How Buffalo System Helped Don Luce Become A Star

(by Frances Rosa, Boston Globe DEC 1975)

It seems almost every team in hockey has a system. And Boston and Montreal, for two, "will have to join the trend or die" says coach Scotty Bowman of the Montreal Canadiens who were ousted from the playoffs by Buffalo in last season's playoffs. "We'll need a system that makes maximum use of its players."

Don Luce of Buffalo, says Bowman, is typical of that changing face, the new breed. He talked about him after the Canadiens playoff loss. Don Luce, 27, discarded by the Rangers, frustrated by Detroit, and thrust into stardom in Buffalo.

Don Luce, a great penalty killer, forechecker, offensive opportunist, a selfless player. Don Luce, a worker among workers.

"He's one of those players who knocks around for five or six years, lands in Buffalo, fits into their system, and becomes an outstanding player," says Bowman. "He has learned from his experiences. We get him tied up and he wiggles free. He seems to know where the puck is and both he and Craig Ramsay know how to shoot to the top of the net."

"Buffalo's French Connection Line didn't knock us out of the playoffs. It was the Luce-Ramsay line that hurt us the most. Buffalo's system of coming in deep on us worked because of them. All these teams have systems now and we can't sit there unconcerned."

Bowman, after the Canadiens had been beaten by the Sabres, came into the Buffalo dressing room and shook hands with the opposition players. Luce was standing there in street clothes, with his Afro-style hair, gold rimmed glasses sitting on his nose, a small attache case in his hand. He has his own ideas on why Buffalo won the series.

"We played the game as planned," he said. "We wanted to stay on them, force the play. We went to them and I think that disrupted their attack."

"We played a smart checking game and frustrated them," said linemate Craig Ramsay. "It was a job done by three lines, four defenseman and a goalie."
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A few notes:

1. The writer must have been paid by the word, or needed to deliver a certain number of them. Otherwise the attache reference makes even less sense.
2. The third player on that line in spring 1975 was Danny Gare. No idea why he was left out of the article, he had an amazing rookie season and playoff. A buzzsaw.
3. I've found references to "marking his man" or "shadow" earlier in hockey history, but I don't think I've seen a mention of "systems" before this article from 1975. Anyone have something from an earlier time?
4. That Buffalo team was a beauty, not quite good enough for the Flyers and then the Habs took a giant leap forward by the following spring.