Why Detroit Red Wings coveted Pat LaFontaine in 1983 NHL draft

On June 8, 1983, the Detroit Red Wings changed their history when they drafted Steve Yzerman at No. 4. But the guy they coveted was Pat LaFontaine. In celebration of the 40-year anniversary, here is an excerpt that explains why the Wings wanted LaFontaine from "On the Clock: Behind the Scenes with the Detroit Red Wings at the NHL Draft" by Helene St. James. The book is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Triumph Books. Personalized copies available via her e-mail.

Pat LaFontaine grew up in a nine-room home on the shores of Williams Lake in Waterford Township, about 30 miles north of Detroit. His dad, John LaFontaine Sr., would set up a makeshift rink on the lake every winter, piling up snow to simulate boards. He installed eight spotlights so Pat and his older brother, John Jr., could play in the evenings.

In 1983, LaFontaine was beloved in Montreal and coveted in Detroit. The fantastically talented center was a superstar in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) and seemingly the perfect player to revive interest in the Red Wings.

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His hockey credentials were sublime. In 1981-82, LaFontaine had recorded 175 goals and 324 points in 79 games with Detroit Compuware. On January 5, 1983, the 17-year-old LaFontaine broke Guy Lafleur's 12-year-old record for consecutive-game scoring in the QMJHL. Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau was among the many well-wishers who sent congratulations via telegrams.

Jimmy Devellano, the general manager at the time, described LaFontaine as "a franchise-type player. He's a Marcel Dionne–Wayne Gretzky-type player. He has fantastic vision and makes fantastic plays. The puck just seems to follow him around, as it does for all the great players."

LaFontaine finished the 1982–83 season with 104 goals and 234 points for the Verdun Juniors, surpassing Mike Bossy's 70 goals as a rookie, outperforming future NHL superstar Mario Lemieux, and winning the Jean Béliveau Trophy as the top scorer. LaFontaine's face was on buttons and posters; he appeared daily in newspapers and as the subject of discussion on talk shows. He would spend 45 minutes after games signing autographs. Admirers wrote messages in the dust on his car.

"I’ve never seen a kid loved like him," Verdun general manager Eric Taylor said. One Montreal newspaper referred to LaFontaine as "La Merveille de Detroit" — The Wonder of Detroit. LaFontaine had it all: elite skills, good looks, a grounded personality. He graduated from Waterford Kettering High School the same month he was drafted. "I started to dream about the NHL as a little kid," LaFontaine said. "Then I set goals for myself and followed them."

At the Montreal Forum on June 8, 1983, New York Islanders general manager Bill Torrey announced LaFontaine's name with the third pick. LaFontaine, seated in the second row, hugged his parents.

That September, he decided to postpone his NHL dreams until after the 1984 Winter Olympic Games in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia. The U.S. failed to advance to medal contention, and LaFontaine returned to the Islanders. He had just turned 19.

LaFontaine made his NHL debut on February 29, 1984, in Winnipeg, Manitoba. He didn't get a point because the goal he set up was disallowed, but on March 3, in his second game, LaFontaine looked every bit the teenage sensation, recording three goals and two assists. He played only 15 games that season, but tallied 13 goals and six assists.

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LaFontaine was a star for the Islanders, but he arrived as the team entered a decline following four consecutive Stanley Cup championships. The playoff runs grew shorter, but LaFontaine thrived. In 1989–90, he scored 54 goals and put up 105 points in 74 games. The Islanders made the playoffs, but LaFontaine was knocked unconscious after being crushed between the New York Rangers’ James Patrick and Chris Nilan in Game 1 of the division semifinals on April 5. La Fontaine suffered a concussion and was hospitalized overnight, though he was able to return for Game 5 eight days later.

As the Islanders continued to sputter, LaFontaine grew frustrated. He staged a contract holdout at the start of the 1991–92 season, and on Oct. 25, the Islanders traded their cornerstone center to the Buffalo Sabres. LaFontaine responded with 93 points in 57 games.

He enjoyed his best season in 1992–93, recording 95 assists and 148 points in 84 games. LaFontaine finished second in the scoring race behind Mario Lemieux's 160 points, was a finalist for the Hart Memorial Trophy (most valuable player), and a finalist for the Lady Byng Trophy (most sportsmanlike player). He was awarded the Bill Masterton Trophy (perseverance and dedication to hockey).

LaFontaine's career was defined by talent and derailed by concussions. In November 1996, news emerged that LaFontaine suffered from severe postconcussion effects and would miss three months. The previous month, he had suffered the fifth concussion in his 14-season career. There was talk he would be forced to retire, but LaFontaine was traded to the New York Rangers in September 1997. During a game on March 16, he collided with teammate Mike Keane and was again sidelined. On August 11, 1998, LaFontaine announced his retirement. He was 33 years old.

LaFontaine recorded 468 goals and 545 assists in 1,013 games. He played in five NHL All-Star Games and for two U.S. Olympic teams, and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2003. The Wonder of Detroit played his entire NHL career for New York teams, marking his career with grace and excellence.

What: 2023 NHL draft.

When/where: June 28-29; Nashville, Tennessee.

TV: ESPN.

The Red Wings’ picks (with overall picks in parentheses): Round 1 — No. 9 (9), No. 17 (17); Round 2 — No. 8 (41), No. 9 (42), No. 10 (43); Round 3 — No. 9 (73); Round 4 — No. 22 (118); Round 5 — No. 9 (137); Round 6 — No. 9 (169); Round 7 — No. 9 (201).