Way, way back in the 1970s, the Flames franchise was merely a notion. The National Hockey League approved a pair of franchises – to play in Long Island and Atlanta – to counter the growth of the rival World Hockey Association. On June 6, 1972, rookie general manager Cliff Fletcher and his crew hunkered down for the NHL’s third-ever expansion draft.
The initial haul
The existing NHL clubs were allowed to protect two goalies and 15 skaters, meaning the expansion teams would be able to grab (at best) a third string goalie and a team’s 16th-best skater (or worse).