In every sports league there has been trades made where one has to say out loud, was the one general manager drunk or high? These trades have sometimes set a franchise up for success or failure for up to 10 years. Imagine if the same team made two or three colossal moves.
Who is the worst GM in sports history
Who is the worst GM in sports history? The Montreal Expos in 1994 had a good thing going before then general manager Kevin Malone traded away former all stars Larry Walker, Moises Alou, Pedro Martinez, Marquis Grissom and John Wetteland.
Former New York Islanders general manager Mike Milbury was one of those general managers in the past decade. Reason why we’re pointing Milbury is he had a bunch if of absolutely bonehead moves, that the team is still paying for. Now granted Isles owner Charles Wang had his finger prints on some of these moves.
Which one of Milbury’s move was the worst? Luongo and Jokinen to Florida for Oleg Kvasha & Mark Parrish, or Alexei Yashin to NYI for Zdeno Chara, Jason Spezza and Bill Muckalt? After the 2007 season the Islanders bought out Yashin but, they had to pay Yashin 2.2 million for eight years (which counts against the teams salary cap). The same day Milbury traded Luongo, he traded then 20-year-old de-man Eric Brewer to Edmonton for Roman Hamirlik. Can you imagine on how much Luongo, Jokinen, Brewer, Spezza and Chara could have helped the Isles; it’s not farfetched to say they could be a current contender, if not Stanley Cup Champs by now.
Cam Neely & first rounder for Barry Pederson
People don’t know this but Barry Pederson had back to back 100 point seasons with the Bruins, and in his first two years with the Canucks Pederson was a point a game player. But, we all know Cam Neely was the biggest and best power forward maybe of all time. Combined with Ray Bourque and Adam Oates, the Bruins were dominating for years. If only Neely didn’t have to fight his own battles who knows how long he could have played.
Another trade similar to the Neely trade, is Joe Nieuwendyk for Jarome Iginla. While Nieuwendyk won a Stanley Cup with Dallas in 1999, he wasn’t the dominant player he once was in Calgary. Iginla, now has over 1000 points in the NHL and like Neely has had a hall of fame career, while being one of the best power forward in the past decade.
Flames and Leafs hook-up x2
Twice the Toronto Maple Leafs and Calgary Flames hooked up for two of the bigger trades in NHL History. The first of the two was the biggest ever, a 10 player deal, 5 for 5. On Jan 2, 1992, Toronto Maple Leafs traded Craig Berube, Alexander Godynyuk, Gary Leeman, Michel Petit and Jeff Reese to the Calgary Flames for Doug Gilmour, Jamie Macoun, Ric Nattress, Rick Wamsley and Kent Manderville. Leeman was the key for Calgary, but the former 50 goal man never found his form after leaving Toronto. Arguably Gilmour during his 6 year stint in Toronto went on to be one of the best Maple Leafs of all time. Macoun & Natress went onto be top four de-man for the Leafs, who’s blueline before was woeful at best.
The second deal between the two teams was last year. Jan 31, 2010 Toronto Maple Leafs traded Nicklas Hagman, Matt Stajan, Jamal Mayers and Ian White to the Calgary Flames for Dion Phaneuf, Fredrik Sjostrom and Keith Aulie. White and Mayers have since moved onto San Jose, while Hagman and Stajan have underachieved. Phaneuf has not been spectacular at times but, came on late in 2011. Aulie when it’s all said and done could be the best player of them all, he and Phanuef were the Leafs shutdown tandem in the last half of the season and for years going forward.
Wendel Clark for Mats Sundin
The Nordiques at the time had an overabundance of scoring and skill, but they needed that extra grit and toughness in their lineup. They had thought Wendel Clark would do just that so they traded Mats Sundin to the Leafs in a deal June 28, 1994. Clark only survived one year in Quebec before getting dealt to the New York Islanders; which did land them Claude Lemiuex. Sundin of course went to play over 1000 games as a Maple Leaf, leading them to 3 conference finals.
Jagr x 2
Jaromir Jagr a legitimate hall of famer was traded a couple of times, in both instances, one GM looked foolish . Jagr was traded from Pittsburgh to Washington for Kris Beech, Ross Lupaschuk & Michael Sivek. The three players at the time looked promising but none of them panned out. A few years later Jagr as then traded to the NY Rangers for overrated forward Anson Carter.
Late Bloomers or stupid trade
Dan Boyle was once traded from the Florida Panthers to the Tampa Bay Lightning for a 5th round draft pick. There is no question Boyle was a key component in the 2004 Stanley Cup championship for the Lightning. When Marc Savard was in the doghouse in Calgary they moved him to the Atlanta Thrashers for Ruslan Zainlullin. Who the hell is Ruslan Zainlullin? Even I cannot answer that question, you think the Flames could have gotten even a 5th rounder for Savard.
These trades plus others are the worst in NHL history one day soon we’ll revisit some more of these trades.
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