30 trades that rocked NHL franchises: East

Some NHL trades alter a team for a few weeks; others change the course of a hockey club for years. And then there are trades that impact the entire franchise. This kind of trade leads to a Stanley Cup (or many), signifies a changing of the guard, or marks a new direction for the franchise moving forward.

Starting with the Eastern Conference, we will look at 30 trades that rocked the NHL, one massive swap for each team in the league.

Boston Bruins

How can anyone forget the trade that sent one of the Bruins’ best players, defenceman Raymond Bourque, to the Colorado Avalanche? How about in the 1970s when the Bruins sent Phil Esposito to the New York Rangers for the likes of Jean Ratelle and Brad Park?

Believe it or not, however, the one trade that really rocked the Bruins’ franchise was one that was made recently. Back in September of 2009, the Bruins’ traded Phil Kessel to the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for a Leafs’ 2010 first-rounder, a Leafs’ 2011 first-rounder and a Leafs’ 2010 second-rounder.

While the 2010 second-rounder turned out to be Jared Knight and the 2011 pick turned out to be Dougie Hamilton, it was the 2010 first-rounder who would end up paying immediate dividends for the Bruins.

At the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, that first rounder would end up being the No. 2 pick in the entire draft: Tyler Seguin. In his rookie season in 2010-11, Seguin would not score many points (11 goals and 11 assists) during the regular season, but in the Stanley Cup playoffs, Seguin would pick up seven points (three goals, four assists) in 13 games, helping his team to its first Stanley Cup since 1972.

Buffalo Sabres

It can be argued that the trade that rocked the Buffalo Sabres’ franchise was the one that helped them land high-scoring forward Daniel Briere in 2003.

However, we believe the trade that changed the whole Sabres’ franchise was made following the 1991-92 season. It was then that the Sabres acquired netminder Stephane Beauregard from the Winnipeg Jets after the season. Beauregard was then flipped to the Chicago Blackhawks without ever playing a game in a Sabres uniform. It was that deal in which the Sabres’ sent a fourth-round draft pick (Eric Daze) to the Blackhawks in exchange for Dominik Hasek.

Hasek was arguably the greatest goalie in Sabres history. In his nine seasons with the Sabres, Hasek won six Vezina trophies (1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001) as the league’s top netminder, two Hart Trophies (1997 and 1998) as the league’s most valuable player, two Lester B. Pearson Awards (1997 and 1998) as the league’s most valuable player as voted by his peers, and was named to the NHL All-Star team five times (1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000).

Oh, yeah, he also led the Sabres to the Stanley Cup Final in 1999 and got the team to within one game of winning its first Cup in franchise history. Hasek will likely go down as one of the great goaltenders in the game of hockey.

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Carolina Hurricanes

Before the Carolina Hurricanes were the Carolina Hurricanes, they were the Hartford Whalers — and the Whalers gave up one of their best players in franchise history when they traded Ron Francis to the Pittsburgh Penguins back in 1991.

However, while that trade sent ripples throughout the organization, it is not that one that rocked the franchise. No, the trade that rocked the franchise was one that was made back in 2000, on Jan. 23.

That day, the Hurricanes acquired centre Rod Brind’amour, Jean-Marc Pelletier, and a second-round pick from the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for Keith Primeau and a fifth-round pick. Little did the Hurricanes organization and its fans know that Brind’amour would go on to do very special things down South.

In 2006, Brind’amour would captain the Hurricanes to their first and only Stanley Cup in their history while garnering the minds and hearts of fans all throughout Raleigh and the RBC Center.

Florida Panthers

Prior to the 2006-07 season, the Florida Panthers had had an up-and-down history.

That would all change on June 23, 2006, as the organization would begin a downward spiral. On that day, the Panthers’ traded then superstar goaltender Roberto Luongo, Lukas Krajicek, and a 2006 sixth-round pick to the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for Bryan Allen, goaltender Alex Auld, power forward Todd Bertuzzi and a 2007 conditional sixth-round pick.

The Canucks would win this trade in a big way as Luongo went on to help the Canucks to divisional titles and earn a spot in the Stanley Cup Final last year. On the other side, the Panthers did not get any kind of good performance and went on to have several losing seasons.

Montreal Canadiens

With such a storied franchise as the Montreal Canadiens, you already know that the organization has made a ton of trades in its long history.

However, one trade that would shock the Canadiens, its fans and the entire hockey world occurred during the 1995-96 season. It all started when, on Dec. 2, 1995, Patrick Roy allowed nine goals against the visiting Detroit Red Wings. Before sitting down on the Canadiens bench, he would blast his head coach, Mario Tremblay, for leaving him in the game and embarrassing him.

Four days later, Roy, along with forward Mike Keane, was traded to the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for Andre Kovalenko, Martin Rucinsky and netminder Jocelyn Thibault. This deal would certainly work out kindly for the Avalanche.

That very same season, Roy would lead the Avalanche to their first of two Stanley Cups and would go on to be the greatest goaltender in Avalanche history.

New Jersey Devils

When talking about the New Jersey Devils, it’s easy to say that the neutral-zone trap was a big contributor to their Stanley Cup victories in 1995, 2000 and 2003.

However, the main reason why the Devils won those three Cups was because of a trade they made after the 1990-91 season. That off-season, then Devils restricted free agent forward Brendan Shanahan signed with the St. Louis Blues. Because Shanahan was restricted, the Blues owed the Devils compensation.

The compensation came in the form of defenceman Scott Stevens. Stevens captained the Devils from 1992-2004 and established himself as a consistent, hard-nosed defenceman who made the right plays at the right time.

While this was technically not a trade the Devils made, it was a move that helped the organization acquire the true leader that it needed to become a successful hockey club and franchise as a whole.

New York Islanders

Acquiring Butch Goring from the Los Angeles Kings was the best trade the franchise on Long Island ever made. However, the one that rocked the franchise and changed the course of it is one that will probably go down as one of the worst deals in NHL history.

On June 24, 2000, then Islanders’ general manager Mike Milbury traded goaltender Roberto Luongo and Olli Jokinen to the Florida Panthers in exchange for Mark Parrish and Oleg Kvasha. Yes, you read that right.

Luongo would go on to find his goaltending prowess in Florida before being dealt to the Canucks. Jokinen would go on to have several productive seasons with the Panthers before going to play for the Phoenix Coyotes in 2008-09.

New York Rangers

The New York Rangers, an Original Six franchise, have made many big deals over the course of their history.

However, the biggest deal the organization ever made came back in October of 1991. On Oct. 4, the Blueshirts traded high-scoring Bernie Nicholls and two young prospects in Steven Rice and Louie DeBrusk in exchange for future considerations and some guy named Mark Messier.

In his first season as a Ranger, Messier would captain the team to a Patrick Division title as well as a Presidents’ Trophy. However, it was two years later that he would truly leave his mark on the franchise.

First, he guaranteed victory over the New Jersey Devils in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals. He delivered by scoring a hat trick and adding an assist for four points.

Then, he delivered in the greatest way that he could: by leading the Rangers to their first Cup in 54 years, one that will last a lifetime on Broadway.

Ottawa Senators

Back when the Ottawa Senators were first starting out, many thought that forward Alexei Yashin would be the team’s best player in franchise history.

Well, that did not end up happening. The Senators ended up trading Yashin to the New York Islanders for defenceman Zdeno Chara, forward Bill Muckalt and their 2001 first-round (second overall) draft pick back on June 23, 2001.

As it turned out, the second overall pick ended up being Jason Spezza. Spezza and Chara would help the Senators become one of the most consistent and best hockey teams in the NHL.

On the other end of the deal, Yashin would not do anything memorable during his time on Long Island.

Philadelphia Flyers

When you talk about the Philadelphia Flyers and significant trades, two words come to mind: Eric Lindros.

Prior to the 1991 NHL Entry Draft, Lindros had been labeled the “next one” by hockey scouts, scribes and fans alike. Lindros had size, speed, power and terrific point-producing prowess.

At that draft, the Quebec Nordiques were able to draft Lindros with the No.1 overall selection. While the Nordiques were ecstatic with this move, Lindros wanted no part of it.

While Lindros had many suitors, it would be the Flyers who would answer the call and acquire Lindros by trading away Peter Forsberg, Mike Ricci, two first-round picks and $15 million.

Lindros would become the face of the Flyers’ franchise both positively and negatively for nine seasons, while Forsberg would go on to win a Calder Trophy (1995), an Art Ross Trophy (2003), a Hart Trophy (2003) and two Stanley Cups (1996 and 2001) with the Nordiques/Colorado Avalanche.

Pittsburgh Penguins

When looking at the main reasons why the Pittsburgh Penguins won back-to-back
Stanley Cups in 1991 and 1992, many people will obviously point out the likes of Mario Lemieux and Jaromir Jagr.

While that is true, there is another reason why the Penguins won the Cups in those seasons. The most important date for the Penguins was March 4, 1991, as that would be the day the team traded John Cullen, Jeff Parker and Zarley Zalapski to the Hartford Whalers in exchange for Grant Jennings, Ron Francis, and Ulf Samuelsson.

Francis and Samuelsson would be key cogs in the Penguins’ well-oiled playoff machine those seasons. In 45 postseason games between 1991 and 1992, Francis would produce 44 points on 15 goals and 29 assists.

Samuelsson, on the other hand, would be known for his timely hitting on other team’s best players and would also be one of the club’s most consistent defencemen.

Tampa Bay Lightning

When the Tampa Bay Lightning won the Stanley Cup in 2004, many Lightning and hockey fans in general thought that the team would be able to do it again given their offensive talent.

However, one of the team’s biggest offensive threats would be traded at the 2008 NHL trade deadline. The Lightning would send 2004 Conn Smythe winner Brad Richards and goaltender Johan Holmqvist to the Dallas Stars in exchange for Jussi Jokinen, Jeff Halpern, Mike Smith and a fourth-round draft pick.

After that happened, the Lightning would not end up making the playoffs again until last season, when they lost in seven games to the Boston Bruins in the Eastern Conference finals. The team is now led by the likes of Martin St. Louis, Steven Stamkos, and Vincent Lecavalier.

Meanwhile, Richards is back in the Eastern Conference after having been signed to a nine-year deal by the New York Rangers this past offseason.

Toronto Maple Leafs

It is well known throughout Canada that the Maple Leafs have not won a Stanley Cup since 1967.

One of the main reasons? Their general managers have not made the shrewdest of deals, instead making moves that have either hurt the club or have yet to reach their full potential. One deal that fits the “hurt” category was made back in September of 2009.

It was then that the Leafs traded their 2010 first-rounder, 2010 second-rounder and 2011 first-rounder to Boston for Phil Kessel. Had the Leafs kept these picks, they would have had 2010 second overall pick Tyler Seguin, 2010 second-round pick Jared Knight, and 2011 first-rounder Dougie Hamilton. This would set them up lovely for the future.

Instead, the Leafs have a great point producer in Kessel, who has yet to get the Leafs back into the postseason for the first time since the 2003-04 season.

Washington Capitals

The Washington Capitals have yet to win a Stanley Cup, but they certainly did acquire a player who did his very best to make that happen.

On Sept. 9, 1982, the Capitals traded Rick Green and Ryan Walter to the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for Brian Engblom, Dough Jarvis, Craig Laughlin and, last but not least, Rod Langway.

Langway would go on to play with the Capitals for 11 seasons. He won the Norris Trophy in his first two seasons with the club while leading the team to the Stanley Cup Playoffs each and every season he was there. Prior to Langway, the Capitals had never made the postseason.

Langway’s jersey now hangs in the Verizon Center as one of the Capitals’ retired numbers. He was also inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2002.

Winnipeg Jets

Prior to being the Winnipeg Jets, the Jets were the Atlanta Thrashers.

The trade that changed the team’s landscape for the future was made on Feb. 4, 2010. That season, the Thrashers traded scoring machine Ilya Kovalchuk to the New Jersey Devils for Johnny Oduya, two young, first-round prospects in Niclas Bergfors and Patrice Cormier, and the Devils’ first two draft choices.

Since that deal, the Thrashers have moved to Winnipeg and Kovalchuk was signed to a 15-year, $100-million deal. Both the Jets and Kovalchuk are trying to find their way and looking to be successful in any way that they possibly can. With the Devils currently on a roll, the rewards of this deal could be reaped as early as this spring.

Stay tuned. Later this week we will roll out Part 2 of this feature: “30 Trades that Rocked NHL Franchises: The West.”