Below are listed the selections in the 1972 NHL amateur draft. The expansion Islanders won the first pick by a coin toss between themselves and the Flames.
In June 1969, the Montreal Canadiens' traded the 1969 first-round pick to the Minnesota North Stars in exchange for Minnesota's promised to Montreal that they would not draft Dick Duff in the 1969 intra-league draft.
The Montreal Canadiens' second-round pick went to the California Golden Seals as the result of a trade on June 8, 1972, that sent Montreal's second-round pick in 1972 to California in exchange for California's first-round and second-round picks in 1973 as settlement of waiver draft payment owed from California to Montreal for California selecting Carol Vadnais in the 1968 intra-league draft.[2][10]
Montreal previously acquired this pick as the result of a trade on May 24, 1971, that sent Montreal's first-round pick in 1972, Gary Gambucci and Bob Paradise to Minnesota in exchange for Minnesota's first-round pick in 1972, second-round pick in 1972 and cash.
The original trade between Montreal and California was on June 12, 1968, that sent California's first-round and second-round picks in 1973 to Montreal in exchange for the opportunity to select Carol Vadnais in the 1968 intra-league draft.
The Atlanta Flames' fifth-round pick went to the Montreal Canadiens as the result of a trade on June 7, 1972, that sent Ted Tucker and Montreal's fifth-round pick in 1972 to Atlanta in exchange for cash and this pick. Ted Tucker and Montreal's fifth-round pick in 1973.[2][11]
The Montreal Canadiens' fifth-round pick went to the Atlanta Flames as the result of a trade on June 7, 1972, that sent the Atlanta's fifth-round pick in 1972 (Bill Nyrop) and cash to Montreal in exchange for Ted Tucker and this pick.[2][11]
The Buffalo Sabres' seventh-round pick went to the New York Islanders as the result of a trade on June 6, 1972, that the Islanders' promised to not take certain players in the 1972 NHL Expansion Draft in exchange for Buffalo's eight-round, ninth-round, tenth-round picks in the 1972 NHL Amateur Draft and this pick.[2]
The Los Angeles Kings' eighth-round pick went to the Minnesota North Stars as the result of a trade on June 8, 1972, that sent Los Angeles' tenth-round pick in the 1972 NHL Amateur Draft and this pick to Minnesota in exchange for cash.[2]
The Buffalo Sabres' eighth-round pick went to the New York Islanders as the result of a trade on June 6, 1972, that the Islanders' promised to not take certain players in the 1972 NHL Expansion Draft in exchange for Buffalo's seventh-round (Don McLaughlin), ninth-round, tenth-round picks in the 1972 NHL Amateur Draft and this pick.[2]
The Buffalo Sabres' ninth-round pick went to the New York Islanders as the result of a trade on June 6, 1972, that the Islanders' promised to not take certain players in the 1972 NHL Expansion Draft in exchange for Buffalo's seventh-round (Don McLaughlin), eight-round (Rene Levasseur), tenth-round picks in the 1972 NHL Amateur Draft and this pick.[2]
The St. Louis Blues' ninth-round pick went to the New York Rangers as the result of a trade on June 8, 1972, that sent cash to St. Louis in exchange for this pick.[2]
The New York Rangers' ninth-round pick went to the Atlanta Flames as the result of a trade on June 6, 1972, that the Flames' promised to not take certain players in the 1972 NHL Expansion Draft in exchange for this pick. The Flames passed on making a selection.[2]
The Boston Bruins' ninth-round pick went to the Toronto Maple Leafs as the result of a trade on June 8, 1972, that sent this pick to Toronto in exchange for cash.[2]
The Los Angeles Kings' eighth-round pick went to the Minnesota North Stars as the result of a trade on June 8, 1972, that sent Los Angeles' eighth-round pick in the 1972 NHL Amateur Draft (Scott MacPhail) and this pick to Minnesota in exchange for cash.[2]
The Buffalo Sabres' tenth-round pick went to the New York Islanders as the result of a trade on June 6, 1972, that the Islanders' promised to not take certain players in the 1972 NHL Expansion Draft in exchange for Buffalo's seventh-round (Don McLaughlin), eight-round (Rene Levasseur), ninth-round (Bill Ennos) picks in the 1972 NHL Amateur Draft and this pick.[2]
The Philadelphia Flyers' tenth-round pick went to the Minnesota North Stars as the result of a trade on June 8, 1972, that sent this pick to Minnesota in exchange for cash.[2]
The Toronto Maple Leafs' tenth-round pick went to the Minnesota North Stars as the result of a trade on June 8, 1972, that sent cash to Toronto in exchange for this pick. The North Stars passed on making a selection.[2]