Trades with a Dramatic / Bizarre / Controversial Backstory

[sunb]

I love learning about trades and the context in which they were made. Some trades such as the Gretzky to LA or the Bourque's quest for the cup have such dramatic backstories that the flair and media attention from the trade are overwhelming. What trades have you heard of that has a very interesting background that precipitated this trade?

My examples:

Jeff Brown to the Whalers. Vancouver had a magical 1994 Cup Run where everyone wore their hearts on their sleeves and played above their heads. One factor which led to this success was incredible team chemistry with strong leaders such as Linden and MacLean. Another reason was that everyone on that team had a role and excelled in it. Jeff Brown was such a player for Vancouver. Although he wasn't an elite defenseman, he was an incredible offensive defenseman at the time and one of the premier powerplay quarterbacks in the league. After the 1994 Finals, it was heavily rumored that Jeff Brown was having an affair and sleeping with Kirk MacLean's wife. Lockerroom chemistry was disrupted and Vancouver had a huge slump in 1996. After the tremendous media scrutiny and controversy, Jeff Brown was traded to Hartford for literally a bag of pucks. Vancouver's defense too a hit, MacLean began a rapid decline and the team went on a downhill spiral thereafter.

Ray Bourque to Colorado. Ray Bourque played as an elite defenseman with the Bruins for over two decades. Despite going to the finals twice and winning multiple Norris trophies, Bourque never won a cup. In his twilight, Boston was a terribly incompetent team and fell to last place and drafted Thornton in 1998. Bourque was around 40 and needed a cup to fulfill his HOF-calibre career. It was obvious that Boston wasn't going to win one soon. While Bourque was too modest and loyal to demand a trade himself, young Joe Thornton decided that he would go to the GM and demand a trade for Bourque. Thornton went to management and convinced Boston to put Bourque on the trading block so that Colorado beat out Philadelphia's offer and acquired Bourque on their way to the Stanley Cup in 2001.

What are yours?

Click to read more...

 

[reckoning]

After the 1994 Finals, it was heavily rumored that Jeff Brown was having an affair and sleeping with Kirk MacLean's wife.

There's dozens of trades that were rumoured to have happened because of that reason. Regardless of who's fault it was, usually the less talented player is the one who gets traded.

 

[Big Phil]

Rick Middleton got himself into some trouble in his young career while he was in New York. It was reported to be drugs, not sure if the police were involved but either way he left the big apple for Boston and turned his life around.

Craig MacTavish was involved in a vehiclar homicide back in '84 while with the Bruins. He was driving drunk and hit and killed a young woman. He spent a year in jail and then was traded to Edmonton in '85. Not sure if that was the reason but it had to factor in there, getting him out of Boston.

Heatley's trade had a lot to do with his car accident. You'd have to think the memories around Atlanta werent very good. Heatley for Hossa was pretty much a win-win trade for both teams.

There arent an names I can think of but Harold Ballard - meathead that he was - admitted that he would trade away guys who were religious.

 

[octopi]

Krip Draper was once traded (out of Winnipeg to Detroit)for a dollar. Best dollar ever spent.

 

[soundtigersfan]

How about three first round picks in three consecutive years for Glen Wesley? Each of those picks ended up being in the top ten, too. And people wonder why the fans didn't show up to the games for the Whalers when we had a GM that made trades like that and an owner that didn't even know where he was going to move the team (he actually wanted to move them to an abandoned airplane hanger in Columbus at first) when he announced that they were relocating.

 

[VanNistelrooy]

Patrick Roy : When Jacques Demers was the coach for the Canadiens, Patrcik had probably every power and impact a player can have in a locker room. Jacques let Patrick do his own thing and let him have all the impact with the other players of the team. But then Mario Tremblay came when Demers was sacked and decided that Roy was having waaaay too much control and impact on the team. There was a sort of 'locker room control war' between those two. Detroit came in town, and to humiliate Patrick, he let him in the net, even if it was 9-1 or something for the Wings. It was the last game Patrick Roy ever played for the Habs.

 

[Hawksfan2828]

Detroit sent Glen Hall and Ted Lindsay to the Hawks for pretty much nothing for going over the Detroit owners heads to create a players union.

 

[pappyline]

Detroit sent Glen Hall and Ted Lindsay to the Hawks for pretty much nothing for going over the Detroit owners heads to create a players union.

Yes, Lindsay went because of his union organizing activities. Hall went because Adams didn;t like his performance in the playoffs plus he reaquired Sawchuk.

 

[Jumptheshark]

Rick Middleton got himself into some trouble in his young career while he was in New York. It was reported to be drugs, not sure if the police were involved but either way he left the big apple for Boston and turned his life around.

Craig MacTavish was involved in a vehiclar homicide back in '84 while with the Bruins. He was driving drunk and hit and killed a young woman. He spent a year in jail and then was traded to Edmonton in '85. Not sure if that was the reason but it had to factor in there, getting him out of Boston.
Heatley's trade had a lot to do with his car accident. You'd have to think the memories around Atlanta werent very good. Heatley for Hossa was pretty much a win-win trade for both teams.

There arent an names I can think of but Harold Ballard - meathead that he was - admitted that he would trade away guys who were religious.

Mact reportedly had to smuggled out of boston in an equiptment bag

 

[Ferjo]

After the 1994 Finals, it was heavily rumored that Jeff Brown was having an affair and sleeping with Kirk MacLean's wife. Lockerroom chemistry was disrupted and Vancouver had a huge slump in 1996. After the tremendous media scrutiny and controversy, Jeff Brown was traded to Hartford for literally a bag of pucks. Vancouver's defense too a hit, MacLean began a rapid decline and the team went on a downhill spiral thereafter.

and a little interesting note about this, years later..

Kirk Maclean traded to Carolina by Vancouver with Martin Gelinas for Sean Burke, Geoff Sanderson and Enrico Ciccone, January 3, 1998.

and what are the odds

Jeff Brown traded to Toronto by Carolina for Toronto's 4th round choice in 1999 Entry Draft, January 2, 1998.

 

[OHLArenaGuide]

There arent an names I can think of but Harold Ballard - meathead that he was - admitted that he would trade away guys who were religious.

Like he did with born-again Laurie Boschman.

 

[RJ8812*]

this could be a real good thread, hopefully it doesnt get ruined....

 

[Hasbro]

Doug Gilmour's adventures in babysitting.

 

[MXD]

After the 1994 Finals, it was heavily rumored that Jeff Brown was having an affair and sleeping with Kirk MacLean's wife.

A similar reason was rumored to have kicked Matthieu Schneider out of Montreal with K. Muller for Vladimir Malakhov and Pierre Turgeon...

 

[Hasbro]

A similar reason was rumored to have kicked Matthieu Schneider out of Montreal with K. Muller for Vladimir Malakhov and Pierre Turgeon...

Roy also had a locker room fight with Schnieder.

Shanahan allegedly got traded from StLouis because of an affiar with Janney's wife (Now married to Shanny?)

Pronger!

Lindros forced his rights traded from the Soo Greyhounds, Quebec Nordiques and Philadelphia Flyers

 

[GarretJoseph*]

How about the A.Ward trade at this years deadline. Jagr & Ward got into a yelling match & things were said. Deadline day comes and Ward is shipped up to Boston.

Rangers win the next game 4-0 against the Habs with Jagr playing pretty good, he leads the team into center ice after the game and they all raise there sticks (which they haven't been doing this season)... the next game (4-3 SO loss) to the Penguins. Jagr takes a shoot out shot...for the first time in AGES.. he refused to take shots before that....

I guess its his team again.

 

[Trollo*]

There was also something about Lindros sleeping with Brind'Amour's wife and that's why Brind'Amour got traded to Carolina.

If anyone knows the whole rumor/story, please fill in the rest...

 

[kurt]

Doug Gilmour's adventures in babysitting.

Traded for Mike Bullard.

What ever happened to Open Mike with Mike Bullard? Whatever did happen, didn't happen soon enough.

 

[Trollo*]

Doug Gilmour's adventures in babysitting.

explain more, i don't get it...

 

[GNick42]

Detroit sent Glen Hall and Ted Lindsay to the Hawks for pretty much nothing for going over the Detroit owners heads to create a players union.

Detroit never came close to a cup again for almost 40 years.

 

[GNick42]

Habs traded a few players away for tarnishing the CH image. Ronald Corey had a strict policy regarding behavior on and off the ice. He traded Carbo away for giving the finger to the media at a golf course. Lemieux, Corson, and Chelios he also forced GM to trade them

 

[Johnny Postman]

Ray Bourque to Colorado. Ray Bourque played as an elite defenseman with the Bruins for over two decades. Despite going to the finals twice and winning multiple Norris trophies, Bourque never won a cup. In his twilight, Boston was a terribly incompetent team and fell to last place and drafted Thornton in 1998. Bourque was around 40 and needed a cup to fulfill his HOF-calibre career. It was obvious that Boston wasn't going to win one soon. While Bourque was too modest and loyal to demand a trade himself, young Joe Thornton decided that he would go to the GM and demand a trade for Bourque. Thornton went to management and convinced Boston to put Bourque on the trading block so that Colorado beat out Philadelphia's offer and acquired Bourque on their way to the Stanley Cup in 2001.

QUOTE]

Having lived in the Boston area my whole life (34 years) and being a Bruins fan for as

long as I can remember, I have never heard of Thornton's involvement in the

circumstances that led to Ray Bourque being shipped to Colorado. I find this story

very interesting.

I am curious to where you heard this one?

 

[BAuldie]

Did MacT really have to get smuggled like that.. I'd be interested to hear some stories about how some early european players made their escape from Russia/Czech to get over to the NHL as well.. kinda reminds me of that

 

[Johnny Postman]

I think that Adam Oates trade from Boston to Washington fits the bill for this thread.

I don't remember the exact timeline but I think it was near the trade-deadline during

the '96-'97 season. The B's were on their way to a last place finish overall and not

qualifying for the playoffs for the first time in over twenty years. In a post-game

locker room interview after a loss Oates was quoted as saying something that was

basically implying that Bruins management wasn't doing enough to improve the team.

The quote contained a comment that said something like: "every year I've been here

the team has gotten worse." Oates’s remarks hit home with several B’s fans that

shared those views and added to the lore of the Bruins being an organization more

concerned about the bottom-line than winning. Oates was subsequently stripped of

his “Aâ€. However, he wasn’t moved right away because I distinctly remember the B’s

next home game after his statement Oates received a large cheer from the then

Fleetcenter crowd when he stepped on the ice for his first shift. It wasn’t long after

that Oates along with Rick Tocchet and Bill Ranford were shipped to Washington for

Jason Allison, Anson Carter, and Jim Carey.

 

[xeric716x]

I think that Adam Oates trade from Boston to Washington fits the bill for this thread.

I don't remember the exact timeline but I think it was near the trade-deadline during

the '96-'97 season. The B's were on their way to a last place finish overall and not

qualifying for the playoffs for the first time in over twenty years. In a post-game

locker room interview after a loss Oates was quoted as saying something that was

basically implying that Bruins management wasn't doing enough to improve the team.

The quote contained a comment that said something like: "every year I've been here

the team has gotten worse." Oates’s remarks hit home with several B’s fans that

shared those views and added to the lore of the Bruins being an organization more

concerned about the bottom-line than winning. Oates was subsequently stripped of

his “Aâ€. However, he wasn’t moved right away because I distinctly remember the B’s

next home game after his statement Oates received a large cheer from the then

Fleetcenter crowd when he stepped on the ice for his first shift. It wasn’t long after

that Oates along with Rick Tocchet and Bill Ranford were shipped to Washington for

Jason Allison, Anson Carter, and Jim Carey.

interesting story.