The NHL Trade Deadline is on Monday, Feb. 24. This could be a busy year on the trade market…or it could be relatively uneventful. Regardless, it will be interesting to see broadcasters once again try to devote an entire day’s worth of airtime to the event. Some trades have already taken place, as teams jockey for position ahead of the playoffs. Which team will emerge as the Stanley Cup favourite?
This week, we take a look at five major trade deadline deals.
Brett Hull to the St. Louis Blues (1988)
The trade: Brett Hull and Steve Bozek from Calgary to St. Louis in exchange for Rob Ramage and Rick Wamsley.
Sometimes, even when a trade works out, it doesn’t really work out.
Brett Hull, the son of the legendary Bobby Hull, had shown he had his father’s scoring touch, but Calgary was desperate to compete for the Cup. A trade was made to give Calgary what they felt was some much-needed backup. Hull was expendable because Calgary was loaded on the right side. The Flames did go on to win the following season, but there is no doubt this trade cost them in the long run because Brett Hull turned into one of the game’s most prolific scorers.
In the 1990-91 season alone he notched 86 goals, which is the third-highest single season total in history. He also scored 72 in 1989-90 and 70 in 1991-92. For perspective, the last time any player finished the season with 60 was in 2011-12 when Steven Stamkos hit that mark. Last year, Alex Ovechkin of Washington led the league with 51.
Hull finished his career with 741 goals and 1,391 points in 1,269 games. He still sits fourth on the all-time goal scoring list, trailing just Wayne Gretzky, Gordie Howe, and Jaromir Jagr. Hull was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2009.
Mike Gartner for Dino Ciccarelli (1989)
The trade: Dino Ciccarelli and Bob Rouse heading to the Washington Capitals for Mike Gartner and Larry Murphy.
This is a star-studded trade that worked well for both sides at the time.
How often do you see a hockey trade involving so many greats? Gartner sits seventh on the all-time goal scoring list. Ciccarelli is 19th. Larry Murphy would go on to win the Stanley Cup four times (with Pittsburgh in 1991 and 1992 and again with Detroit in 1997 and 1998). Gartner, Cicarelli, and Murphy have all been inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame (in 2001, 2010, and 2004, respectively).
Ron Francis and Ulf Samuelsson to the Pittsburgh Penguins (1991)
The trade: Ron Francis, Ulf Samuelson and Grant Jennings from Hartford to Pittsburgh for John Cullen, Jeff Parker, and Zarley Zalapski.
The trade paid immediate dividends for the Penguins, who would go on to win back-to-back Stanley Cups in 1991 and 1992. Ron Francis was an integral part of the team’s offensive depth. Ulf Samuelsson would score the Stanley Cup-winning goal in 1991.
Cullen and Zalapski would both have serviceable NHL careers, but neither would go on to win the Stanley Cup. Cullen would, however, win the Bill Masterton Trophy in 1999 for his dedication to hockey, re-joining the Tampa Bay Lightning after missing 18 months due to cancer treatments.
Markus Naslund to the Vancouver Canucks (1996)
The trade: Markus Naslund from Pittsburgh to Vancouver for Alek Stojanov.
Some thought Markus Naslund’s career was floundering in Pittsburgh, even though he was beginning to produce offensively. A change of scenery was in order. Who would have guessed what would result? Considering that Naslund went on to become the Canucks’ all-time leading scorer (only to eventually be passed by Daniel and Henrik Sedin), it seems fair to say this turned into a pretty good deal for Vancouver.
Many cite this as one of the most lopsided trades in NHL history, as Stojanov only played in 107 games in the NHL, registering just seven points. Naslund, on the other hand, played in over 1,100 games and scored 869 points.
Ray Bourque to the Colorado Avalanche (2000)
The trade: Ray Bourque and Dave Andreychuk from Boston to Colorado for Brian Rolston, Martin Grenier, Samuel Pahlsson and a first round pick (Martin Samuelsson).
Bourque had played his entire career with the Bruins but had never won the Stanley Cup. He wanted a chance to win and the Avalanche, bolstered by a roster that already included future Hall of Famers like Joe Sakic, Peter Forsberg, and Patrick Roy, seemed like a strong bet. The trade didn’t pay off immediately, however, as the Avs would end up being eliminated by Dallas in the Western Conference Finals. The following year was a different story; this time Colorado would go on to defeat the New Jersey Devils in the finals, giving Bourque his ultimate prize. He would announce his retirement shortly thereafter.
Which NHL players will change teams between now and the Monday deadline? Hopefully, your favourite team lands a player that will lead to a run at the Cup!
