The Draft That Changed Everything

Four new teams, a lowered age limit, and a generation of icons—1979 was the year the NHL's future finally arrived.

• The civil war was over and the superstar era had begun.

• Two years of elite talent arrived in a single afternoon.

• The draft produced a staggering seven Hall of Fame players.

• One draft class redefined the limits of the game forever.

01. A League Transformed

02. Lowering The Bar

The names called that day in Montreal read like a Hall of Fame induction list. While...

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03. Icons On The Board

04. The Eighties Blueprint

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01. A League Transformed

02. Lowering The Bar

The names called that day in Montreal read like a Hall of Fame induction list. While...

Click again — Open details →

03. Icons On The Board

04. The Eighties Blueprint

Click a snapshot to focus it. Click again to open details.