Samuel Patterson Smyth Pollock, OC, CQ (December 15, 1925 – August 15, 2007) was a Canadian sports executive who was general manager of the National Hockey League's Montreal Canadiens for 14 years during which they won 9 Stanley Cups.
The Montreal Canadiens saw potential in Pollock and quickly hired him to be the successor to Frank J. Selke, as Personnel Director from 1959 to 1964.
To this end he was always planning, sometimes years in advance, in order to be in position to pick up the "cream of the crop" in any annual entry level draft.
[2] Among his shrewdest moves was a series of trades in which the Canadiens obtained the first overall pick in the 1971 NHL Entry Draft, the year in which Guy Lafleur would be eligible.
He was also instrumental in acquiring Larry Robinson, Serge Savard, Guy Lapointe, and Yvan Cournoyer, all of whom would become superstars for the Canadiens.