RELATED: THE 1972 EXPANSION DRAFT
By the numbers, Torrey lost eight of 19 selections to the WHA of which two were pilfered by the Raiders. One reporter wrote that the Raiders figured to ice a better team than Torrey's menagerie.
"Previously," said Torrey, "Clarence Campbell (NHL President) had assured me that there was no way the WHA could steal our guys. Then -- after the courts reviewed things -- Campbell said, 'Let the buyer beware.'"
In some cases it was too late. "We lost potentially good players like Ted Hampson and Gord Laboissiere," said Islanders scout Jimmy Devellano. "They could have given us five or six or seven wins."
Notwithstanding the WHA thievery and competiion from across the county at The Garden, the Isles' official opening night drew a Coliseum crowd of 12,221. Among the onlookers was was NHL President Campbell, himself, who normally attended games at Montreal's Forum.
"Looking around the arena," said Campbell, "I'd say that the Coliseum is a magnificent place to watch hockey."
However, magnificent, the game was not.
Ironically, the first cheer was not even for the home club. The audience roared its approval when Atlanta coach Bernie (Boom Boom) Geoffrion was introduced. Rangers fans in the crowd had adored The Boomer from his playing and coaching days with the Blueshirts.
Chroniclers in the Coliseum press box insisted that the first cheer for the home club didn't sound until the 11-minute mark of the first period when the Flames Billy Plager took a run at Isles forward Dave Hudson -- and missed.
Atlanta took the lead on a shorthanded goal by Morris Stefaniw who beat goalie Gerry Desjardins at 12:48 of the opening frame.