He was a promising young goaltender who really didn't have much of a chance to crack a Montreal Canadiens lineup that included veteran netminding stars Rogatien Vachon and 'Gump' Worsley at the NHL level, and highly-touted youngsters Ken Dryden and Phil Myre right behind them in the minors.

Still, when Tony Esposito made his NHL debut for Montreal in 1968, he opened some eyes.

Esposito made 13 appearances for the Habs as a rookie that season, winning five of his starts and tying four more, while posting a 2.73 goals-against average and two shutouts.

It was enough to get his name engraved on the Stanley Cup that season, but it wasn't enough to ensure him a future in Montreal. Because of their abundance of goaltenders, the Canadiens had to expose the young goaltender that spring in the intra-league draft. The Chicago Blackhawks, a team which only two years earlier had traded away his older brother, Phil, jumped at the chance to get him.

It turned out to be a very good decision. Tony Esposito was named the league's rookie of the year the following season, and went on to play 15 seasons in the Windy City. He earned five all-star selections, three Vezina trophies and set a single-season record of 15 shutouts that still stands today.

Esposito was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1988, capping off a brilliant career with the Blackhawks that began when the team drafted him from Montreal on June 11, 1969.

It was one of the memorable moments in hockey history, and it took place during the week of June 5-11..

June 5

Gerry Meehan was the last player drafted in the first draft.(AP)

Until the early 1960s, NHL clubs used to adhere to the notion of "finders, keepers," sponsoring junior teams throughout Canada and stocking them with the best young talent they could find. By doing so, the "Original Six" members laid claim to up-and-coming prospects and retained the rights of these players until they decided to relinquish them. That changed on this date in 1963, when the first amateur draft was held. The new system, which has been modified several times over the years, ensures that all teams have an equal shot at obtaining future stars.

June 6

Cam Neely had his career cut short by injury.(Allsport)

The Boston Bruins pulled off one of their best deals ever on this date in 1986 when they acquired Cam Neely and a first round draft choice from Vancouver in exchange for Barry Pederson. Neely spent a decade in Boston and scored 344 goals, including three seasons of 50 or more, and redefined the role of power forward in hockey. The Bruins used the pick they received to draft Glen Wesley in 1987, while Pederson played only six more NHL seasons, and scored only 75 goals over that span.

June 7
Former Kings owner Jack Kent Cooke brought hockey to L.A.(AP)	When the Dodgers and Giants left the New York area for California in the late 1950s, other sports leagues began eyeing the West Coast with envy. Among them was the NHL, which announced on this date in 1960 that Los Angeles and the Bay Area would be considered when the league expanded from its then six dates. Seven years later, there were new teams in Los Angeles and Oakland.

June 8

Toe Blake was the Canadiens' winningest coach ever.

Along with Maurice Richard and Elmer Lach, Hector 'Toe' Blake was part of the famed Punch Line that sparked the Montreal Canadiens offense in the 1940s and 1950s, and he continued to be a driving force with the team after he retired as a player. On this date in 1955, Blake was named coach of Montreal, beginning one of the most greatest periods in the team's glorious histoyr. Blake remaining behind the team bench for 13 years. During that time he won 500 games and eight Stanley Cups.

June 9

The Penguins knew Mario Lemieux was worth keeping.(Allsport)

He had the Quebec Nordiques and Montreal Canadiens drooling over him after he scored 247 goals and 315 assists in 200 junior games over three years. Both teams wanted native-son Mario Lemieux on their teams and each offered the Pittsburgh Penguins overwhelming trade packages to obtain the right to draft the Quebec junior league superstar. The Penguins didn't budge, however, and on this date in 1984, used their first overall pick to claim Lemieux. Six years later he led the team to its first of two consecutive Stanley Cups, and today he is the majority owner of the team.

June 10
Guy Lafleur led Montreal to five Stanley Cups.(Allsport)	You could call this date 'Guy Lafleur Day' in Montreal, and not only because it was the number he sported on his sweater during a great career with the Canadiens. On this date in 1970, Montreal made a multi-player deal to acquire the Oakland Seals first-round draft pick the following season, and then on June 10, 1971, they made Lafleur the first overall choice in the draft.

June 11

Jim Schoenfeld's coaching career with Buffalo lasted 43 games.(Allsport)

The Buffalo Sabres saw something special in Jim Schoenfeld, which is why they made the strapping defenseman the fifth overall pick of the 1972 draft. Schoenfeld stepped into the team's lineup the next season and became captain two years later. As a player, Schoenfeld spent 10 of his 13 NHL seasons with the Buffalo team. After brief stops in Detroit and Boston, Schoenfeld returned to the Sabres, and on this date in 1985 was named to replace Scotty Bowman behind the bench, becoming the youngest coach in NHL history.