BEST TRADES/WORST TRADES

[Detroit Cherni]

Everyone's done it. Made a trade that either makes you stick out your chest further than Pamela Anderson's, or made a deal that you still shake your head wondering "what the f**k was I thinking?"

So here it is........

What is your favorite trade and worst trade that you've ever made?

Let's see where this goes?

[ex-BluesGM]

I traded a 1st to Jack for Adam Deadmarsh who did absolutely nothing for me. Missed the playoffs.

On the good side probably too many to mention.

HOnestly I've liked most of my trades

Liles+ for Havlat and Sauer was nice.
Tkachuk for Peca and Jason Blake carried my team for a couple years.
John Leclair on his way out for Travis Zajac but I did give up a 1st too.

[torontogm]

I don't know yet how good any of my trades truly have been (but let's face it in 2 seasons I haven't finished higher than 26th so c'mon), but I am proud of the fact that I have made 6 trades (yup!) with Carolina and not only have I NOT given up 2 first rounders in any deal... I've only given up a total of 2 6ths!

My favorite trade so far:
To Calgary: Samsonov LW, Comeau RW and TOR 2 2011
To Toronto: Ryan Callahan RW/LW, Christian Hansen RW/C, John Moore D, and MTL 1 2010
because it has had big implications for both teams. It was my first big deal, and it helped Calgary make a good run in the playoffs... it also has had a good trickle-down for both clubs since:

Calgary moved Comeau for Cheechoo to get more scoring this season, and I've moved Callahan for Eminger D and CHI 3 2010 which helps to upgrade my blueline, and the MTL first rounder was a big piece of the deal that got me Spezza. Calgary still has the 2nd round pick and Samsonov, while I still have Moore for future blueline depth and Hansen who may one day warrant a re-rate.

[LAKingsGM]

I traded a COL 1 2009 for Richard Zednik at the beginning of the 2008-2009 season. At the time, it appeared that Colorado was poised to make a deep playoff run with a stacked team and I intelligently speculated the pick would be a 20-30 selection. So I thought.

Turns out that the Colorado Avalanche underachieved and finished dead last, were the 1st last place team in league history to win the draft lottery, and I traded John Tavares for Richard Zednik.

The boys (Rich, Mike, and Mark) never let me live that trade down. Ever.

On the good side, I like MOST of my trades. The Nik Bergfors (my first round pick in 05) and Zach Torquato to Pittsburgh for Steve Ott trade morphed into me eventually trading Steve Ott to Minnesota for Jiri Hudler (was overseas at the time), Alex Vasyunov (playing with Kovalchuk at the moment) and a 2nd round pick in 2012 has netted me a decent return for ultimately Bergfors although Niclas is looking more like the top 6 winger I drafted as of late.

Look at this:

To LA Kings: Alex Goligoski, Peter Regin, COL 2009 Rnd 1
To Washington: Nicklas Lidstrom, $4,000,000

This would have been: Martin Hanzal (I traded Alex Goligoski straight up to Anaheim for him), Peter Regin, and John Tavares for Lidstrom and cash.

Could have had my top 3 centers in one trade. Ah, the paths the NsHL takes.

[Detroit Cherni]

My best trade was also one of my first when I entered the league......Kurt and I worked on this one for a little bit but it was huge when it happened.

To Atlanta: Brad Stuart, Patrick Marleau, Dan Cloutier, Johnathon Cheechoo, prospects Josh Georges and a 1st round pick.

To San Jose: Ilya Kovalchuk, Kari Lehtonen and Bryan Berard.

=================================================================

My worst trade had to be with Ron, when he started in the league. I forget all the players involved, but I do know that Sheldon Souray was absolutely horrendous for me, and Alex Burrows turned into a scoring superstar in the NHL, which Ron got to NHL re-rate this year. That's one I want back.

[floridagm]

My first trade is my favorite: dealing Andrea Lilja to the Ducks for Justin Williams .... Williams went from 15 pts with Ducks to 60 pts in his first season and has been very solid in my top 6 ..... last season was his best with 78 pts.

My worst trade was dealing Dean McAmmond and three draft picks to NASHVILLE for somebody named Jan Lasak [no longer in the league] and Grant Lewis. What the FLICK was i thinking?

[NY Islanders GM]

Nov 21, 2010 7:10:55 GMT -5 LAKingsGM said:

I traded a COL 1 2009 for Richard Zednik at the beginning of the 2008-2009 season. At the time, it appeared that Colorado was poised to make a deep playoff run with a stacked team and I intelligently speculated the pick would be a 20-30 selection. So I thought.

Turns out that the Colorado Avalanche underachieved and finished dead last, were the 1st last place team in league history to win the draft lottery, and I traded John Tavares for Richard Zednik.

That's funny, because one of my favorite all time trades is when I traded Richard Zednik for John Tavares ;D

Aside from that one, I've had a couple that I liked:

To New York Islanders: Brooks Orpik
To Vancouver Canucks: Kevin Klein, 4th Round Pick

To Atlanta: 3rd Round Pick
To New York Islanders: Ryan Craig

To Pittsburgh: 3rd Round pick (? Might have been a 4th?)
To New York Islanders: Joe Sakic

Coincidentally, all 3 moves came either just before or during the 2008-2009 season. I picked up Craig before the year, and the others at the trade deadline. My team was really good for the longest time but faded. Sakic went on a torrid pace and on the heals of the play of really all three I squeaked in for the 8th seed and had a long 7 game battle with the Rangers.

I guess when it comes to getting established players, I have really only made one huge blockbuster:

To New York Islanders: Martin St. Louis
To Philadelphia Flyers: Lars Eller, David Runblad and NJ's 1st Round pick

I came into the league on a deadline day, and had to dump salary. I don't remember the exact deals I made but I hated them overall. I have no idea why, but I was so hellbent on wanting Logan MacMillan. But he's still young and hopefully can turn into a decent player. That same day, I said no to a trade and within 5 minutes HATED myself for it. I ended up keeping the player and dealt him in the offseason, for a decent package but probably not on par with what I rejected.

[BuffaloGM]

This is always a great thread idea, although it is sometimes hard to look at some of the moves you have made through the years. Everyone makes their share of good and bad moves, and I am certainly no exception to that. There are moves that could be talked about that I have left off this list, but these are some of the good and bad that I will never forget.

To Buffalo: Shane Doan, Jakub Sindel, PHI 2006 Rnd 2, PHI 2008 Rnd 4
To Philly: Miroslav Satan

This was a tough deal to make as Satan is an icon in Buffalo hockey history! Actually, I was quite happy to get Shane Doan in this deal. To be fair, this was before Doan became what he is now...which always makes me feel ill when you look at the next deal.

To Vancouver: Shane Doan
To Buffalo: Daniel Paille, Radim Vrbata, Karri Ramo

Yikes. Talk about a bust of a deal. Vrbata was a professional suck for me. Not his fault, just wasn't a good fit. Danny Paille was a good role player who was later moved. Ramo, while talented, was never able to stick in NA. I thought he had a good chance to make his mark while with the Lightning, but things didn't work out.

To Buffalo: Chuck Kobasew, Milan Michalek, Ryan Whitney
To Pittsburgh: Adam Mair, Ales Kotalik, Dmitri Kalinin, Jochen Hecht, Rory Fitzpatrick

This was a pretty significant deal at the time. Kalinin was close to becoming a star on the back end. Kotalik and Hecht were key players as well. Kobasew, Michalek and Whitney hadn't yet established themselves but the potential was there for all of them. They have all become NsHL regulars with Michalek quickly becoming a star in the league.

To Anaheim: James Wisniewski, Martin Hanzal
To Buffalo: Kurt Sauer, ANH 2006 Rnd 5, ANH 2007 Rnd 5

I still can't tell you what the eff I was thinking when I made this deal. Yes, Wisniewski and Hanzal were just prospects at the time, but you don't give up prospects with their upside to get a player like Sauer. A truly pathetic deal for me...but I got somewhat even with Mark later.

To Ottawa: Scott Walker
To Buffalo: OTT 2006 Rnd 2, OTT 2006 Rnd 5, NYI 2006 Rnd 3

Walker was never really a fit in Buffalo and getting three picks for him was a pretty good move. I liked the style of game Walker played, it just didn't work out well for whatever reason.

To Buffalo: CHI 2007 Rnd 1
To Anaheim: Ryan Whitney, BUF 2007 Rnd 4

A draft day deal that Buffalo fans will never forget...for good and bad reasons. The first overall selection was in the hands of the Anaheim Ducks, but Buffalo native Patrick Kane wasn't going to be allowed to be drafted by another franchise. The downer for Buffalo fans is Patty Kane would never wear a Buffalo jersey.

To Chicago: Andrei Kostitsyn
To Buffalo: CHI 2008 Rnd 1, CGY 2008 Rnd 1

The first of two draft deals in 2008 that would supply chips to a couple major deals later on. We had no plans to move Andrei Kostitsyn. In fact he was to be a fixture in the top 6 in Buffalo for years to come. However, Chicago put the 5th and 9th overall selections on the table. That was something we couldn't pass up. Who did we take with those picks? 5th overall was defenseman Alex Pietrangelo. 9th overall was center Colin Wilson. Like Kane, those two first round picks would be moved.

To Buffalo: Tuomo Ruutu, NYI 2008 Rnd 1, NYI 2008 Rnd 3
To Islanders: ATL 2008 Rnd 1

The second of the two major draft day deals was again not initiated by Buffalo. The Islanders wanted to move up the draft board to secure a young man by the name of Cody Hodgson, and having just moved Kostitsyn we were able to fill that hole with Tuomo Ruutu. We also received the 12th overall pick, which was used on defenseman Tyler Myers.

To Buffalo: Zach Parise, Dustin Brown, Matt Niskanen, Marc-Andre Fleury, Peter Mueller, Sam Gagner
To Minnesota: Patrick Kane, Ryan Miller, Colin Wilson, Tylers Myers, Mike Modano, Teemu Selanne, $5,000,000

Arguably the biggest deal in franchise history, and it might stay that way forever, went down following the 2008 NsHL Entry Draft. We were obviously thrilled to have drafted Colin Wilson and Tyler Myers. Patrick Kane was coming of a ROY season with Chicago in the NHL. Ryan Miller was a rising star in net. However, the players coming to Buffalo in this deal were supposed to lead to great things in the future. Niskanen, Fleury, Mueller and Gagner are no longer around, but Parise and Brown are fixtures for our franchise. Only Ryan Miller remains in Minnesota. It was a huge deal that will take another 10 to 15 years to truly judge.

To Buffalo: Brent Seabrook
To Carolina: Dave Bolland, BUF 2009 Rnd 1, BUF 2010 Rnd 1, $500,000

Easily the worst deal I've ever made...and possibly the worst deal in league history. There's just no reason to give up that much for Brent Seabrook. I will never forget the reaction from our beloved commish regarding this deal. If you make a trade worse than this one, you are a mighty special GM.

To Buffalo: Dan Hamhuis, SJ 2010 Rnd 5
To Carolina: Matt Niskanen, Alex Pietrangelo

The trading of prospects continued in Buffalo, but it led to us getting our newly appointed captain. While both young defensemen going to Carolina in this deal have good potential, especially Pietrangelo, this was a deal we felt extremely good about.

[Carolina GM]

My best trade is the one that I didn't make because I just couldn't pull the trigger and was holding out for Paul Stastny.

To Carolina: Steven Stamkos, Jordan Staal and a 1st
To Washington: Eric Staal


The trade Atlanta is refering to:
To Carolina: Alex Burrows, Mark Fistric, Josh Gorges, Zach Hamill,
1 SJ 08, 5 van 08, ott 08 & ott 2008

To Atlanta: Mark Parrish, Sheldon Souray, Chris Van der Gulik& Kyle Cumisky.

Probably the trade I hate the most is giving up a 4th for an overpriced Yanic Perreault, but like everyone else I've got a few skeletons in the closet.

[Ottawa GM]

Wow Roger you sure have knack for drafting NsHL superstars............................then trade them away

[BuffaloGM]

Yeah I have a very good grasp on the concept of giving away talent

[Anaheim GM]

By FAR my worst trade was the one that Roger already mentioned:

TO BUF: First Overall Pick

To ANH: Ryan Whitney and change

Absolutely horrible, although Ryan Whitney has been a very solid player for me (and continues to remain a Duck). At the time, Ryan Whitney was coming off of a 54 point season and I DID NOT rerate him because I sincerely thought he would continue to get better. I rerated Bryzgalov and Getzlaf instead and Whitney has tanked ever since.

However, Whitney DOES lead the Edmonton Oilers in points (NHL) this season so it looks as though I might have a nice asset on my hands once again. Whitney still ain't Patty friggin' Kane, though...

I don't know what my best deal has been. There hasn't been a BOMBSHELL deal that sticks out for me as "The absolute best".