The most successful GM in NHL history has stood the test of time

Even the legendary Sam Pollock could not be perfect in selecting draftees for the record setting Montreal Canadians during his time as the most successful GM in NHL history.

Pollock was highly successful in trading solid established players for draft choices and using them to front load the Habs roster.

Pollock believed drafting good young prospects was the key to long term success in the NHL. He spent a good amount of time planning, sometimes years in advance, in order to place Montreal in position to pick up the “difference makers” in any annual entry level draft.

In 1975, drafting 9th the Canadiens selected Robin Sadler, a skilled offensive defenceman from the Edmonton Oil Kings. He had helped Canada win a silver medal at the world junior championship and was a first-team all-star in the Western Canada Hockey League after collecting 32 goals and 61 assists in 66 games.

His style was thought to be just what the Canadians needed to maintain their dominance on the blue line.

Pollock did feel he needed to add some muscle to his 6-foot-2, 180-pound frame but they could afford to take their time with the talented youngster. The Habs were on a four-season Stanley Cup run with a blue line anchored by the Big Three of Guy Lapointe, Serge Savard and Larry Robinson.

Sadler never played a regular-season game in the NHL.

He did play a pre-season game in 1975, but on the bus trip back to Montreal he told Canadiens chief scout Ron Caron that he was quitting. He had recently signed a three-year deal worth $250,000 and also received a generous signing bonus, which he returned.

Speaking a reporter with the Montreal Gazette in 1983, Sadler said he became disillusioned with hockey during his season with the Oil Kings. He said he never dreamed of an NHL career and there was a difference between playing for fun and playing for money.

The signs for Pollock might have been right in front of him,since Sadler did not play the following season for the Oil Kings.

He was still highly regarded despite his unusual junior career.

Leaving Montreal,Sadler went home to Vancouver where he earned $250 a week driving a truck for a delivery company, but soon he began to get the itch to play hockey again.After spending the 1976–77 season with Frolunda in the Swedish League, he gave the WHA a try signing a two-year deal with the Edmonton Oilers.

“He never played a game for us, he left after a week of training camp,” recalled former Edmonton coach and general manager Glen Sather. “He was an offensive defenceman and he had skills, but there was no fire in his belly.”

Sadler’s only professional experience in North America came in 1977–78 season. He scored a goal and five assists in nine games with the Nova Scotia Voyageurs before quitting again.

Born in Montreal, Quebec, Sam Pollock was an exceptional evaluator of talent. In 1950, with the Montreal Junior Canadiens and in 1958, with the Ottawa Junior Canadiens, he won the Memorial Cup. The Montreal Canadiens saw potential in Pollock and quickly hired him to be the successor to Frank J. Selke, serving as Personnel Director from 1959 to 1964. In 1964, Selke retired and Sam took over his job as general manager of the Canadians. Few are aware that Pollock sent Scotty Bowman who was with Peterborough as coach to visit Parry Sound and try to sign Bobby Orr. He was unsuccessful, but Pollock was always chasing the very best talent.

He spent 14 years with the club as general manager giving up the job in summer of 1978. He spent one last season with Montreal on their board of directors, before retiring in summer of 1979. Pollock’s name was included on the Stanley Cup 12 times, including an NHL record nine as a manager. Pollock and head coach Scotty Bowman not only presided over a Canadiens dynasty, but many of their players also went on to become coaches themselves.

Pollock in his dealings with other NHL GM’s was always cordial and knowledgeable about the deficiencies in their lineup. That of course helped him when discussing how his players could fill another teams immediate needs.

Still even Sam could not always win. He ended up trading Ralph Backstrom to the Kings and got virtually nothing back in return for the transaction.

Also.although the Habs were stacked with talent he was unable to keep JC Trembley, Marc Tardif, and Rejean Houle from bolting to the WHA.

Still when Pollock retired in 1976 his impressive body of work was evident.

In 1976, he was also the general manager for Team Canada which won the inaugural Canada Cup.

• Stanley Cup Champion — 1959 — 60 as personnel director
• Stanley Cup Champion — 1964 — 65, 65 — 66, 67 — 68, 68 — 69, 70 — 71, 72 — 73, 75 — 76, 76 — 77, 77 — 78, as vice president/general manager.

In 1978, he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame as a builder.

Sam Pollock was born on December 25th and passed away on August 15th, 2007 at the age of 81 and for most of his career it was. just like Christmas for the Montreal Canadiens fans.