This Day in Hockey History
1989 - Nordiques select Mats Sundin 1st overall
With the first-overall pick in the 1989 NHL Entry Draft, the Quebec Nordiques draft Swedish center Mats Sundin, who becomes the first European-born player to earn the distinction in league history.
Sundin enjoyed four of the best seasons of his 18-year career in Quebec before becoming the captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs after a blockbuster deal diverted the path of both franchises in 1994.
His greatest offensive output came in the 1992-93 season when he netted a career-high 47 goals and 114 points, leading the Nordiques to a franchise-record 47 wins.
Since Quebec's 1989 investment, only five Europeans (Roman Hamrlik, Patrik Stefan, Ilya Kovalchuk, Alex Ovechkin, and Nail Yakupov) have been taken off the board first at the NHL Draft.
1990 - Perreault, Barber, Flaman named to Hall of Fame
The Hockey Hall of Fame announces the newest class of inductees, naming Gilbert Perreault, Bill Barber and Fernie Flaman to the sport's highest honor.
Perreault played his entire 17-year career with the Buffalo Sabres, scoring 512 goals and 1,326 points in 1,191 games. The skilled play-maker centered Rick Martin and Rene Robert on the Sabres' legendary "French Connection" line.
Barber won two Stanley Cups with the Philadelphia Flyers, scoring 420 goals and 883 points in 12 seasons on Broad Street.
A hard-hitting defenseman, Flaman racked up 1,370 penalty minutes in 910 career games across three decades with the Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs. He lifted the Stanley Cup in 1951 with Toronto.
Birthdays
1951 - John Garrett
1952 - Mike Milbury
1970 - Stephane Fiset
1993 - Dougie Hamilton