Excerpt from “On the Clock: Behind the Scenes with the Detroit Red Wings at the NHL Draft “ by Helene St. James
The 1983 draft brought life back to the Red Wings. It marked a turning point after a decade of poor talent development and poorer finishes in the standings, distancing the club from the dismal days of the 1970s, when the team was so awful it spurred the sobriquet the “Dead Wings.” It yielded The Captain and the Bruise Brothers and an enigma from the Czech Republic.
It was the first draft for the group of men who had breathed hope into the franchise the previous summer.