Redrafting the 1981 NHL Entry Draft

[@ekim4363]

Two Norris Trophy and Hall of fame defensemen in the 1981 draft with Al MacInnis and Chris Chelios. Grant Fuhr was a solid goalie and may’ve gotten the Blues further in the playoffs if he didn’t get hurt.

[@people3865]

As a Leafs fan, I loved Grant. It's so odd looking back at his stats now, and thinking "that was it?" He looked like a machine to me at the time 😂😂😂

[@oggamer735]

@@people3865Well fuhr did win vezina and William m Jennings trophy. Was winning i believe 5 stanley cup and had all Star games in maybe 10 years. I think he got few WC wins also. He was touted as the best goalie ever by wayne gretzky so yeah he was decent.

[@mikemcgloin6829]

That 96 blues team is a great what if in NHL history

[@thesilentz4574]

Appreciate these redrafts especially from eras before my time or when I was too young to know or recall them. 👍🏻 . I've found myself going back and watching last eras of games in all leagues I can as well. The differences and appreciation of past eras and players in the process

[@maxrates]

I've learned a lot about past eras on the online GM game websimhockey

[@thesilentz4574]

@@maxrates Cool. Haven't heard of that one before. I'll search it

[@InsignificantNick]

"Doing a redraft!" "Why?" "Because I feel like it." "But there's nobody here." "Even better."

[@hobobread3563]

Thank you so much Hockey Patton Oswalt! 😁

[@rickyaz8640]

Butch Goring award for best in-season acquisition needs to be a reality

[@oilersridersbluejays]

Absolutely. Probably the first serious trade deadline deal and probably the best one.

[@RichardDeBruyn-i3p]

8 of those players played for Buffalo at times. Dave Hannan with the only goal in that 4 overtime game against New Jersey.

[@curtwenzlaff710]

Garth Butcher was such a soldier for Vancouver. The 80's were not kind for the Canucks, but Butcher played his heart out every night, and sticking up for his teammates every time.

[@GRChrzak]

Named my first barbarian in D&D after Garth Butcher. Felt appropriate.

[@psuley1977]

Love the redraft videos. Great stuff as always

[@RRaquello]

I remember the Whalers desperately wanting to draft Good Ol' New England boy Bobby Carpenter and expecting to get him at number 4. I think they had a Carpenter jersey and his father there to shake hands once the pick was made, but the Caps jumped in at the last minute and traded for the #3 pick and took Carpenter. The Whalers & the Carpenter family were incensed and threatened to sue to free him from having to go to the Caps but eventually were resigned to their fate. The Whalers were stuck taking Francis as a consolation prize, which turned out OK for them. I don't remember exactly what the deal was, but it looks like Washington switched places with Colorado. I don't know what Colorado got in return.

[@normb7114]

It was great to hear you mention Normand Leveille, I remember watching him and just the toughness he displayed while playing. Terry O'Reilly once said that Normand could take a hit along the boards and still maintain control of the puck and make a play. It's tragic that his promising hockey career was cut short ...

[@Yup5757]

Yeah, Tony Tanti scored 40 a couple times for Vancouver, but the Canucks never got past the Division Semi-Final the few times Vancouver made the Playoffs with Tanti. While in Chicago , Fraser played in two Conference Finals with the Hawks and was a prominent member of the Clydesdale Line. With two linemates that went on to win a Ring with other teams.

[@richwheeler7645]

Love these videos. Getting old is weird, seems like yesterday. Thanks Shannon, great stuff!

[@SverigeiSverige]

Best season, yes Dale. But best career Ron and Chris.

[@whaleoilbeefhooked3892]

1st time I've watched an ENTIRE video of yours....the older times was 'my' time. Great video!

[@loltrope3266]

i like the fact that he do some old redraft!

[@mikewebsdale4777]

Here we are in the way back machine send it feels good.

[@nicholasbrown7068]

Interesting seeing Petri Skriko redrafted to the Bruins, a team later on for a short time he played for.

[@williammartin2349]

love seeing you take Gallant at 10. I have met Turk numerous times and he is an all round great dude

[@srednuasrmit]

You forgot to mention Scott Arniel’s name for the St.Louis 20th pick. Hahaha. Had to zoom in to see who you selected.

[@WolverineIncognito]

I like how you do the re-draft on the spot(ish). Adds an interesting flair.

[@charleyblanchette8298]

About Normand Léveillé, I've something to share with you hockey fans. I'm from Drummondville QC, and in my hometown we have a big institution named after him. Centre Normand Léveillé is home to couple hundreds of people who got brain dammaged accidents or any severe handicaps. That's a great "hommage" to remember how future could be shorten by injuries. I remember crying that night when Raymond Bourque pratically carried him on the ice for his last apperence as a Boston Bruins. What a moment it was !!!!!

[@quadrapayunir]

Fuhr absolutely deserves that spot...love the hindsight

[@scottmurrell7367]

Love these re-drafts. I think your draft is pretty good. I'm not gonna nit pick and argue one guy shouda gone one spot higher or lower. Can I suggest you do the '03 draft? Talk about loaded!

[@Actionronnie]

Chris Chelios going 2nd in the redraft is kinda funny, cause that was Detroit's original pick. If you dig deep into that, Detroit really screwed themselves signing Rogie Vachon who was a RFA from LA and a bust for them. Comp for LA was Dale McCourt, who didnt report to the kings. Sued the NHL and the wings who he was still playing for. LA trades him back to the Wings for a player and two firsts even though he was still a Wing 🤷 The other pick LA got from Detroit was Larry Murphy.

[@ianross806]

The Flyers drafted Steve "the Baby Bull" Smith, a defenceman from the Soo Greyhounds. The redraft is the Steve Smith who played for the London Knights. Same age, same league, played at the same time. And how you slot Dave Hannan to Montreal ahead of Mark Hunter???

[@ryguyful]

I really like Duchesne as well. A real hustler..not sure I ever saw him take a shift off.

[@iFyvie]

Always stumped me how Dougie Gilmour's nickname was 'Killer' when Garth Butcher existed in the same universe. Butcher actually looked like a Serial Killer. Played like one too.

[@Calebelle]

Always love the redrafts, but a few comments on this one: 1. You misspelled Pivonka’s first name (it’s spelled Michal) 2. Iafrate went FROM the Caps to the Bruins - he was traded for Joe Juneau 3. You dropped Iafrate too low 4. Sylvain Cote had a few seasons with a lot more points than a “defensive defenseman” (As you can see from these comments, I grew up a Caps fan)

[@WolverineIncognito]

I’m curious, when you do the live re-draft, how big is the pool of players you are picking from?

[@KMK7355]

1981 draft was heavily a 1963 birth year as 1961 and 1962 players were drafted in the 1980 draft which Chelios and Kurvers were overlooked.

[@ScarecrOmega]

Had to look up Normand Leveille, wow didn't know about that and he looked like he would have had a solid playing career, that sucks.

[@kcrowther14]

Beezer was great ❤ I'll take it!

[@kevinstull8552]

This draft was in the same year as I was born. Man I'm feeling old now 😂.

[@Peksisarvinen]

In regards to Fuhr, yes he was that good, but yes he also benefited greatly from playing for the dynasty-era Oilers. So a little bit of column a, and a little bit of column b. Although I guess you could make the argument that if he played for a more defensively minded team, his overall numbers could've been better, but he would probably have not won as much.

[@obelisk21]

Grant Fuhr's game was only debated by fans of other teams who never saw him play game in and game out. There is a reason the Oilers put up the offensive numbers that they did... no one was playing defence. He was named to two Canada Cup teams and was brilliant in the 87 Canada Cup which featured the famous Gretzky to Lemieux goal. He was also in net for the NHL all-stars in both games of the Rendez-Vous 87 series against the Soviets. He also finished second to Lemieux in Hart voting for the 87-88 season. At a time when goaltenders relied on athletic ability and skill to stop pucks rather than positioning and technique Fuhr was a difference maker. In 1998 the Hockey News had him ranked 70th on the top 100 players of all time. Guys who never even made the list were Ron Francis and Al MacInnis. You could make an argument to take Francis ahead of Fuhr but in my opinion not MacInnis.

[@pierrepellerin249]

Cool, this would have been my draft year if I had played hockey and had been good enough. Thing is, I had two left foot :)

[@SylviusTheMad]

Shannon and I must be roughly the same age, because this is probably the first full season I remember, as well.

[@Rockhound6165]

The Flyers first round pick in this draft, Steve Smith, had 1 point in his NHL career.

[@people3865]

Oh man! I have to say I'd take Ron Francis at one. That man was so underrated, his entire career (still is), its unreal. Hes definitely most underrated of all time.

[@anthonylipari7967]

can you do 1989 redraft. would love to see that

[@jeremydanchuk1897]

I swear THG does these to cause me pain, watching all those former Oiler greats being moved to other teams.

[@ZappaSheik]

Waiting for 1989 and 1999 with Z going first and the Sedins still going to the Canucks

[@darkoanton5]

I'd put Hawerchuk at #4. I'd probably go MacInnis, Chelios, Francis, Hawerchuk.

[@KMK7355]

Wonder how high Mr. Irrelevant of the 1980 draft (Andy Brickley) would climb in a re-draft?

[@JohnnyReno71]

Beezer!!!!Nice

[@deathmachineyt3254]

Interested to see the differences to the actual draft

[@safertobeanonymous2224]

Drop,off from Fuhr to John V and Vernon is one of the biggest drop offs in the history of the redraft! I don’t think it’s just oilers fans who’d suggest he’s at least as good as the top 4 guys.

[@joeb2151]

The Flyers were making bad first round picks 40 years ago too? COME ON.

[@dvotzmusiccompilationsandc5647]

I just do redrafts on my phone sometimes when I’m bored. Also it’s bold of you to assume I have a wife or am even anywhere close to getting one.

[@SombraPiloto]

One of the few picks by the Whalers who actually played like a Hall of Famer while he was in town. They had a nose for mediocrity when drafting in the first round.

[@choppergunner8650]

I really want to see the 1983 redraft. Which team would get the absolute bust Brian Lawton?

[@blatty2646]

Wow Normand Léveillé’s career was cut short at 19 by a brain aneurysm. Thats so sad man. He couldn’t walk initially but made a full recovery and opened an institute for people with brain injuries

[@KevinJL]

Normand Léveillé you mentioned him in a previous video before. Sad.

[@kaptaan_original]

Ron Francis #2 in my book. Tony Tanti should be no. 8. Tanti would have had a much better career on a better team but even still he was a force even as a Canuck.

[@Feeldaburn]

That’s a name I haven’t heard in years he was fun to watch as a penguin

[@TheScotian82]

I think Beezer and Vernon were both way better than Fuhr, personally. Think Edm wins any fewer cups with one of them?

[@TheHockeyGuy]

Edmonton didn't play defense. Fuhr's numbers were hurt by that. I have no idea how many Cups they win without him.

[@klompsauce]

Oh!

[@peterolbrisch8970]

A video on top ten trade deadline deals would be interesting.🤔

[@leechap3]

It would add interest if along the way you would mention who was actually drafted in each spot.

[@TheHockeyGuy]

It's written on the board...

[@leechap3]

@@TheHockeyGuy It's hard to see.

[@clydeblair9622]

No Wings pick?

[@TheEgganator324]

Do 2002

[@The_Omegaman]

"Leafs had some good goalies" in the 80s 😂😂😂😂😂 are you kidding me?

[@Zamppa86]

I could never pick Chelios over MacInnis. Both ended up being legends of course but MacInnis was just better.

[@Oxmen33]

Can you please do 1992?

[@mike04574]

chelios greatest player from this draft

[@mike04574]

dale hawerchuk over chelios?

[@v4v819]

I'd take Chelios then Francis then Mr Big Shot then Ducky...Speaks of the strength of this draft, and an embarrassment of HOF wealth...

[@SonOfTamriel]

I love these re-draft videos. I would have a hard time with Hawerchuk or Francis going #1

[@LigerZeroShnider]

HOW ducky is a goal in the nhl

[@keepitlinyear]

i don't agree with dale hawerchuk being 1st. chris chelios and al mcannis always made the team canada/usa. hawerchuck was not picked many times by team Canada. also Ron Francis could argue he had better career overall.

[@ericwittman3]

Stop traffic. Flyers have a first round pick in 1981. And, of course they draft a guy with ZERO upside who scores 1 goal in 4 years.

[@KMK7355]

Doing red drafts begs the question. If you did a 1980 redraft before this 1981 version, Chemo is goes very high in the 1980 redraft as he was born in 1962 and was eligible for the 1980 he was NOT DRAFTED IN!!!! Same applies for Tom Kurvers.

[@KMK7355]

Damn auto correct, Chelios not Chemo.

[@CharismaticDad]

Hey you never did 1982!

[@captbloodbeard]

Vernon > Vanbiesbrouck

[@4.0.7.7]

I wouldn’t take Grant Fuhr in the first round let alone 5th

[@893263007]

Chelios ahead of Macinnes is ridiculous. MacInnis was almost twice as productive, especially in the playoffs. About the same defensively.

[@TheHockeyGuy]

Chelios played for 26 years, had nearly 3000 penalty minutes and won three Cups as well as three Norris trophies. MacInnis had one Norris and one Cup.

[@893263007]

@@TheHockeyGuy Wow then Karlsson and his Norris's must be better than Weber, Doughty, Hedman, Josi, etc. Or Lowe and his cups.

[@Disturbed1TV]

Trolls be trolling. I agree with your assessment. Thanks for the great work Shannon.

[@TheHockeyGuy]

How many Cups does Karlsson have?

[@maxrates]

Chelios was better in his own end, but I will give you that MacInnis is underrated. He played on small market teams and Chelios got a lot of attention as he was on 3 original 6 teams.

[@Feeldaburn]

You forgot about the penguins

[@TheHockeyGuy]

Nope

[@Feeldaburn]

They pretty much drafted scrubs that draft

[@duaneday5474]

What a draft year!

[@Feeldaburn]

@@duaneday5474 81