Why did Theoren Fleury get traded to the Colorado Avalanche in 1998-99?

[Michael Whiteacre]

Theoren Fleury won a Stanley Cup ring as a teenager in 1989 with the Calgary Flames, and went on to establish himself as a super scoring machine RW over virtually the entire 1990s decade with the team, as Calgary had Joe Nieuwendyk, Doug Gilmour, Gary Roberts, Theoren Fleury, Joe Mullen, Sergei Makarov, Al MacInnis, Gary Suter, and later Robert Reichel, Paul Ranheim, German Titov, Cory Stillman, Michael Nylander, Phil Housley, Jarome Iginla, Valeri Bure, Marc Savard and Chris Clark for their key players.

The Calgary Flames also had a good-to-great team going for them in regards to being regular Stanley Cup contenders. Fleury looked like he had several more years left playing at an All-Star caliber level when he was only 30 years old, and was scoring 30 goals + 39 assists for 69 points in 60 games for Calgary during '98-'99 before he suddenly got traded to the Colorado Avalanche for unknown reasons.

However, Colorado had Claude Lemieux, rookie Milan Hejduk, Adam Deadmarsh and Shean Donovan all ahead of Fleury on the Avs' RW depth chart in '98-'99, yet he continued to play at the same star level in Colorado like he did in Calgary, only by scoring 10 goals and 14 assists for 24 points in 15 games, ending a season split between Calgary and Colorado with a total of 40 goals and 53 assists for 93 points in 75 games.

After 1998-99, Fleury never again played at a star level after leaving Colorado in order to become just another one of the casualties by signing a big hefty contract with the New York Rangers, where he abruptly began to fall apart and was never the same star he used to be. His sudden decline was enhanced, yet it had nothing to do with old age or injury as Fleury was only 30-31 when his level of play took a huge nosedive and he didn't have any serious career-altering injuries hurting his level of play on the ice, yet his decline was more enhanced by something other than injury or age than most other NHLers.

But then again, what was the reason (from the perspective of the Flames) as to why the Calgary Flames felt the need to get rid of Theoren Fleury even though he had a good Flames team going for him with Andrew Cassels, Cory Stillman, Michael Nylander, a young Martin St. Louis, veterans Phil Housley and Tom Chorske, and the likes of young stars Valeri Bure, Jarome Iginla and Derek Morris?

And what was the reason (from the perspective of the Avalanche) why the Colorado Avalanche felt the need to make the trade for Theoren Fleury even though Colorado was already stacked at RW with Claude Lemieux, Milan Hejduk, Adam Deadmarsh, Shean Donovan, Jeff Odgers, Christian Matte and Scott Parker?

Prior to getting traded to the Avalanche in '98-'99, Fleury looked like he would play his entire NHL career with the Calgary Flames, and he would be a part of the Flames forever. In fact, the only time Theoren Fleury led the entire NHL in one particular stat was in the plus/minus (+/-) category department in 1990-91, although he was tied with Los Angeles Kings' blueliner Marty McSorley for the lead at a league-leading +/- rating of +48.

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[quoipourquoi]

Fleury was traded because he was a UFA that Calgary would not have been able to keep, and he went to Colorado because the Avalanche and Red Wings were in somewhat of a nuclear arms race.

But I will disagree with the idea that Theo Fleury never played at a star level again after 1998-99. Unless the absolute worst happened (and it did), I think that's your 2001 Hart Trophy winner. Through late-January, he had 65 points in 48 games and had still been thriving offensively throughout a bad post-Christmas stretch by his Rangers teammates. He was playing so well, had he held together, they may have snuck into the playoffs even though they were 29th in save percentage and allowed the 2nd most shots.

Someone should have given him a throwaway 0-0-0-0-1 Hart vote, but it was kind of a loaded field that year.

 

[Hobnobs]

Fleury was traded because he was a UFA that Calgary would not have been able to keep, and he went to Colorado because the Avalanche and Red Wings were in somewhat of a nuclear arms race.

But I will disagree with the idea that Theo Fleury never played at a star level again after 1998-99. Unless the absolute worst happened (and it did), I think that's your 2001 Hart Trophy winner. Through late-January, he had 65 points in 48 games and had still been thriving offensively throughout a bad post-Christmas stretch by his Rangers teammates. He was playing so well, had he held together, they may have snuck into the playoffs even though they were 29th in save percentage and allowed the 2nd most shots.

Someone should have given him a throwaway 0-0-0-0-1 Hart vote, but it was kind of a loaded field that year.

Pretty much this + iirc Deadmarsh and Kamensky were question marks that season because of injuries.

If he hadnt fallen apart and they snuck into the finals, do you think he would have lead the playoffs in points WITHOUT EVEN REACHING THE FINALS?

 

[Pominville Knows]

Why Colorado would trade for him? Becouse no one on their allready stacked RW was as good as Fleury.
Regarding his decline it was not that notable at all. Firstly he had scored 67 points in 81 games allready as an 28 year old in 1996/97 so it is not as he ever was to be confused with Wayne Gretzky, secondly he both had his issues with illegal substances but even then, he scored 74 in 62 in 2000/01 playing for the Rangers. The next season he was 33 and that age is pushing it a bit to still be in peak condition for a lot of players, but he still had a solid year. The next season though he fell of, but it probably had something to do with the substances, he was forced into rehab at some point.

 

[Doctor Coffin]

But I will disagree with the idea that Theo Fleury never played at a star level again after 1998-99. Unless the absolute worst happened (and it did), I think that's your 2001 Hart Trophy winner. Through late-January, he had 65 points in 48 games and had still been thriving offensively throughout a bad post-Christmas stretch by his Rangers teammates. He was playing so well, had he held together, they may have snuck into the playoffs even though they were 29th in save percentage and allowed the 2nd most shots.

Good memory. Until Fleury fell off the wagon (as he himself acknowledged in his autobiography), I remember the FLY line (Fleury, Lindros, Mike York) playing really well that year for the Rangers, keeping them up in the standings.

 

[quoipourquoi]

Pretty much this + iirc Deadmarsh and Kamensky were question marks that season because of injuries.

If he hadnt fallen apart and they snuck into the finals, do you think he would have lead the playoffs in points WITHOUT EVEN REACHING THE FINALS?

Haha, given how much he and Sakic lit up San Jose in Round 1, that could have been a possibility!

vs. San Jose
Sakic: 3-9-12 in 6 games
Fleury: 3-8-11 in 6 games

vs. Detroit/Dallas
Sakic: 3-4-7 in 13 games
Fleury: 2-4-6 in 12 games

 

[Hobnobs]

Haha, given how much he and Sakic lit up San Jose in Round 1, that could have been a possibility!

vs. San Jose
Sakic: 3-9-12 in 6 games
Fleury: 3-8-11 in 6 games

vs. Detroit/Dallas
Sakic: 3-4-7 in 13 games
Fleury: 2-4-6 in 12 games

I meant with the rags

 

[quoipourquoi]

I meant with the rags

If anyone is a threat to do it, it's him. I just did a breakdown of his Round 1 stats in his career:

50 games, 29 goals, 37 assists, 66 points

Between that and the Rangers, he seemed to do well even when his teams weren't necessarily winning a lot.

 

[tarheelhockey]

Fleury was a huge "get" for the Avs. Hejduk was a nobody at that time, an 87th pick from that summer. Lemieux and Deadmarsh were grinding, middle-6 type guys. Fleury was obviously brought in to be their top RW, and a strong move toward keeping pace with the Wings.

As for the Flames perspective, very simply they couldn't pay the guy. That all happened in the immediate wake of the Winnipeg and Quebec relocations, and both Edmonton and Calgary were in the crosshairs to be the next small-market Canadian teams to go down. They would rather trade their best player than bankrupt their franchise.

 

[quoipourquoi]

Fleury was a huge "get" for the Avs. Hejduk was a nobody at that time, an 87th pick from that summer. Lemieux and Deadmarsh were grinding, middle-6 type guys. Fleury was obviously brought in to be their top RW, and a strong move toward keeping pace with the Wings.

I wouldn't say Hejduk was a nobody; he was the leading scorer among rookies (Drury taking the Calder over him). But you're right that his major breakthrough hadn't happened just yet - that came in those 1999 playoffs.

 

[NewUser293223]

Hejduk was a nobody at that time, an 87th pick from that summer.

Although you're right he was far from established as one of the elite snipers in the game, Hejduk played like a worthy Calder candidate and he most definitely had not been drafted that summer (if that means summer '98), as this picture strongly suggests:

(1994)

 

[tarheelhockey]

I wouldn't say Hejduk was a nobody; he was the leading scorer among rookies (Drury taking the Calder over him). But you're right that his major breakthrough hadn't happened just yet - that came in those 1999 playoffs.

Yeah, and he was red hot down the stretch too. Checking his game log, he had 27 points in 60 games the day of the Fleury trade in February. Not a “nobody”, but certainly not a guy you look at and say “this guy will have his number retired someday”.

Although you're right he was far from established as one of the elite snipers in the game, Hejduk played like a worthy Calder candidate and he most definitely had not been drafted that summer (if that means summer '98), as this picture strongly suggests:

(1994)

You’re right, not drafted... I meant he was a rookie, he came over that summer. Unknown quantity as an NHL player.

I was taking issue with the idea that he was above Fleury on the depth chart. That’s just not true at all, Fleury was an established star and Hejduk had half a season of solid play under his belt. It would be like saying DeBrincat is above Kane on Chicago’s depth chart right now.

 

[Brodeur]

I can only imagine the pressure for Colorado to add knowing that they probably would have to go through Detroit (two time defending champs) and Dallas. As others have stated, Hejduk was young and Fleury was better than Lemieux at that point.

As for Calgary, I vaguely recall the Canadian dollar being very low. There was a clause in the old CBA where if a Canadian team had a RFA sign an offer sheet in US dollars, they were allowed to match in Canadian dollars and the NHL would cover the difference to help out. But UFAs had no such provision, so the Flames had to trade Fleury for something or else get back a (likely) 2nd round pick as compensation.

 

[TheAngryHank]

Was Dale Hunter also on that Avs team?

 

[Hobnobs]

Was Dale Hunter also on that Avs team?

Yea but he was a total suck fest for the Avs.

 

[Nalens Oga]

Fleury's speed was notable in the playoff series against the Wings that year iirc. We beat them because we outskated them and he was great, too bad he couldn't stay long with the team.

 

[TheAngryHank]

Yea but he was a total suck fest for the Avs.

I remember Fleury and Hunter snowing goalies lol.

 

[tony d]

I remember the rumors surrounding Fleury that winter, I figured he'd get traded but not to Colorado. Was a good pickup for them, wonder how things would have worked out for him and his career had he stayed there long-term.

 

[Iapyi]

yeah the avs were so stacked at RW they had a whole bunch of guys who were never at the level that fluery still was at that time.

 

[Big Phil]

I always loved Fleury. He is such a great reminder of what many of us consider the golden age of hockey in the early to mid 1990s.

I knew he was going to be gone after 1999 and so did the Flames. He wanted to better himself I think and who knows maybe staying on a team like Colorado would have helped his career. I can't imagine with all the demons he faced with drugs and alcohol New York being the best place for him after 1999, but that's what happened. If he stays in Colorado with guys like Sakic, Roy and Forsberg driven to win he may have had a better atmosphere that kept him from backsliding. Or maybe not, I don't know.

Either way, at the end of January in 2001 this is what his numbers looked like:

67 points in 53 games.

This is how Sakic and Jagr's looked at the end of January:

Sakic - 72 points in 52 games
Jagr - 69 points in 52 games

Throw in Mario, who made a push for the Hart thanks to his comeback in December and that is pretty much your competition. No doubt Fleury is in the mix. I think Sakic still takes it because he ended up with 118 points on the best team in the NHL. Hard to go against that and it was nearly unanimous anyway. But could Fleury have snuck into the top 3? I think so with a full season and especially the Rangers making the playoffs.

Either way, put this guy in the HHOF already.

 

[c9777666]

I think the bigger question should be why did Theo Fleury not resign with Colorado?

It probably would have been better- Denver isn't as much of a pressure cooker that NY is. Maybe he doesn't have the same drug and alcohol demons.

I mean, considering how well he started in 2000-01 on the Rangers- imagine him on that stacked '01 Avs team.

 

[TheAngryHank]

I think the Rangers pulled up a Brinx truck, like with every other FA

 

[feffan]

Was sad at the time that Fleury left Colorado so soon. Seemed like an ideal spot. And if I remember correctley he and Sakic looked like they could challenge Selänne/Kariya for best duo in the leauge.

He continues to be one of the more underrated players, nice to see the love he gets in this thread. No doubt a HHOF:er for me.

Had he stayed around in Colorado, being their undoubtable best RW during the years 1999-2004 when Forsberg and Sakic had some big years his resume would look ridicilous much better. A Richard, if healthy, is almost probable as I see it. Hejduk would probably the one who´s career would look much more unspectacular if so, as his two peak years would have had him as Colorados 2nd best RW:er instead of 1st choice.

Add that Denver most probable would have suited Theos demons quite much better. NY being one of the worst places he could be at the time.

 

[Hobnobs]

Was sad at the time that Fleury left Colorado so soon. Seemed like an ideal spot. And if I remember correctley he and Sakic looked like they could challenge Selänne/Kariya for best duo in the leauge.

He continues to be one of the more underrated players, nice to see the love he gets in this thread. No doubt a HHOF:er for me.

Had he stayed around in Colorado, being their undoubtable best RW during the years 1999-2004 when Forsberg and Sakic had some big years his resume would look ridicilous much better. A Richard, if healthy, is almost probable as I see it. Hejduk would probably the one who´s career would look much more unspectacular if so, as his two peak years would have had him as Colorados 2nd best RW:er instead of 1st choice.

Add that Denver most probable would have suited Theos demons quite much better. NY being one of the worst places he could be at the time.

Hejduk would still play with one of Forsberg or Sakic. I doubt his career would be less spectacular. The difference would be that Avs would have a extremely potent RW which they lacked during that period. Deadmarsh were slowing down and Lemieux was traded for Rolston, Fleury and Hejduk would be golden.

 

[Ceremony]

The Avalanche have historically enjoyed giving away young top four defensive prospects for nothing.