Al Karlander: first active NCAA player drafted in NHL

The 1967 NHL amateur draft was held at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal. It took place Wednesday, June 7, 1967, and consisted of three rounds. It was notable in that it was the first NHL draft where a team selected an active NCAA hockey player. Al “Olle” Karlander from Michigan Tech was selected 17th overall at the end of the second round by the Detroit Red Wings. While Karlander was the first active college hockey player taken in the NHL entry draft, it’s worth noting there were NHL draft picks before him who would later go on to play college hockey after being drafted. For instance, three years earlier in the 1964 amateur draft, Brian Watts was drafted by the Detroit Red Wings. Watts ended up being a Michigan Tech teammate of Karlander’s before launching his professional career.

Karlander was born in British Columbia and had recently finished his first varsity season with the Huskies when he was drafted. The center had scored five goals and assisted on 12 more throughout his sophomore season. By the time his college career was over, Karlander was an alternate captain and had scored a total of 83 points in three varsity seasons in Houghton, Michigan. He was a Second Team All-WCHA selection in 1968. The following year in 1969 he became a First Team West All-American, First Team All-WCHA, and Second Team All-Tournament Selection during his senior year at Michigan Tech. He led the Huskies to a fourth-place finish in the NCAA tournament that season. At the end of both his junior and senior years, his school presented him with the Merv Youngs Award (for team MVP) and Gary Crosby Leading Scorer Award; earning both trophies in back-to-back seasons. On October 20, 1990, Karlander was inducted into the Michigan Tech Athletics Hall of Fame.

Throughout his professional career, Al Karlander played in the NHL for the Detroit Red Wings as well as the New England Whalers and Indianapolis Racers of the WHA. He was presented with the 1969-70 Detroit Rookie of the Year Award by the Detroit Sports Broadcasters Association. After his playing days, he coached the Cincinnati Stingers of the Central Hockey League during the 1979-80 season. He had a hockey career that spanned numerous leagues where he earned some impressive awards, but on top of everything, he will always hold the title of the first active college player to be drafted by an NHL team.

Photo Credit: Michigan Tech Centennial.