In 2005 the Bruins wanted to trade Joe Thornton for Roberto Luongo

[Fenway]

Sometimes the best trades are the ones that didn't happen and according to this Florida source the deal was agreed to and then scrapped as the Panthers owner did not want to take on salary.

If Mike O'Connell had done what he wanted how would the Bruins have fared? Do they still make the trade for Tuukka? Does Tim Thomas even get a shot with the Bruins? If Thornton in turn ignites the Panthers offense is Nathan Horton traded to Boston in 2010???

If this trade had happened the Bruins might be today going 45 years without Stanley.

What if the Panthers traded Roberto Luongo for Joe Thornton in 2005?

In those early post-lockout days of the 2005-06 season, Joe Thornton was unhappy in Boston and the Panthers were angling to trade Roberto Luongo, since he was going to ring the bell with his next contract. Thornton was shipped off on the last day of November to San Jose for an underwhelming return and in June of 2006, Luongo was sent to Vancouver in one of the most lopsided trades in league history. Those trades defined the early post ’05 lockout NHL, but what if another trade was consummated that could have been even crazier than those two combined:

What if Roberto Luongo was traded straight up for Joe Thornton?

Jeff Marek has said that this trade was ready to be sent to the league’s office to be officially consummated except for our old miserly friend Alan Cohen, who didn’t want to take back money in the deal, so he put the kibosh on it. Luongo was on a $3.25 million AAV one-season bridge deal at the time and Thornton had just signed a three year, $20 million contract in the summer. Cohen would have had to have taken on salary to change the fortunes of his franchise for the better, and of course, there was no way that would ever be possible. Thornton then became a Shark, and Luongo was traded for… I can’t even say it.

What does the history of the NHL, let alone the Panthers look like if Jumbo Joe is in Sunrise and Roberto Luongo is a Bruin?

For one, Nathan Horton and Stephen Weiss don’t dramatically underperform their expectations, and those middling Cats squads post-lockout that averaged around 86 points probably see that total jump by 10, in which case their playoff drought ends way sooner than it actually did. They would at least have had two and a half seasons of the league’s best assist artist ever, and who knows what they could have done in that time with him, to say nothing of how Vancouver, San Jose and Boston’s fortunes would have changed.

But sadly, this trade remains a great what-if in NHL history thanks to another famously miserly owner, who didn’t want to spend more on his team than he absolutely had to. How the Panthers fortunes could have changed if Alan Cohen could have found $3 million in his couch cushions.

https://sports.yahoo.com/florida-traded-roberto-luongo-joe-thornton-154915805.html

Click to read more...

 

[neelynugs]

the thornton trade is still second to the seguin trade for horribad deals. i've always subscribed to the space-time continuum possibly being unravelled by even the smallest change. so while the thornton trade sucked, it still brought brad stuart who brought andy ference who gave habs fans the finger and also made the transition pass to krejci in game 7 vs tampa in the ECF. also, if they get luongo, maybe MOC stays and the team stays afloat (and certainly no tim thomas). so in a roundabout way, i guess we are lucky MOC traded thornton for a crap return

 

[BostonBob]

If that trade went down I guess Bruin fans would have finally agreed to pump Luongo's tires. But still..........

 

[Fenway]

the thornton trade is still second to the seguin trade for horribad deals. i've always subscribed to the space-time continuum possibly being unravelled by even the smallest change. so while the thornton trade sucked, it still brought brad stuart who brought andy ference who gave habs fans the finger and also made the transition pass to krejci in game 7 vs tampa in the ECF. also, if they get luongo, maybe MOC stays and the team stays afloat (and certainly no tim thomas). so in a roundabout way, i guess we are lucky MOC traded thornton for a crap return

Fans would not have been as angry about Thornton being traded as Luongo would be a major upgrade in goal. But then Thomas would stay in Providence and they most likely don't trade for Tuukka. The 05-06 season still would have been a stinker unless Luongo picked up 10 wins for them to sneak into the playoffs. But would Papa Jacobs have fired the front office if they came close?

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

Fans would not have been as angry about Thornton being traded as Luongo would be a major upgrade in goal. But then Thomas would stay in Providence and they most likely don't trade for Tuukka. The 05-06 season still would have been a stinker unless Luongo picked up 10 wins for them to sneak into the playoffs. But would Papa Jacobs have fired the front office if they came close?

Pretty sure I would have been thrilled if they traded Thornton for Luongo.

At that point Luongo was 26, coming off a season of carrying the Panthers. He was consider a top 5 (or better) goalie.

 

[smithformeragent]

Raycroft had just won the Calder.

They essentially used Thomas as leverage when Raycroft held out in 06.
If Raycroft and Toivonen don't go down, Thomas never gets called up anyway.

As for the Jumbo trade, Stuart would have been a nice #2 defenseman, but he overslotted since they didn't have a number 1. Sturm is ended up being a decent piece.

Still, the whole situation was a cluster **** going back to the disappointing end to 04 against Montreal, the mismanagement of the roster due to the 24% rollback on existing salaries post lockout and that mess of a team they iced to start the year.

Brad Isbister still haunts my dreams.

 

[Gordoff]

I think the big question is this: Why was Mike O'Connell so hot to trade Joe Thornton? Was it a last gasp, shoot for the moon try at salvaging the season and his job? Whatever it was, he really allowed the situation to take control of him and to skew his decision making. I guess we really have to thank JJ for allowing MOC firing and the transition that took place thereafter. Even though Chia sucked at drafting IMO, when his trades and signings got out of hand he got a lot less leash than any GM prior to him (Sinden). Once Chia started failing the B's (JJ/Neely) acted fairly quickly in re-evaluating the situation and moving on to DS. Now, DS isn't perfect BUT he at least is holding his ground and not allowing anyone above him to force him into kneejerk reactions and trading away assets before he is sure of what he has. Once this season is half over I think that we'll see him starting to make some serious decisions on who he chooses to keep going forward. While I don't agree totally with this approach I have to give Sweeney credit for holding true to what he believes to be the right path.
Back to the original question though:
What the heck was the hurry in trading off Thornton when there team had so many holes and Thornton was probably one of their only solid, bright young players?

 

[BruinsBtn]

That would have been an interesting alternate history. Would have changed everything afterwards.

 

[ickie*]

i was so heartbroken over this that i thought my friends at school were just trying to antagonize me by making it up. i went to the computer lab during lunch to look it up (no smartphones yet) and remember feeling my face flush up. what a day.

can't express how much i loved sturm as a bruin, though. but goddamn.

 

[ickie*]

Raycroft had just won the Calder.

They essentially used Thomas as leverage when Raycroft held out in 06.
If Raycroft and Toivonen don't go down, Thomas never gets called up anyway.

As for the Jumbo trade, Stuart would have been a nice #2 defenseman, but he overslotted since they didn't have a number 1. Sturm is ended up being a decent piece.

Still, the whole situation was a cluster **** going back to the disappointing end to 04 against Montreal, the mismanagement of the roster due to the 24% rollback on existing salaries post lockout and that mess of a team they iced to start the year.

Brad Isbister still haunts my dreams.

 

[SPV]

I was always more upset about failed Jason Allison deal. When I imagine having a young Thornton, Spezza, and Chara.

I'm well over the Thornton deal, but the Seguin deal still stings. I'll never understand that one.

 

[Mainehockey33]

I was always more upset about failed Jason Allison deal. When I imagine having a young Thornton, Spezza, and Chara.

I'm well over the Thornton deal, but the Seguin deal still stings. I'll never understand that one.

 

[BNHL]

I was always more upset about failed Jason Allison deal. When I imagine having a young Thornton, Spezza, and Chara.

I'm well over the Thornton deal, but the Seguin deal still stings. I'll never understand that one.

Very difficult to understand anything that we don't have all the facts about.

 

[BNHL]

Another doozy of a trade that never happened that may or may not be true. Samsonov and Raycroft for Spezza.

 

[ODAAT]

Sometimes the best trades are the ones that didn't happen and according to this Florida source the deal was agreed to and then scrapped as the Panthers owner did not want to take on salary.

If Mike O'Connell had done what he wanted how would the Bruins have fared? Do they still make the trade for Tuukka? Does Tim Thomas even get a shot with the Bruins? If Thornton in turn ignites the Panthers offense is Nathan Horton traded to Boston in 2010???

If this trade had happened the Bruins might be today going 45 years without Stanley.




https://sports.yahoo.com/florida-traded-roberto-luongo-joe-thornton-154915805.html

Interesting stuff

I think it would be a great read to hear from former GM`s talk about deals that almost occurred but didn`t over their tenure`s. For this fan, especially when I was younger I thought trades were so black and white, make a call, move a player/get a player and I would lose my you know what when I saw a team in the same division/conference snagged a player I would have liked to see dismissing the factors that may have prevented a deal involving the B`s.

 

[Ratty]

I can remember Harry Sinden being asked the question about trades he could have made, but didn't. He answered that he regrets not making one big trade, but couldn't comment at the time because one of the players was still active.

By now that player should be retired. So, Harry, if you're listening, call me, or, at least, PM me.

 

[chizzler]

Pretty sure I would have been thrilled if they traded Thornton for Luongo.

At that point Luongo was 26, coming off a season of carrying the Panthers. He was consider a top 5 (or better) goalie.

I too would have liked it at the time.

 

[smithformeragent]

Oversimplifying here, but on the one hand the Thornton trade led to draining the swamp in the Bruins FO and giving the keys to an outsider.

Ironically, MOC gave Tim Thomas a contract on his was out the door that people were less than thrilled about at the time.

I stand by my claim that the hiring of Chiarelli was the best movie his organization has made in my lifetime.
They won a Cup. Wish they'd have cashed in more on their window, but nobody is taking that's Cup away.

It can be argued that the Seguin deal and its failings ultimately undid Chiarelli's run here.
His firing led to Sinden reemerging to take on a role with the club and Sweeney's hiring to me represents a return to the "Good old boys club".

Results TBD

 

[Fenway]

Oversimplifying here, but on the one hand the Thornton trade led to draining the swamp in the Bruins FO and giving the keys to an outsider.

Ironically, MOC gave Tim Thomas a contract on his was out the door that people were less than thrilled about at the time.

I stand by my claim that the hiring of Chiarelli was the best movie his organization has made in my lifetime.
They won a Cup. Wish they'd have cashed in more on their window, but nobody is taking that's Cup away.

It can be argued that the Seguin deal and its failings ultimately undid Chiarelli's run here.
His firing led to Sinden reemerging to take on a role with the club and Sweeney's hiring to me represents a return to the "Good old boys club".

Results TBD

My understanding is trading Johnny Boychuk just before the 2014-15 season was the final nail for Chia. The room was shattered and it took a little time to get back on track and the lost points doomed them.

 

[Rubber Biscuit]

the thornton trade is still second to the seguin trade for horribad deals. i've always subscribed to the space-time continuum possibly being unravelled by even the smallest change. so while the thornton trade sucked, it still brought brad stuart who brought andy ference who gave habs fans the finger and also made the transition pass to krejci in game 7 vs tampa in the ECF. also, if they get luongo, maybe MOC stays and the team stays afloat (and certainly no tim thomas). so in a roundabout way, i guess we are lucky MOC traded thornton for a crap return

I still think the Thornton trade is worse than the Seguin deal. Thornton won the MVP that year. What did he have, 121 points?

 

[Gordoff]

Title this: Trades Are Hard!

Interesting stuff

I think it would be a great read to hear from former GM`s talk about deals that almost occurred but didn`t over their tenure`s. For this fan, especially when I was younger I thought trades were so black and white, make a call, move a player/get a player and I would lose my you know what when I saw a team in the same division/conference snagged a player I would have liked to see dismissing the factors that may have prevented a deal involving the B`s.

I think that MOC wouldn't want to talk now because as Ratty said (below) about it, if there are any players still in the NHL that were or maybe almost involved (my take) even MAYBE a draft pick that could've potentially been in the move, then maybe MOC and /or the LA Kings (MOCs team?) would somehow get into trouble?
#COLLUSTION! The most feared word in the N-H-L !

I can remember Harry Sinden being asked the question about trades he could have made, but didn't. He answered that he regrets not making one big trade, but couldn't comment at the time because one of the players was still active.

By now that player should be retired. So, Harry, if you're listening, call me, or, at least, PM me.

The NHL is way too concerned with this stuff IMO. All other major sports allow much more leniency so you hear "what if" talk all over the internet and radio/satellite radio talk shows, but Nooooo not the NHL.

 

[CharaBadSenyshynGawd]

Bruins don't touch a Stanley cup in 2011 without many of the moves Chiarelli made. A little respect for the man is due

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

Bruins don't touch a Stanley cup in 2011 without many of the moves Chiarelli made. A little respect for the man is due

it's been 7 years, no respect is warranted, how come Edmonton hasn't done anything since he arrived there?

 

[smithformeragent]

it's been 7 years, no respect is warranted, how come Edmonton hasn't done anything since he arrived there?

They're going to win at least one Cup in the next five seasons.

I believe they have a legitimate chance to win more than one.

 

[ashnathan]

it's been 7 years, no respect is warranted, how come Edmonton hasn't done anything since he arrived there?

They made the playoffs for the first time in forever in his second season? So he lucked into McDavid i get that but hes made moves. How well each move pans out, we'll see.