The History of Habs Blockbuster Trades Post Sam Pollock

[scrubadam]

Recchi was a good player for the Habs. The problem was more who they lost. Then Four years later they trade Recchi away for scraps.

That Roy trade was dumb on two fronts: (A) Why wasn't Roy pulled after 4-1? Was there some kind of problems between Tremblay & Roy to start with? Can you imagine Julien deciding to leave in Price of a blowout game due to some petty issue? (B) What made them agree to such an average return for a HOF goalie? Nonetheless, give credit to Pierre Lacroix for taking advantage of the situation and winning Colorado a cup.

Here's the ironic thing about Roys last game: Did the Wings unintentionally cost them self a cup ( Best team in the league, lost to Avs & Roy in the WCF) by shellacking Roy that night. Kind of weird to look back on.

It was a bad trade, but the return included a guy with 75 pts the year before and another guy who had 22 points in 26 games. Thibault was of course the next great french canadian goalie hope

Its not great value but trades rarely bring back good value. What really made things worse was that Colorado won 2 cups and became dominate after that trade. If COL loses all those series to the wings and Roy doesn't win anymore cups its a bad trade but not as horrible as it is now.

And from what I understand the detroit game is the straw that broke the camels back but there was friction already with Roy there. There was a lot of rumors back then about potential Roy deals.

 

[Lshap]

It was a bad trade, but the return included a guy with 75 pts the year before and another guy who had 22 points in 26 games. Thibault was of course the next great french canadian goalie hope

Its not great value but trades rarely bring back good value. What really made things worse was that Colorado won 2 cups and became dominate after that trade. If COL loses all those series to the wings and Roy doesn't win anymore cups its a bad trade but not as horrible as it is now.

And from what I understand the detroit game is the straw that broke the camels back but there was friction already with Roy there. There was a lot of rumors back then about potential Roy deals.

Tremblay and Roy had been teammates and when Tremblay became coach the relationship became ugly. From day-one it was a battle of egos. In retrospect, hiring a rookie coach who had a personal history with the team's star was an absolutely idiotic move.

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

It was a bad trade, but the return included a guy with 75 pts the year before and another guy who had 22 points in 26 games. Thibault was of course the next great french canadian goalie hope

Its not great value but trades rarely bring back good value. What really made things worse was that Colorado won 2 cups and became dominate after that trade. If COL loses all those series to the wings and Roy doesn't win anymore cups its a bad trade but not as horrible as it is now.

And from what I understand the detroit game is the straw that broke the camels back but there was friction already with Roy there. There was a lot of rumors back then about potential Roy deals.

I remember the infamous Upper Deck ads on highway billboards all across Montreal that said "Trade Roy" in reference to their hockey cards.

I remember there were rumors as far back as 1990 after the Habs lost in the finals against Calgary. One of the most persistent rumors was for Yzerman as a lot fans in Detroit thought he couldn't bring them to promise land.

 

[Miller Time]

Pretty depressing how badly we've missed on big trades over the past 3 decades

 

[Price is Wright]

Carbonneau for Jim Montgomery was one of the worst trades of the 90s if you asked any of my friends back then. Trade your Captain and one of the best shadow forwards in NHL history for a college guy that disappeared in a few weeks to never play again.

 

[Harry Wong]

The Habs responded to tremendous pressure from 'da fans' which was initiated and fanned by the Montreal press, to obtain an established first line winger. Recchi was the savior the brain trust came up with. He might have even been suggested by the press. Leclair was not yet established, and not the player he would become with Lindros. Desjardins was a young defensman when he left and IMO didn't look like he would be more than average.

Recchi was a good solid winger for us, but the young core we sent to Philly haunted us for 10+years

Fans who talk about trading Galchenyuk and Sergechev would do well to revisit the lessons from this trade.

 

[OneSharpMarble]

For the habs it seems like every time management should have been fired they made a big disastrous trade instead. Once the current clown is sent packing maybe the franchise will smarten up.

 

[groovejuice]

The Habs responded to tremendous pressure from 'da fans' which was initiated and fanned by the Montreal press, to obtain an established first line winger. Recchi was the savior the brain trust came up with. He might have even been suggested by the press. Leclair was not yet established, and not the player he would become with Lindros. Desjardins was a young defensman when he left and IMO didn't look like he would be more than average.

Recchi was a good solid winger for us, but the young core we sent to Philly haunted us for 10+years

Fans who talk about trading Galchenyuk and Sergechev would do well to revisit the lessons from this trade.

There are no substitutes for talent and skill; grit or perceived leadership are not replacements for them.

 

[Masao]

I'm going to tell ya something.

Remember the 1996 playoffs? First round, Canadiens vs. Rangers.

The Canadiens had won the cup three years before. The Rangers, two years before.

So, you had two recent cup winners facing off in the first round.

I will never forget how RDS compared the roster in the 1996 playoffs to the cup rosters... the Rangers roster was almost intact to their 1994 cup roster. IIRC, the Canadiens only had 4 players left from their 1993 cup, not counting Oleg Petrov.

Trading Kirk Muller was a heartbreaker, but it had to be done.

Recchi and Turgeon were wonderful acquisitions. The problem however is that in order to get them, they had to deal away Desjardins and Schneider... leaving Brisebois as the top D. That did not work well at all.

Then, the next 5 years was nothing but a long 1994 Expos off-season for the Canadiens. Every time you have someone good, just ship him off for nothing. Maybe Molson just figured they could sell tickets without having to pay any good players or something.

Just look at the Damphousse trade. What justification is there to have just gotten rid of him like that? And Recchi for Zubrus?

After the 1995 season where they missed the playoffs, they still had a good team. Turgeon, Recchi, Damphousse was an awesome line. And then a young rookie Koivu came in, and Brian Savage looked like he could be a great goalscorer. And they still had Patrick Roy.

A bit of tweaking and getting some help on D and they could've been a contender. But then they got rid of Demers and Savard, and the rest is history.

 

[Price is Wright]

They got rid of Damphousse because they thought he would cost too much. After getting traded, he saw that they gave Trevor Linden $3 million per year and told the media he would have stayed for that. He was just never asked. They simply assumed he wanted more.

 

[scrubadam]

They got rid of Damphousse because they thought he would cost too much. After getting traded, he saw that they gave Trevor Linden $3 million per year and told the media he would have stayed for that. He was just never asked. They simply assumed he wanted more.

3 million seems like peanuts nowadays. The NHL has come a long way.

 

[TT1]

Montreal needs another Bobby Smith

 

[PaulD]

I think you undervalue Kean in the Roy trade. You don't even talk about him. He was a very good 3rd line player. A good grinder who helped the Avs and the Stars win a cup.

Keane was a great leader. Well respected and admired by his team mates. Also one of the toughest guys ever to lace up the skates. Houle was a fool to include him on the Roy trade.

 

[PaulD]

Montreal needs another Bobby Smith

You got that right.

First move Serge made as GM was to acquire Bobby Smith.

 

[PaulD]

They got rid of Damphousse because they thought he would cost too much. After getting traded, he saw that they gave Trevor Linden $3 million per year and told the media he would have stayed for that. He was just never asked. They simply assumed he wanted more.

Wow. Didn't know that.

Linden was a complete bust.

 

[PaulD]

I'm going to tell ya something.

Remember the 1996 playoffs? First round, Canadiens vs. Rangers.

The Canadiens had won the cup three years before. The Rangers, two years before.

So, you had two recent cup winners facing off in the first round.

I will never forget how RDS compared the roster in the 1996 playoffs to the cup rosters... the Rangers roster was almost intact to their 1994 cup roster. IIRC, the Canadiens only had 4 players left from their 1993 cup, not counting Oleg Petrov.

Trading Kirk Muller was a heartbreaker, but it had to be done.

Recchi and Turgeon were wonderful acquisitions. The problem however is that in order to get them, they had to deal away Desjardins and Schneider... leaving Brisebois as the top D. That did not work well at all.

Then, the next 5 years was nothing but a long 1994 Expos off-season for the Canadiens. Every time you have someone good, just ship him off for nothing. Maybe Molson just figured they could sell tickets without having to pay any good players or something.

Just look at the Damphousse trade. What justification is there to have just gotten rid of him like that? And Recchi for Zubrus?

After the 1995 season where they missed the playoffs, they still had a good team. Turgeon, Recchi, Damphousse was an awesome line. And then a young rookie Koivu came in, and Brian Savage looked like he could be a great goalscorer. And they still had Patrick Roy.

A bit of tweaking and getting some help on D and they could've been a contender. But then they got rid of Demers and Savard, and the rest is history.

Great post.

Serge was on the verge of trading Roy for Nolan and a goalie when he was canned.

 

[PaulD]

It was a bad trade, but the return included a guy with 75 pts the year before and another guy who had 22 points in 26 games. Thibault was of course the next great french canadian goalie hope

Its not great value but trades rarely bring back good value. What really made things worse was that Colorado won 2 cups and became dominate after that trade. If COL loses all those series to the wings and Roy doesn't win anymore cups its a bad trade but not as horrible as it is now.

And from what I understand the detroit game is the straw that broke the camels back but there was friction already with Roy there. There was a lot of rumors back then about potential Roy deals.

Oh yes. Serge was going to trade Roy. Not because of bad blood or anything. Just to get the player he believed would put them over the top. He just needed a goalie coming back too.

As I said, he had Owen Nolan deal in the works when he was fired.

 

[PaulD]

Turgeon and Damphousse on the team? Leclair would have had plenty of goals!

I remember hearing or reading something that the reason they traded Turgeon was due to the fact that he wasn't happy with being second fiddle to Damphousse or regarding his ice time or some such.

But all Habs fan know how bad this organisation has been with trades.

I truly believe the last great trade the Habs pulled was when we traded Rivest to the Sharks for Josh Gorges and their 1st round pick which turned out to be Mac Pac.

Prior to that I would say the Turgeon Malakhov trade.

Pretty sad really!

You are right. Leclair was on the verge when we dealt him. He scored 50 goals with Lindros sure. He also scored 50 pls goals without Eric in line up.

He was Habs best forward in 93 run. Unstoppable in the finals.

 

[PaulD]

This is true but going purely by memory, didn't John go into beast mode in the cup finals in '93? I mean, he wasn't the 40+ goal scorer I guess they expected a year later, but I recall being a little upset with the trade even though I liked Recchi a lot.

Your memory is bang on. LeClair was dominating in the 93 run.

 

[Price is Wright]

Great post.

Serge was on the verge of trading Roy for Nolan and a goalie when he was canned.

Fiset.

Which would have been marginally better. At least Nolan was a sure thing and better than Rucinsky.

 

[BLONG7]

We have had some of the worst GM's making some of the worst trades ever....wow, it has been pretty bad since Sam's days...
I may get flack for saying this, but the franco media plays a real big part, on some of these foolish trades...having to placate the media in Montreal, has led us down a tough, tough path...

 

[BLONG7]

Oh yes. Serge was going to trade Roy. Not because of bad blood or anything. Just to get the player he believed would put them over the top. He just needed a goalie coming back too.

As I said, he had Owen Nolan deal in the works when he was fired.

Yes, this would have been fantastic, compared to the T-bo, Rucinsky, Kovalenko junk...they were also going to get Fiset...

 

[Masao]

I often wondered back in the 90s if the problem was not simply that the Habs were broke and could no longer afford star players. That would explain a lot of things

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

We have had some of the worst GM's making some of the worst trades ever....wow, it has been pretty bad since Sam's days...
I may get flack for saying this, but the franco media plays a real big part, on some of these foolish trades...having to placate the media in Montreal, has led us down a tough, tough path...

Especially the JDM and all the wretched slimeballs who nurtured the next generation of slimeballs we now have as jaunelistes. They put themselves up over the team and fans. The influence they have on both the team and fans and by extention, free agents, has been killing this team in the past 25 years.

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

I often wondered back in the 90s if the problem was not simply that the Habs were broke and could no longer afford star players. That would explain a lot of things

Molson company didnt want to put money into the team when salaries started rising dramatically in the mid-90's, that's true. But, if they had a bit of foresight, they would've improved their marketing like Gillette did, make sure to advertise the product and raise the ticket prices. Also, the new arena was completely funded by the company, which put a dent into the budget at the same moment Molson sales were declining.