Speculation: Craziest trades that almost happened

HolyCrap

Registered User
Oct 2, 2015
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You should probably address what posts of mine are dumb and why. Otherwise, throwing out vague insults that don't address anything may be the worst use of HFBoards' servers.

I didn’t say anything you posted was dumb. You said it yourself and I agreed. I never insulted you at all. Unless you were insulting other posters.
 

Brodeur

Registered User
Feb 27, 2002
26,767
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Eminem for OJ. Simpson was pretty lopsided

tenor.gif


I think we did an HF Boards Racial Draft in 2004. I might have squandered some top picks on Keanu Reeves (fresh off the Matrix trilogy) and Kelly Hu (fresh off Scorpion King and X2).

And I don't think they gave up Eminem. They got Condoleeza Rice for O.J. as a conditional pick for taking Colin Powell :laugh:

------------------

Anyways, back on topic. One that stuck out for me as a Devils fan was the trade deadline in 2003. The Devils were still fighting for the division lead and Scott Gomez / Oleg Tverdovsky were surprisingly healthy scratches that night. In a pre-Twitter world, speculation was running rampant.

The rumor was that the Devils were going to trade Gomez/Tverdovsky to San Jose for Teemu Selanne, Marco Sturm, and Mike Ricci. Allegedly Selanne wasn't interested in being a playoff rental so he blocked the deal with his NTC.

Devils won the Cup, but sometimes I wonder if perhaps they don't had the trade gone through. Or if in that parallel universe, you get a Kariya vs. Selanne Stanley Cup Final.
 
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Kotkaniemi15

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Sep 18, 2018
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The Oilers didn’t end up doing this but around the 2016 draft a rumoured trade was Drai + Nurse + 4th overall pick for PK. Imagine how different the Habs roster would be if they got that package instead of Weber.
 

CaptPantalones

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Oct 8, 2006
6,355
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Buffalo, NY
Two deals I always remember being talked about when Mike Peca left Buffalo..

The late Jim Kelley reported the Sabres were offered Jarome Iginla straight up in December of 2000 for Peca, but Darcy Regier was hesitant to move him at the time.

Also, supposedly the Sabres were offered Rob Neidermayer and the 4th pick in the 2001 draft for Peca and our 1st...Regier supposedly coveted Stephen Weiss
 

Guy Larose

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Jan 25, 2018
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When MTL traded for Kovalev, they apparently gave the Rangers the choice between Josef Balej and Tomas Plekanec. They chose Balej. Plekanec went on to have a great career.
 
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LEAFANFORLIFE23

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Jun 17, 2010
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Tampa and Toronto agreed to a Lecaviler to the Leafs deal in 2001 but Tampa ownership nixed it.

Jeff Carter and a 1st for Kaberle was also agreed to in 2007-2008 but Kaberle nixed it.

JVR for Hamonic is another one
 
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DFC

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Sep 26, 2013
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LaFontaine for Yzerman almost happened in the early 90s. Detroit coveted LaFontaine since juniors. If that trade happens Sabres win the cup in 99 and possibly even 98 or another year. Hasek+Yzerman would have been incredible. Hasek alone nearly carried the Sabres to a cup, add a bonafide superstar center and they would have.

I thought the stronger rumors were Yzerman to Montreal or Ottawa?
 

DFC

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Sep 26, 2013
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It was heavily rumored that TB offered Florida something that made them "stop and think" before drafting Ekblad. Either Drouin or Kucherov. Most likely Drouin, but tough to say. This was before the Triplets took off, and Drouin was the more coveted prospect at the time.
 
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DFC

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A lot of these seem to be TB-related, so here's one more: TB apparently (Bob McKenzie reported it) had a sign-and-trade agreed to for Kevin Shattenkirk, but Shattenkirk nixed it by refusing to sign. Reported return (as of the following summer) was, again, Jonathan Drouin. Yzerman seemed bent on trading him once he'd pumped his value back up.

This, the nixed trade, is probably the luckiest thing that happened in the Yzerman era. We wouldn't have been able to acquire McDonagh with Shattenkirk under contract, and now have McDonagh + Sergachev.
 

HawkeyTalkMan

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Jun 23, 2015
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Patrick Kane for Ryan miller in 2012.

that was never close to happening. that was more of a speculation that made sense because Kane still had a wild child image from the cabbie incident and out partying in limos on road trips

and the fact the Hawks badly needed goaltending and Ryan Miller was on an abysmal team in his prime. with kane being from buffalo it was nothing more that a wild "it makes sense given the needs" internet rumor created by fans
 
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veganbruin

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Sep 20, 2013
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Boston, MA
In recent memory...

I believe after the 2010 playoff, Chia offered Tim Thomas to the Flyers for Jeff Carter. They said no and offered Simon Gange instead and Chia didn’t take it.

In 2013 everyone on this board thought the Bruins landed Jerome Iginla from the Flames for Matt Bartkoswki and Alexander Khokolachev but it turns out the flames nixed the deal at the last minute and traded him to Pittsburg because that’s where he wanted to go.
 
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Legend123

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Jul 3, 2016
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The Oilers didn’t end up doing this but around the 2016 draft a rumoured trade was Drai + Nurse + 4th overall pick for PK. Imagine how different the Habs roster would be if they got that package instead of Weber.
the rumor was Draistl + Nurse/Klefbom + 4OA for Subban +9OA
Which isnt that bad it didnt happen tbh.
It sucks not to have Dra but we likely would have drafted Pulji (since at the time he was the best prospect left). Since hes busting, Drouin>>>pulji.
So its Subban + Drouin for Drai + Nurse/Klefbom or Weber+Drouin for Dra+Klef... Unless we were gonna draft Tkatchuk. Now that would have been insane! Dra+Tkathuk+Nurse. Holy damn, the robbery.
 

Rorschach

Who the f*** is Trevor Moore?
Oct 9, 2006
11,579
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Los Angeles
Rangers Amonte, Kovalev, Weight, Vanbiesbrouck and 12 mil $$ for Lindros rights.

Fixed names
 
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DFC

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Not sure how close they were to almost happening, but Yzerman/Yashin and Datsyuk/Gomez were floated around.

I think Yzerman/Yashin was legit. Seems that way in hindsight.

Pierre McGuire tells a story about how Scotty Bowman called out a nameless player (who's obviously Yzerman) for being selfish, and shaming him in front of his teammates. Which apparently sparked the change in Yzerman's career.

As a very young child, I clearly remember the night Joe Louis Arena booed the **** out of Scotty Bowman, who had double duty as Detroit's GM, for trade rumors over Yzerman. Yzerman got like a two minute standing ovation that night.

Note: The two remain close, and Yzerman would often watch TB games with Bowman, with Bowman serving as more/less Chicago's TB scout. Up until at least last year (I think), Bowman was present at pretty much all of TB's home games.
 

Section32

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May 26, 2011
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I thought The Rangers deal for Lindros was Vambiesbrouk, Weight, Kovalev, Amonte, Patrick and 2 1st rounders...plus the cash...

Glad it never happened.

Of course, if Neil Smith had kept some of the youth he eventually sent away for '94's Cup and subsequent runs, they may have won more than one cup.

They had Nedved, Zubov, Kovalev, Weight, Amonte, Marchant, Nordstrom and so many high end picks they just gave away...
 

TheImpatientPanther

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Jan 17, 2013
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Del Zotto for Stamkos was really close to happening

What year was this? Kind of shocked to read this, unless it was during the time Stammer was injured quite a bit?

I know this one was debated a lot as to its truth or not, but just before Burke was fired from Toronto apparently he was ready to deal Bozak, Kadri and a first for Luongo.

What year? I'd assume during his time in VAN?

It was heavily rumored that TB offered Florida something that made them "stop and think" before drafting Ekblad. Either Drouin or Kucherov. Most likely Drouin, but tough to say. This was before the Triplets took off, and Drouin was the more coveted prospect at the time.

Seems like it would have been Drouin as he just got drafted in the top 3, pretty similar value to Ekblad being consensus number 1 pick if Drouin was still considered a Center prospect?
Kucherov being a 2nd round pick and only hitting 18pts in his rookie year would have needed a decent plus added? The year Ekblad was drafted, Kuch would put up 29g, 36a for 65pts in 82 games, 10 playoff goals, 12 playoff assists for 22pts in 26 games and become the superstar he is now.
 

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