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This Day in Sabres History :: June 10


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June 10, 1970

It's the second day of the NHL meetings in Toronto, and as a result of a winning spin of the wheel the day before, the Sabres pick first in the expansion draft. Minutes before the draft, Punch Imlach calls off a deal he had with the Boston GM and takes Bruin Tom Webster, whom the Bs were hoping to protect. Imlach quickly trades Webster to Detroit for goaltender Roger Crozier. With their other 19 choices, the Sabres focus on youth, selecting only three players over the age of 30: Phil Goyette, Donnie Marshall and Reggie Fleming. For the record, the other players the Sabres pick on this day are Al Hamilton, Tracy Pratt, Jim Watson, Francois Lacombe, Mike McMahon, Skip Krake, Jean-Guy Lagace, Craig Cameron, Chris Evans, Doug Barrie, Gerry Meehan, Paul Terbenche, Brian Perry, Howie Menard, Rocky Farr and Gary Edwards. To cap off the day, Imlach purchases Ted Hodgson from the New York Rangers. Short on cash, Punch writes a postdated check. (Made-up historical fact.) "This is only the beginning," says Imlach, vowing to make attempts to improve his team 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 52 weeks a year. Sure enough, of the 21 players acquired on this day, only a few are still around during the team?s third season in which it qualifies for the playoffs for the first time.

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