NHL Trade Deadline: The biggest deals in history

The NHL trade deadline is rapidly approaching and things could get interesting as teams look to solidify their rosters going into the late season stretch. Let’s look at the biggest deals in NHL trade deadline history!

Kevin Shattenkirk was traded, along with Pheonix Copley for Zach Sanford, Brad Malone and two draft picks as the Capitals attempted to load up for a run at the Stanley Cup. The deal failed as the Capitals were beaten in game seven of the Eastern Conference Second Round by the Penguins.

Roberto Luongo and Steven Anthony were packaged together and traded to the Panthers in exchange for Jacob Markstrom and forward Shawn Matthias. Luongo had requested a trade a year earlier but there were no takers, Luongo told the Toronto Star, “My contract sucks. That’s what the problem is,” as the goalie’s massive contract made it impossible to deal him.

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2012 saw the Blue Jackets send Carter to the Kings for Jack Johnson and a first-round pick. Carter would make an immediate impact, scoring the winner in game six to secure the Stanley Cup, per NHL.

The Penguins were looking to add a star alongside Sidney Crosby and saw Hossa as exactly that guy. Hossa was struggling to agree on a long-term deal in Atlanta, making this a perfect storm for a blockbuster trade. No one was more excited than Hossa himself, telling NHL media at the time, “[The Pittsburgh Penguins] has so much talent, it’s almost scary.”

Some seemed to think Tkachuk was nearing the end of his career when he left for the Blues in 2001 having struggled with injuries during the previous two years. Tkachuk’s agent described the trade as, “a sad day for him [Tkachuk] in many respects”, per CBC, but he was able to put that behind him quickly as he dominated in St. Louis over the next nine seasons.

Jagr was already well into his 40s when he was traded to the Panthers, but he plenty left to give. He made an immediate impact in Florida, scoring 18 points in 20 games, per NHL, as the Panthers looked to sneak into the playoffs. It wasn’t to be in 2015, but Jagr led the Panthers to the top of the Atlantic Division in 2016 for just the second time.

Forsberg was ready to leave Washington and Martin Erat wanted out of Nashville making this seem a sensible deal at the time, but as ESPN puts it, “Capitals GM George McPhee…ended up on the losing side of one of the most lopsided deals in NHL history.” Erat lasted another couple of years in the NHL while Forsberg would become one of the best forwards in the league.

Martin St. Louis was a key member of a dominant era for Tampa Bay but had just a few months left on his contract when he was dealt to the Rangers in exchange for Ryan Callahan. Ironically, St. Louis’ last game in the NHL was a 2-0 loss to the Lightning, led by Callahan, in the Eastern Conference Final, per NHL.

Chelios was 37 and reportedly “hated” the Red Wings, according to Sports Illustrated, when he was dealt to Detroit in 1999 for Anders Eriksson (“the worst NHL defenseman I’ve ever seen”, as Scott Weldon of the Bleacher Report put it) and two first-round picks. Chelios would play another nine years in Detroit and lead the Red Wings to two Stanley Cups…

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One of the biggest trades in NHL history saw Whalers legend Ron Francis move to Pittsburgh alongside Ulf Samuelsson and Grant Jennings. The Whalers received John Cullen, Zarley Zalapski, and Jeff Parker in return, per Sports Keeda. Francis would slot straight into a dominant Penguins team, winning back-to-back Stanley Cups in 1991 and 1992.

Guerin’s trade to the Penguins may not seem as significant as some others on this list, but his impact during his year-and-a-half-long stint in Pittsburgh was huge. A solid return of 12 points in 17 regular season games was followed by 15 points in 24 playoff games as the Penguins won the Stanley Cup, all stats per NHL.

Markus Naslund was traded to the Canucks in exchange for Alek Stojanov in what turned out to be a very one-sided deal, despite Cancuks GM, Pat Quinn saying he, “wasn’t a very good player,” at the time of the trade, as stated by ESPN. Naslund would go on to score 756 points in 884 games in Vancouver while Stojanov scored just 6 in 45 for Pittsburgh, also per ESPN.

The Islanders had an incredible roster when they acquired Goring in 1980 but were never able to win it all. At the trade deadline, GM Bill Torrey was bold, trading two veterans for Goring, who was seen as the “missing piece,” according to Sports Illustrated. The Islanders would go on to win four consecutive Stanley Cups following the move. What a deal.

This trade didn’t work out for the Rangers, as Bure dealt with knee problems that saw his play decline rapidly. However, the compensation was huge, with the Panthers receiving, “Filip Novak, Igor Ulanov, a 2002 first-round pick, a 2002 second-round pick, and a 2003 fourth-round pick,” per Sports Illustrated.

The Flames probably regret trading Brett Hull at the deadline in 1988 despite winning their first Stanley Cup just a year later. Despite receiving Rob Ramage and Rick Wamsley in return for the rookie Hull, Hull’s 1,391 (741 goals, 650 assists, per ESPN) points and two Stanley Cups suggested keeping hold of the youngster may have worked out long-term.

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