By Budd Bailey
Danny Gare of the Sabres
Taken in Round 2 in 1974
The next pick: Montreal took Gary MacGregor at No. 30, but couldn’t sign him. He landed with the Chicago Cougars, and played with five different World Hockey Association teams before his career ended. The center was the only player from the second round who never played a game in the NHL.
Other picks in that round: A couple of names sort of jump out at the reader. Bryan Trottier (No. 22) was merely the centerpiece of the Islanders’ teams that won four straight Stanley Cups. Mark Howe (No. 25) never played for the Bruins. Instead Howe joined dad Gordie and brother Marty in Houston of the WHA. Dave “Tiger” Williams (No. 31) of the Maple Leafs and Ron Greschner (No. 32) of the Rangers had long careers.
The details: Scoring 68 goals in 65 games in junior hockey is a good way to get attention from scouts, and the Sabres grabbed him. Gare took a starting job on a line with Don Luce and Craig Ramsay in 1974-75, and it was a phenomenal combination. The trio helped Buffalo reach the finals. Gare stayed through 1981, and scored 50 goals in two different seasons. Then Danny was traded to Detroit, and he finished his career in Edmonton.
Other 29s: Joe Cribbs had three 1,000-yard seasons at halfback in four years before jumping to the United States Football League. He wasn’t the same upon returning, but he was a big part of some good Bills teams under Chuck Knox. Nate Odomes was a fixture in the Bills’ secondary for seven years, including the Super Bowl era. Offensive lineman Mark Traynowitz played five years in the NFL (1985-1989) without starting a game. Tight end Jan White averaged about a catch per game as a tight end in 1971 and 1972.
(Follow Budd on Twitter @WDX2BB)
Leave a Reply