INEXACT SCIENCE

By Evan and Bruce Dowbiggin

1971,’79,’84, ’89,’91 AND 2005: SIX SEASONS THAT CHANGED THE COURSE OF HOCKEY HISTORY.

What if Montreal had chosen Marcel Dionne instead of Guy Lafleur? Why was “The Great One” never drafted? How did the Red Wings turn around their fortunes via Europe? Inexact Science tackles it all.

The Draft? It is the path to victory. From Guy Lafleur to Sidney Crosby to Connor McDavid, the annual selection of hockey’s most promising prospects has long been considered the way to riches for both the game’s top young talents and the NHL’s championship-hunting franchises. But the “Draft Day” has also been the road to ruin—the source of great heartache and disappointment. With Inexact Science, the curious, compelling events of the NHL Draft are explored through the six most captivating years in its history.

In addition to this analysis, Inexact Science spells out the lessons learned from decades of reading hockey horoscopes, details how the big day changed the business of the game and, finally, considers where it might be headed next. Along the way, there’s more than a few controversies, blockbuster trades, innovative ideas and plain old bad judgement—and Evan and Bruce Dowbiggin capture it all.