May 28, 1974 [The finals were over in May back then?!] -- The Islanders select Clark Gillies 4th overall (two behind Wilf Paiement, one of the rare NHLers to wear #99) and Bryan Trottier 22nd overall (second round, one behind Islander-for-a-game Bruce Affleck) in the NHL Entry Draft. Apparently, those two guys were important or something. I suppose they were OK. The Islanders also got "Core of the Four" member Dave Langevin at #112, in round seven -- which wasn't even half-way through the draft. That draft was twenty-five rounds and conducted "in secret via conference call" to keep the new WHA from poaching players.