Ken Dryden shocked the hockey world as he sat out the entire 1973–74 season.
He had won a Vezina Trophy and helped lead Canada past Russia in the dramatic Hockey Summit of 1972.
Despite his bargaining power, most players in Dryden's position would have simply accepted what the Canadiens were giving him.
Dryden bolted training camp, while general manager Sam Pollock fumed.
The Canadiens qualified for the playoffs in second place, setting up a match-up with the third-place New York Rangers.