On a hunch, the Montreal Canadians started Ken Dryden in the 1970/71 playoffs. Dryden is now known as one of the best goalies ever, and easily the best of the 1970’s, but prior to those playoffs, he only had played in six regular season NHL games and was not known much at all. Dryden not only played well, but won the Conn Smythe Award as the Habs won the Stanley Cup that year.

A successful coach in the minors, Harry Sinden took over the helms of the Boston Bruins at the tender age of thirty three. Quickly, under his guidance and an influx of talent, the Bruins turned around and won two Stanley Cups. Despite those elite championships in the National Hockey League, it was his coaching of Team Canada in the 1972 Summit Series, where the Canadians won in a grueling eight game series where he was considered at this best. Sinden would later take over as the General Manager for Boston and managed to continually ice competitive teams.

One of the best players of all time, Bobby Hull easily could have been one of the men who the Hockey Hall of Fame could have made a case for early induction. Hull was a dominant force in the NHL throughout the 1960’s, leading the Blackhawks to the Stanley Cup in 1961, and capturing two Hart Trophies along the way.

Dubbed the “Roadrunner” for his small frame and blazing speed, Yvan Cournoyer played his entire career with the Montreal Canadians and won a whopping eight Stanley Cups. Cournoyer was not just a participant in those excellent Habs teams but was one of its stars.