The other day I posted an article listing the ten best trades in Penguins history. You’ve probably been waiting for the other skate to drop, huh?
Well, I won’t keep you in suspense any longer. Without further ado, here are the ten worst trades in franchise history according to yours truly.
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1. Alek Stojanov (lw) from Vancouver for Markus Naslund (rw), Mar. 20, 1996 Perhaps the most lopsided one-for-one trade in hockey history. A productive power forward in junior hockey, Stojanov proved to be no more than a fourth-line banger whose career was shortened by shoulder injuries and a car accident. Naslund blossomed into a perennial All-Star and team captain in Vancouver while racking up 395 career goals. Although Craig Patrick engineered the trade, an assist (or a raspberry) goes to coach Eddie Johnston, who’d mysteriously soured on Naslund. |
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2. Kris Beech (c), Ross Lupaschuk (d), Michal Sivek (c) and future considerations from Washington for Jaromir Jagr (rw) and Frantisek Kucera (d), Jul. 11, 2001 Although the context remains murky, near the end of his contract Jaromir Jagr told Patrick he wanted out of Pittsburgh. Operating under strict financial constraints, the Pens’ GM did his best to oblige. However, the three “prospects” he received from the Capitals in return for the five-time scoring champion came up woefully short. Only Beech, a fringe player at best, spent any significant time with the team. |
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3. Derick Brassard (c), Vincent Dunn (c) and a third-round pick in the 2018 Entry Draft from Ottawa for Ian Cole (d), Filip Gustavsson (g), a first-round pick in the 2018 Entry Draft and a third-round pick in the 2019 Entry Draft, Feb. 23, 2018 Intended to boost the Pens’ chances for a three-peat, the high-profile trade instead backfired mightily. Accustomed to a more prominent role in his previous stops, Brassard balked at third-line duty. The loss of Cole (and heavyweight Ryan Reaves in a related swap) destabilized the third-defensive pairing and stripped away grit and muscle. On a 16-4-1 run prior to the trade, the Pens never regained their momentum and haven’t whiffed the Cup since. |
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4. Joel Bouchard (d), Rico Fata (rw), Richard Lintner (d) and Mikael Samuelsson (rw) from NY Rangers for Alex Kovalev (rw), Dan LaCouture (lw), Janne Laukkanen (d) and Mike Wilson (d), Feb. 10, 2003 Once more, Patrick dumped a superstar (and his salary) and got next-to-nothing in return. Of the grab-bag collection he received in exchange for Kovalev, only the speedy Fata experienced any success with the black and gold. Bouchard and Lintner were gone by the start of the 2003-04 season. Samuelsson would eventually emerge as a solid player, albeit with Detroit. The silver lining? The big forward was dealt to Florida as part of a package that enabled the Pens to select Marc-Andre Fleury first overall. |
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5. Ron Meighan (d) and Anders Hakansson (lw) from Minnesota for George Ferguson (rw) and an exchange of first-round picks in the 1983 Entry Draft, Oct. 28, 1982 Hakansson was big and fast, although he possessed flinty hands. Meighan was a highly touted first-rounder who never panned out. The killer was the exchange of first-round picks. As the Pens plummeted to the bottom of the standings, it became apparent that GM Baz Bastien had traded away the first overall pick in the draft. The deal would’ve graded out worse had the Pens not selected feisty role player Bob Errey with their pick and eventually parlayed Hakansson into Kevin Stevens. |
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6. Ed Olczyk (c) from Los Angeles for Glen Murray (rw), Mar. 18, 1997 Patrick swapped an up-and-comer for a fading former star. While Olczyk was extremely popular with his new teammates, his production waned following the arrival of defense-first coach Kevin Constantine. Murray struggled during his two seasons with the Pens but found new life on the left coast. The big winger would bang home 283 goals after leaving the ‘Burgh. |
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7. Hartland Monahan (rw) from Washington for first-round pick in the 1979 Amateur Draft, Oct. 17, 1977 This one had the critics scratching their heads. Monahan was a marginal player who’d enjoyed a career year (23 goals) in 1976-77. He’d scored a hat trick against the Pens and had obviously made an impression. However, he wasn’t worth a first-round pick. After watching his prized acquisition play, GM Baz Bastien must’ve agreed. Two weeks later he shipped Monahan to the Kings. |
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8. Eddie Shack (lw) from Buffalo for Rene Robert (rw), Mar. 4, 1972 At the behest of coach Red Kelly, GM Jack Riley sent promising young forward Rene Robert to Buffalo for Kelly’s old teammate and friend Eddie Shack. While “the Entertainer” helped propel the Pens to a playoff berth in 1971-72 and provided a spark during his season and change in the Steel City, he was nearing the end of the line. Robert would shine as a member of the Sabres’ famed “French Connection Line.” |
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9. Kevin Hatcher (d) from Dallas for Sergei Zubov (d), Jun. 22, 1996 What looked to be a swap of All-Star defensemen turned out to be a lopsided win for the Stars. Hatcher, fresh off a miserable season in Dallas, scored 45 goals during his three seasons with the Pens. But the big defender had lost all taste for physical play. The wondrously skilled Zubov emerged as an elite defenseman while anchoring a Stanley Cup winner in Dallas. |
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10. Douglas Murray (d) from San Jose for second-round picks in the 2013 and 2014 Entry Drafts, Mar. 25, 2013 I confess I was happy as a clam when GM Ray Shero acquired the rugged 240-pound rearguard from San Jose, and on my birthday no less. Murray threw some big hits and bested Tampa Bay’s B.J. Crombeen in a spirited slugfest. But for the most part, “Crankshaft” proved to be a largely immobile rental whose tour of duty with the Pens (29 regular- and postseason games) was all-too brief. |
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Dishonorable Mention Jason Zucker (lw) from Minnesota for Calen Addison (d), Alex Galchenyuk (c) and a first-round pick in the 2021 Entry Draft, Feb. 10, 2020 Rod Schutt (lw) from Montreal for a first-round choice in the 1981 Entry Draft, Oct. 18, 1978 Dmitri Mironov (d) and a second-round pick in the 1996 Entry Draft from Toronto for Larry Murphy (d), Jul. 8, 1995 |
Hey Rick,
Good stuff,
I still have your #4 best trade in Penguins history as my worst trade in Penguins history. The Pens traded away two Hall of Fame players, two of the top 15 scorers in the history of the NHL for Tocchet who played two seasons on the Penguins, human orange pylon Samuelsson who was 3 years older than Coffey and backup goalie Wregget. The Penguins with an unprecedented 5 of the top 15 all time scorers in the history of the NHL all on the same team would have been a dynasty winning several more cups not just the one cup if it wasn’t for this trade. Coffey was still playing fantastic, he won the Norris trophy in ’95 and Recchi still holds the Flyers record for most points scored in a season, went to 6 more all star games, was the all star MVP and won two more Stanley Cups.
Hey Phil,
On the surface, I was probably somewhere in between you and Rick on this one. I hated the trade when it happened. But after a while I sort of moved more to the middle on the trade. However, now that you and Rick brought it up, I am moving back to your side on this one. I argue a couple of points in a similar vein, not so much with hindsight but still similar, I thought Recchi was too young and good to throw away and felt Coffey had far more in the tank than some would have given him credit for. And as you point out both had far better seasons ahead of them than the players we received. In retrospect, could NYI have skated us into the ice with Coffey and Recchi – doubtful.
Hello Phil,
You crossed me up…I was fully expecting you to comment to the best trades post … lol.
I certainly understand and respect your take on the Tocchet-Recchi trade. However, at the time of the deal, the Pens were only three games over .500 and in a 2-7-1 funk. Hard to imagine for a team loaded with that much talent, I know. But the mix they had wasn’t working. Plus, Larry Murphy had more or less bumped Paul Coffey aside as our top defenseman. Scotty Bowman had even used Coffey at left wing on a couple of occasions.
The Pens desperately needed a shakeup and some different elements and Patrick made sure we got ’em. Without that trade, and specifically Tocchet and Samuelsson (as immobile as he was), I don’t know if we beat three very physical teams…Washington, the Rangers and Chicago on the way to the Cup.
Perhaps you’re right. Maybe we traded a couple of potential Cups down the road for the ’92 Cup. We’ll never really know. But I applaud Patrick for having guts to go for it in such a big way.
For that season at least, his gamble paid off.
Rick
Hey Rick,
Not trying to stir the pot any – far be it for me to do anything so mischievous but I was reading somewhere on the NHL web-site earlier this week where some pundits are suggesting that Calen Addison is going to have a breakout season this year. So, what would Addison have to do to push that trade into the top 10 for you? Do you believe it is possible for Addison to have a big enough season? And if so, how high could you see that trade climb on your list?
Yes, my friend. If Addison develops into a big-time NHLer, it would probably push the Zucker trade into the top…er…bottom 10.
Addison had an interesting season with Iowa of the AHL in ’21-22…seven goals and 34 points in 43 games with 70 penalty minutes and a minus-six. In particular the PIM are a bit of a surprise given his size (or lack of at 5’11” 173).
Not to suggest they’re the same player, but at first blush his numbers going back to junior are eerily similar to another d-man and former high Pens draft pick out of the Western League…Derrick Pouliot.
What I do notice about Addison? His plus/minus stats dating back to junior are less than inspired, indicating his defensive chops might be a bit lacking. Which could mitigate against him having the anticipated breakout.
Rick
Hey Rick,
I hadn’t really looked at Addison’s AHL stats that closely. When I first read your comment about Addison having 70 PIM in 43 games for Iowa in the AHL last season, I was a bit surprised. However, after I looked at Minnesota’s record since 2018-2019 that surprise faded. Addison is no longer playing for the Pittsburgh Milquetoast Smurfs. He is playing for a pretty hard – nosed organization. Since 2018-2019 Minnesota is 9th in the league in PIM, 7th in 5 Minute Majors according to the NHL website.
Addison may be tracking similar to Pouliot right now, but he escaped the Penguins farm system at a much earlier age then Pouliot, that might mitigate his potential, like failure.
Rick
Addison is a no for me – another smaller Defenseman who gets pushed around in front of his
own net. I mean really how many “D” men can you carry on your roster at 170 + pounds??
Pettersson, POJ, and Addison and now Ty Smith although he comes
in at 180 – Pens still need a couple more players that will make their
presence felt in front of the net at both ends of the ice.