Sam Pollock facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sam Pollock
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| Born |
Samuel Patterson Smyth Pollock
December 15, 1925 |
| Died | August 15, 2007 (aged 81) |
| Occupation | former NHL general manager |
| Awards | Hockey Hall of Fame (1978), Canadian Sports Hall of Fame (1982) |
Samuel Patterson Smyth Pollock (born December 15, 1925 – died August 15, 2007) was a famous Canadian sports leader. He was best known as the general manager for the Montreal Canadiens, a team in the National Hockey League (NHL). During his 14 years in this role, the Canadiens won an amazing nine Stanley Cups! He also led the Toronto Blue Jays baseball team for a while.
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Life Story of Sam Pollock
Sam Pollock was born in Montreal, Quebec. From a young age, he was great at spotting talented athletes.
Early Career and Rise to General Manager
In the 1950s, Sam helped junior hockey teams win big. He led the Montreal Junior Canadiens to a Memorial Cup win in 1950. Then, in 1958, he did it again with the Ottawa-Hull Junior Canadiens.
The Montreal Canadiens noticed his skill and hired him in 1959. He started as their Personnel Director, which meant he was in charge of finding and managing players. In 1964, the team's general manager, Frank J. Selke, retired. Sam Pollock then took over that important job.
Leading the Canadiens to Glory
Sam stayed as the Canadiens' general manager for 14 years. He left the role in the summer of 1978. He spent one more year on their board of directors before fully retiring in 1979.
Sam Pollock's name is on the Stanley Cup 12 times! This includes a record nine times as a general manager. He worked closely with head coach Scotty Bowman. Together, they built a super successful team. Many players from their teams later became great coaches and managers themselves.
Sam Pollock passed away on August 15, 2007, in Toronto, Ontario, at 81 years old. He was buried in North Hatley, Quebec.
Smart Moves and Trades
Sam Pollock believed that finding good young players was key to long-term success in hockey. He always planned ahead, sometimes years in advance. His goal was to get the very best new players in the annual draft.
The Guy Lafleur Trade
One of his smartest moves involved getting the first pick in the 1971 NHL Entry Draft. This was the year Guy Lafleur, a future superstar, would be available. It looked like the California Golden Seals would get the first pick. Sam convinced the Seals' owner to trade their pick to Montreal. In return, the Canadiens gave up their own first-round pick and a young player. Sam chose Guy Lafleur with that top pick, and it paid off big time!
Other Key Player Acquisitions
Sam also made other clever trades. He traded two college players to Boston to get a young goalie named Ken Dryden. Dryden became a legendary player for the Canadiens.
Sam was also key in bringing in other future stars. These included Larry Robinson, Serge Savard, Guy Lapointe, and Yvan Cournoyer. All of them became very important players for the Canadiens.
The Denis Potvin Story
In 1973, the New York Islanders drafted a great defenseman named Denis Potvin. Sam Pollock tried to trade for Potvin. He offered a package of experienced players that would help the Islanders right away. But the Islanders' general manager, Bill Torrey, turned down the offer. Potvin stayed with the Islanders and helped them win four Stanley Cups in a row!
Achievements and Honors
Sam Pollock achieved many great things in his career.
- In 1976, he was the general manager for Team Canada. They won the first-ever Canada Cup in ice hockey.
- He won the Stanley Cup as a personnel director in the 1959–60 season.
- He won the Stanley Cup nine times as vice president/general manager: 1964–65, 1965–66, 1967–68, 1968–69, 1970–71, 1972–73, 1975–76, 1976–77, and 1977–78.
- He won the Stanley Cup one more time in 1978–79 as a member of the Canadiens' board of directors. All 12 of his Stanley Cup wins were with the Montreal Canadiens.
- In 1978, he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame for his contributions to the sport. Later, he also joined the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame.
- When the Hockey Hall of Fame moved to downtown Toronto, a public square there was named Sam Pollock Square in his honor.
- He was recognized by the Canadian government. In 1985, he became an Officer of the Order of Canada. In 2002, he was made a Knight of the National Order of Quebec.
In the World of Baseball
Sam Pollock also spent time in baseball. He served as the CEO and chairman of Major League Baseball's Toronto Blue Jays from 1995 to 2000. The Blue Jays even wore a special patch with his initials on their jerseys to honor him.
