What is the single worst decision your team ever made?

[Beech]

Florida Panthers -

Paul Maurice​

still feel that way

 

[Chuck Norris Trophy]

Florida Panthers -

Paul Maurice​

This is funny.

 

[cowboy82nd]

This is funny.

That post was made in January of 2023 when things weren't looking to good.

still feel that way

No

 

[Michel Beauchamp]

Hiring Bill Laforge?

Remember, Laforge coached junior football. He knew nothing about hockey.

I must have dreamed the previous four years when he coached junior (Oshawa, Regina and 2 years at Kamloops).

 

[karltonian]

Eh, Boston has lost Chara and Bergeron and done alright (so far).

Let's go another way this. The term I should have used was generational player, not just superstar. The kind you by definition can't replace without simply getting lucky and drafting 1OA at the right time.

These players define eras for a franchise and when they decline and retire there is a bill to pay in the cap era.

 

[Boomstick]

Trading Gilmour for Leeman. Risebrough ruined a great Flames team.
Treliving did the same as well, but whatever.

 

[Xspyrit]

Hiring Jim Benning

Could have been worse

 

[Strangle]

I always thought the Leafs would have a cup or two by now if they hadn’t traded away the pick they could have used to draft Luongo

 

[Michel Beauchamp]

I always thought the Leafs would have a cup or two by now if they hadn’t traded away the pick they could have used to draft Luongo

Or Scott Niedermayer, or John Gibson...

 

[Snubbed4Vezina]

Not sure if it's been mentioned but the Blues no-showing the 1983 Draft was a pretty stupid way to protest a league decision.

 

[PaulD]

Firing Serge Savard and replacing him with Rejean Houle.

Guess that's two decisions.

I always thought the Leafs would have a cup or two by now if they hadn’t traded away the pick they could have used to draft Luongo

Luongo the missing link to leafs a Cup??

 

[PaulD]

Im sure there's an endless list on shit the leafs did wrong but the most recent was signing Tavares and just giving the kids all that money without any results. both these combined took away what I assume was their best chance to win since 92 or 93.

Yup.

 

[geebster]

Having too much class as an organization to hire Stan Bowman. Really missing out.

 

[FissionFire]

The 2003 draft. It ended up haunting the Rangers a decade later. Imagine adding any of Brown, Richards, Parise, Kesler, Pavelski or Backes on the low end or Perry, Getzlaf, Bergeron. Or Seabrook or Weber.. we probably come away with 2 Cups in 2012-15.

I'm also told the Rangers cut Gordie Howe

Not closing the deal on signing Howe by playing sleazy hardball is easily the biggest blunder in Rangers history.

‘Howe’ homesickness, shyness and a C-form conspired against the Rangers

The New York Rangers had a chance to ink a young player who became 'Mr Hockey.' How they botched their chance to sign Gordie Howe.

bluelinestation.com

 

[Chuck Norris Trophy]

That post was made in January of 2023 when things weren't looking to good.

I know. That's exactly why it is funny.

 

[fahad203]

As Leafs fan, where does one begin

 

[nbwingsfan]

Let's go another way this. The term I should have used was generational player, not just superstar. The kind you by definition can't replace without simply getting lucky and drafting 1OA at the right time.

These players define eras for a franchise and when they decline and retire there is a bill to pay in the cap era.

1 Thornton is less than a Bergeron and Chara combined.

Sure it’s incredibly hard to replace a Jumbo Joe, but it’s much harder to lose both Chara and Bergeron and still be competitive.

Likely because SJ never found their Pasta/McAvoy/Swayman

 

[Suntouchable13]

I still think trading for Kessel was the single worst decision any Leafs GM made in the 24 years I have been following hockey/NHL. Such a dumb move. Burke was such a loser!

 

[Midnight Judges]

This doesn't get talked about enough.

For the Capitals:

Letting Barry Trotz walk after they won the cup.

Who does that?

 

[NJ DevLolz]

For Lou in NJ, it was the decade of futile drafts between 05-15. If you don’t want to rebuild, you better hit on some players. Refusal to address scouting and then a refusal to rebuild - fatal blow.

But specifically, he should’ve done everything in his power to keep Scott Niedermayer. Likely cost himself a cup, maybe two.

I agree with this but to Lou's credit, he pulled some absolute gems from 00-06 in terms of undrafted UFAs. Rafalski, Greene, Madden, and Clarkson is a substantial amount of talent. He was definitely in the "I'm smelling my own farts" stage, but the delusion that he can find talent in unconventional places wasn't totally unfounded.

 

[Kegs]

Joe Thornton for basically Marco sturm.

 

[Kegs]

I still think trading for Kessel was the single worst decision any Leafs GM made in the 24 years I have been following hockey/NHL. Such a dumb move. Burke was such a loser!

pretty bad trade. What about raycroft for rask though? Kessel ended up being one of the most consistent goal scorers for about 15 years!

 

[Suntouchable13]

pretty bad trade. What about raycroft for rask though? Kessel ended up being one of the most consistent goal scorers for about 15 years!

Well, it is tough to pick one. Anyway, I don't have a beef with Kessel. He didn't trade himself. He was a good player. I have a beef with Brian Burke thinking he is the smartest guy in the room. Leafs didn't need a soft sniper at that time. You don't build around guys like that. This was a horrible trade that gave Boston 2 top 10 picks.

 

[Gee Wally]

Boston - letting Bobby Orr leave as a Free Agent.
Although now fully documented as how crooked Alan Eagleson was, it never should have happened.

 

[Kegs]

Well, it is tough to pick one. Anyway, I don't have a beef with Kessel. He didn't trade himself. He was a good player. I have a beef with Brian Burke thinking he is the smartest guy in the room. Leafs didn't need a soft sniper at that time. You don't build around guys like that. This was a horrible trade that gave Boston 2 top 10 picks.

Boston dumped both those players! Boston does not mess around. I’ve never seen a team move on from players that aren’t working out so Willy nilly.

Thornton, kessel, seguin, Hamilton, wheeler and ullmark off the top of my head.