To view this site you need Adobe Flash Player and your browser must allow javaScripts. Go here to get the latest Flash Player. Thank You, Sabres Director of Communications and practical joker Paul In fact, Buffalo fans embraced all players, both real and Wieland suggested that drafting someone with a long, imaginary. The 1974 NHL draft was held in secret to avoid foreign name would be entertaining, picturing Campbell the scrutiny of the competing World Hockey Association. having to say and spell the name for every other team. – Gary Steczewski Each team assembled in their respective offices, where they Wieland, along with scouting director John Andersen waited patiently for NHL President Clarence Campbell to and General Manager Punch Imlach, invented a player. call, listing and spelling the name of each draft pick chosen since their That restaurant Wieland passed on the way into work? Tsujimoto’s. “Montreal was beating us. We were being eliminated that night. With about five minutes to go, the fans stood up and started chanting, ‘Thank you, Sabres.’ Only in Buffalo will you see this–this is how loyal the fans are.” “I remember one hockey game that I went to and they were chanting for Bob Sauvé. We were going to be eliminated and they were chanting “Sauvé, Sauvé, Sauvé” and it was deafening. That was a really cool experience for a Sabres hockey game.” team’s last pick. The process was laborious, the inverse of the celebratory drafts we enjoy today. After the tenth round the Sabres front office got, well, fidgety. 2 5 JOHN BOUTET COLLECTION