[DanHibiki]

Originally Posted by gars

Bure was drafted 113th overall.

This was due to some legal complications and not because he was a diamond in the rough.

Bure was selected 113th overall in the 6th round of the 1989 NHL Entry Draft by the Vancouver Canucks, following his rookie season with CSKA Moscow. The pick was controversial, as the Canucks had chosen him seemingly a year ahead of his eligible draft season. At the age of 18, he was available to be chosen in the first three rounds of the draft, but in order to be selected any later than that, he would had to have played in at least two seasons (with a minimum of 11 games per season) for his elite-level European club, the Central Red Army.[18] However, the Canucks' head scout at the time, Mike Penny, discovered that Bure had played in additional exhibition and international games to make him an eligible late-round draft choice a year early.[3][4]

Several other teams either had similar knowledge or had pursued Bure, but there was confusion as to the legitimacy of the extra games. The Detroit Red Wings had inquired to league vice president Gil Stein as to Bure's supposed availability prior to their fifth-round pick, but were told that he was not eligible.[18] Winnipeg Jets general manager Mike Smith claimed he travelled to Moscow prior to the draft and made a offer to the Soviet Ice Hockey Federation. The deal involved a transfer fee to be paid to the Soviets over three years, after which time, Bure would join the Jets as a 21-year-old. Smith did not have any plans to draft Bure in 1989, however, as he believed Bure was ineligible.[19]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pavel_B...2.80.931991.29