Arthur M. Wirtz, long-time chairman and part-owner of the Chicago Black Hawks, died at the age of 82 on July 21, 1983.
St. Louis Blues owner Ralston Purina announced that it would sell the team to a group led by World Hockey Association (WHA) and Edmonton Oilers founder Bill Hunter, with the intent on relocating the Blues to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.
[4][5] Ralston then filed an anti-trust lawsuit in U.S. District Court, claiming that the NHL broke federal antitrust laws and breached the duty of good faith and fair dealing by voting to reject the sale and transfer of the Blues to Hunter's group.
Because they were not required to participate in the 1983 NHL Entry Draft, they did not send a representative, which led the Blues to forfeit their picks.
The NHL also said that Ralston broke a league rule that an owner had to give two years' notice before dissolving a franchise.
[7] The Board of Governors rejected the offer and "terminated" the team on June 13, one day before Ralston's supposed deadline.
The St. Louis Blues did not participate in this draft due to the aforementioned dispute between the league and team owner Ralston Purina.
This rule remained in effect until the 1999–2000 season, where a team losing in overtime was awarded 1 point.
Prior to the season, the St. Louis Blues were purchased by Harry Ornest, keeping the team from folding after a proposed move to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan was rejected by the NHL Board of Governors.
[14] Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points Source: NHL.