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George Zoran
Top Prospect
Canada
55 Posts |
 Posted - 12/08/2005 : 08:53:32
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Now that everyone has adjusted to Joe Thornton playing for the Sharks, I thought it would be a great time to review some of the worst trades in NHL history. It is too early to judge the blockbuster that sent Sturm, Stuart and Primeau to the Bruins in exchange for one of the leagues best players who hasn’t even hit his prime. However, the Sharks got the best player and historically speaking, the team that gets the best player usually wins the trade.
We must remember that when a group of people consider a trade as “bad” there is always a group who consider that same trade as “great”. Even so, all can agree when a trade is one-sided.
So here we go - the top 10 most one-sided trades in NHL history:
10. It was a whole lot easier to stomach losing the heart and soul of the team – Trevor Linden to Long Island when in return the Canucks received Todd Bertuzzi, Bryan McCabe and a draft pick that ended up being Jarko Ruutu. Vancouver ended up getting Linden back three years later for a first round draft pick. Advantage Vancouver.
9. One year after leading the Gretzkyless Oilers to another Stanley Cup victory, Mark Messier was shipped to New York for financial reasons. This disappointing deal saw the Oilers receive Bernie Nichols, Steven Rice and Louie Debrusk in return for Jeff Buekeboom and the hall of famer who had another cup left in him. Advantage New York.
8. One of the best set up men in the game – Adam Oates was dealt by the Red Wings along with Paul MacLean to Blues for Tony McKegney and Bernie Federko. Oates was at the prime of his career and Federko retired the following season. Advantage St. Louis.
7. The Black Hawks acquired Pit Martin, Gilles Marotte, and Jack Norris from the Bruins in 1967. In return the Bruins received Phil Esposito, Ken Hodge, and Fred Stanfield. This deal was a huge disaster for the Black Hawks, and Esposito lead the Bruins to two Stanley Cups in ’70 and ’72. Advantage Boston.
6. When Marcel Dionne’s contract with the Detroit Red Wings expired in 1975, he refused to return to the team that drafted him and demanded a trade. The Kings gladly put together a package consisting of Terry Harper and Don Maloney in exchange for the rights to Dionne who ended up being the NHL’s 5th leading point getter of all-time. Advantage Los Angeles.
5. Canucks acquire Markus Naslund from Pittsburgh for Alek Stojanov. Naslund became an all-star and Stojanov a firefighter. Advantage Vancouver.
4. Wayne Gretzky wasn’t the only one in tears on that dark day in August of 1988 when he was dealt/sold to the Kings along with Marty McSorley and Mike Krushelnyski for Martin Gelinas, Jimmy Carson, three first round draft picks and $15 million of Bruce McNall’s dirty money. Advantage Los Angeles.
3. The day Doug Gilmour was traded from Calgary marked the beginning of the downfall of a once great franchise. It also transformed the Leafs into cup contenders. In return for Doug Gilmour, Ric Nattress, Jamie Macoun, Rick Wamsley and Kent Manderville, the Flames received Gary Leeman, Michel Petit, Jeff Reese, Craig Berube and Alexander Godynyuk. Advantage Toronto.
2. Eric Lindros refused to put on the Nordiques jersey at the 1991 entry draft and was eventually shipped to Philadelphia for Peter Forsberg, Mike Ricci, Steve Duschesne, Kerry Huffman, Chris Simon, Ron Hextall, $15 million and two first round draft picks. Lindros for Forsberg one-for-one may have been a good trade for both teams, but this lopsided deal paved the way for Colorado’s cup wins in ’96 and ’01. Advantage Quebec/Colorado.
1. June 6, 1986 will go down as the darkest day in Canuck’s history. Vancouver traded Cam Neely, a home town kid with huge potential to Boston for Barry Pederson. As if that wasn’t bad enough, the Canucks also threw in a first-round draft pick who turned out to be Glen Wesley, a solid blue liner. Neely was inducted into the hall of fame and Pederson was a huge disappointment. Advantage Boston.
(Dates, dollar figures, statistics and everything that happened before I was born sourced from NHL.com, Canucks.com, and USAtoday.com)
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Worst trades in NHL history… 
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