WHA holds free agent draft
Canadian Press
7/17/2004
NIAGARA FALLS, Ont. (CP) - Forward Simon Gagne of the Philadelphia Flyers was the first player selected at the World Hockey Association's free agent draft Saturday.
Gagne, 24, was taken by the Quebec franchise that intends to call itself the Nordiks.
The WHA, a revival of a league by the same name that merged with the NHL in 1979, has plans for a 76-game schedule beginning Oct. 29, but it isn't clear whether the eight franchises drafting players Saturday will be operational by then.
Some still have to work out arena deals in their respective cities.
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The 14-round draft, held at the Niagara Fallsview Casino, dispersed the WHA rights of a mish-mash of players - from proven NHLers to career minor leaguers - among eight teams.
Teams selecting top players did so with hopes that the NHL season will be wiped out by a labour dispute, although some of those players may choose to play in Europe.
Halifax selected ravis Green of the Boston Bruins second overall while Detroit took Dany Heatley of the Atlanta Thrashers third.
Michael Ryder of the Montreal Canadiens was taken by Hamilton fourth,Joe Thornton of the Boston Bruins by Toronto fifth and Todd Bertuzzi of the Vancouver Canucks by the founders' franchise - a team to be named later - sixth.
Dallas took Eric Lindros of the New York Rangers seventh overall before Florida closed out the first round by taking Brad Richards, who won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP with the Tampa Lightning in June.
In the later rounds, a wide spectrum of players were taken: Theo Fleury, on hiatus from the NHL after going through the league's substance abuse program, was selected by Hamilton; Jarrod Skalde, who has played in 115 NHL games for nine teams, was selected by the founders' franchise; and Todd Elik, who plays for HC Davos in Switzerland, went to Detroit.
Retired NHLers Doug Gilmour and Kirk Muller were also both selected by the founders' franchise on Saturday.
