midgets (OAAAMHL) |
| 20 | Cam Allison | Defence | Canada |
New York Rangers | Portage la Prairie Terriers (CMJHL) |
| 21 | Gerry Meehan Gerry Meehan Gerard Marcus Meehan is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey left winger and the former general manager and Senior Vice President of the Buffalo Sabres.-Playing career:... |
Centre | Canada |
Toronto Maple Leafs | Toronto Neil McNeil Maroons (MetJHL) |
| Reference: | |||||
| = NHL All-Star | = Hall of Famers |