Worst NHL trades since 1980

Personally, I am sick and tired of people whining and bitching about the Ryan Smyth deal. So I thought to myself why not make a list of trades that are far worse so if by the odd chance someone pissed off about the trade reads it they think, wow maybe it’s not so bad we didn’t get screwed as bas as these guys (BTW I like the trade 5.5 is too much for Smyth no matter what he has done for the organization)

Here is my list of top 10 worst trades of all time after 1980 based on player performance with the teams in the trades. As well, some people may not agree but I also considered draft picks and who the team took as part of the trade even though picks are a risky business.

Honorable Mentions:

12. St. Louis trades Chris Pronger to Edmonton Oilers for Eric Brewer, Jeff Woywitka and Doug Lynch

Reason:
If I really need to explain you are not a hockey fan.

11. Martin St. Louis was put on waivers by the Calgary Flames and picked up by the Tampa Bay Lightening

Reason:
Calgary got nothing while Tampa Bay got a player that since has scored 397 regular season point in 451 games while winning and Art Ross Trophy and Stanley Cup ring in 2003-2004

The List:

10. Winnipeg Jets traded Kris Draper to the Detroit Red Wings for one US dollar

Reason:
Some people might point out that this does not involve any real marquis players. However, you could find a dollar on the street. Whereas, I have yet to find an 8th round NHL draft pick on the street. As well, Kris Draper was a key part in the Detroit Stanley Cups in 96-97, 97-98, and 01-02.

9. On October 16, 1989 the Toronto Maple Leafs traded their 3rd overall pick to the New Jersey Devils for Tom Kurvers. The 3rd pick ended up being Scott Niedermayer

Reason:
Toronto wanted an offensive defenseman and saw that Mr. Kurvers was available. Tom ended up playing 89 games scoring 55 points with the Maple Leafs before being traded to the Vancouver Canucks. Where as Scott Niedermayer played 892 games scoring 476 points for the Devils

8. On July 11, 2001 Jaromir Jagr was traded with Frantisek Kucera from the Pittsburg Penguins to the Washington Capitals for Kris Beech, Ross Lupaschuk and Michal Sivek

Reason:
Pittsburg was giving up its leading scorer in Jagr due to monetary reasons, however, trading Jagr for these guys breaks down as Jagr 806 games played in Pittsburg (regular season), 2 Stanley Cups, 1079 points for Beech (95 GP, 27 PTS), Lupaschuk (3 GP, 0 PTS) and Sivek (38 GP, 6 PTS)

7. On January 23, 2004 the same Jaromir Jagr was traded from the Washington Capitals to the New York Rangers straight up for Anson Carter

Reason:
You could really flip flop 7 and 8 the only reason I have this one lower is because Washington only got one player instead of 3. So why it was bad, obviously this was another salary dump. However, in Jagr’s time in Washington he compiled 190 GP, 201 PTS. Whereas, Carter compiled 19 GP, 10 PTS before being traded to the Los Angles Kings in the same season for Jared Aulin. So this trade ends up being Jagr (previous stats) for Aulin (0 GP, 0 PTS). Both of these trades would have been rated lower if it obviously had not been a salary dump.


6. On June 23, 2006 the Florida Panthers trade Roberto Luongo, Lukas Krajicek and a 6th round (Sergei Shirokov) for Todd Bertuzzi, Bryan Allen, Alex Auld

Reason:
When you look at this trade two names stand out Luongo and Bertuzzi. Now granted Florida could not have seen Bertuzzi getting hurt 7 games into the year. However, he did. So the trade stacks up Luongo (the reason Vancouver will make the playoffs) at 70 GP 43-20-6, 2.29 GAA, 0.921 SV% and Krajicek 73 GP, 15 PTS for Auld 27 GP 7-13-5, 3.35 GAA, 0.888 SV%, Allen 75 GP, 21 PTS, and Bertuzzi 7 GP, 7 PTS. Then to cap it all off Bertuzzi gets dealt to the Red Wings for Shawn Matthais (and two draft picks if the Red Wings make it to the finals this year). In case you were wondering Matthais is playing for the Belleville Bulls and has 73 points in his 3rd junior year.


5. On June 24, 2000 the New York Islander trade Roberto Luongo and Olli Jokinen for Mark Parrish and Oleg Kvasha

Reason:
Well let’s see Florida got a goalie that could have easily been a major piece to build a franchise around. That didn’t happen ala number 6. However, this is still a great deal for the Panthers. In this deal they got Luongo who went 318 GP 108-154-41, 2.66 GAA, .920 SV% and Jokinen who has 478 GP and 336 points. All for Mark Parrish 345 GP, 214 PTS and Kvasha 332 GP, 156 PTS. So, if you look at this trade points-wise (Jokinen has only 24 less than Parrish and Kvasha and is still on the Panthers), intangibles (Jokinen being the current captain of the Panthers), and the fact that they got Luongo this deal is incredible. If you are wondering Parrish was shipped to the Kings with Brent Sopel for Denis Grebeshkov (GO OILERS GO) and Jeff Tambellini. As well Kvasha was shipped to the Coyotes for future considerations and a 3rd round pick. So overall trade Islander perspective Luongo and Jokinen for Tambellini, Marc Andre Bergeron, and a 3rd round pick

4. On November 30, 2005 the Boston Bruins trade Joe Thornton to the San Jose Sharks for Wayne Primeau, Marco Sturm and Brad Stuart (leaving Edmontonians to thing we had that kind of crap to give up for him)

Reason:
Well where to start, over his time with the Sharks Thornton has 134 GP and 196 PTS. Not to mention he helped Jonathan Cheechoo to become one of the leagues most dangerous triggermen. Whereas, the stats for the other three read as Sturm 120 GP, 85 PTS, Primeau 101 GP, 29 PTS and Stuart 103 GP and 48 PTS. So not only has Thornton outscored them by 34 points two of the players acquired (Stuart and Primeau) were dealt to the Flames for Andrew Ference and Chuck Kobasew. This was done because Stuart was going to walk as a free agent at the end of the year. As well, Boston GM Peter Chiarelli was put in-between a rock and a hard place. Bruins fans did not want to have nothing to show for previous GM Mike O’Connell’s buffoonery at the end of this year (as Sturm was a free agent) so had to grossly overpay for a 50 point per year player (3.5 million).

3. On June 23, 2001 the New York Islander trade Bill Muckalt, Zdeno Chara and a 1st round pick (turned out to be Jason Spezza) to the Ottawa Senators for Alexei Yashin

Reason:
Seriously this deal was highway robbery. Current day I would not even trade Spezza straight up for Yashin. In this deal Ottawa gave up a #1 center and got a better #1 center, a #1 defensemen and a 4th line plugger. Looking at the stats Yashin so far on the Island has 339 GP, 278 PTS and a jaw dropping 7.6 million dollar cap hit. Whereas, Spezza has 240 GP, 245 PTS, Chara had (left as a free agent) 299 GP, 146 PTS and Muckalt had 70 GP, 8 PTS. Plus Chara and Spezza have helped the Senators get into the playoff each year since 01-02 while the Islander have missed the playoffs twice

2. On March 20, 1996 the Vancouver Canucks trade Alek Stojanov to the Pittsburgh Penguins for little known Markus Naslund

Reason:
Are you kidding me Naslund for Stojanov? Let’s compare these two: Stojanov 35 GP, 6 PTS. Whereas, Naslund 795 GP, 696 PTS. Do I need to continue? Naslund was part of one of the last great league dominating lines (with Bertuzzi and Morrison). He has been the captain of the Canucks since 2000. Worst part of the deal… the Penguins actually initiated it wanting to dump Naslund because coach Eddie Johnston though Naslund was a flash in the pan and wanted a safer prospect. Good Call

1. (b) On June 30, 1992 the Philadelphia Flyers traded Chris Simon, Mike Ricci, Kerry Huffman, Ron Hextall, Steve Duchesne, Peter Forsberg, 1st round pick in 1993 (Adam Deadmarsh), 1st round pick in 1994 (Wade Belak), future considerations and cash to the Quebec Nordiques for Eric Lindros

Reason:
Seriously, again even in the 90s I would not have done a trade of Lindros for Forsberg straight up. Let us just look at those two players for a comparison Lindros 486 GP, 659 points. Forsberg 580 GP, 741 PTS, Stanley Cups in 95-96 and 00-01. Advantage Forsberg. Now you throw in all the other players even if they were busts this deal hands down belongs to the Nordique/Avalanche connection. BTW in 97 Ricci turned into Tanguay.


1. (a) On August 9, 1988 the Edmonton Oilers trade Wayne Gretzky, Mike Krushelnyski and Marty McSorley to the Los Angeles Kings for Jimmy Carson, Martin Gelinas, a 1st round pick in 1989 (Jason Miller), 1st round pick in 1991 (Martin Rucinsky), a 1st round pick in 1993 (Nick Stajduhar) and about 15 million in cash.

Reason:
Are you kidding me there is no way to justify this trade. Yes the Oilers win another cup but seriously. Gretzky goes on to play 539 games and scoring 918 points. Compare that to the entire group of Carson, Gelinas, Miller (traded to New Jersey for Corey Foster (0 GP 0 PTS by the way)), Rucinsky (Traded to Quebec for Ron Tugnutt and Brad Zavisha), Stajduhar

GP PTS
Carson 84 103
Gelinas 258 120
Miller 0 0
Rucinsky 2 0
Stajduhar 2 0

Totals 346 223

Roughly 193 games and 695 points shy. Point. Set. Match. Worst trade ever.

I hope this puts the Smyth trade into perspective for all you candy sucking cry-babies.