Biggest "Almost" Deals Through History?

Randomtask68

Registered User
Jul 19, 2010
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Burlington, MA
What are some of the biggest deals that were either heavily rumored or very close to happening through history? A few that come to mind are Gretzky going to the Rangers, Red Wings, Canucks or Maple Leafs at various times, Yzerman for Yashin and Lecavalier to Montreal.
 

LeafsNation75

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Jan 15, 2010
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Toronto, Ontario
I remember Bill Watters once said on Leafs Lunch that in 2001 the Leafs and Lightning had a trade worked out for Lecavalier, however at the last minute Tampa Bay ownership stepped in and said not to trade him.
 

Killion

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Feb 19, 2010
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Of an evening many years ago, 1961 to be precise, a million dollars offered by James D. Norris of Chicago for Frank Mahovlich of the Leafs, accepted by Harold Ballard, deposit paid... returned the next morning, deal halted upon the intervention of Conn Smythe & Punch Imlach.
 

kmad

riot survivor
Jun 16, 2003
34,133
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Vancouver
Yzerman was a playoff failure who was almost traded for Alexei Yashin in the mid 90s.

Also Keenan was close to trading Naslund for draft picks, but someone got injured so they needed him.
 
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Killion

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Feb 19, 2010
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At 15, Gordie Howe was invited to & attended the Rangers Training Camp.... however, homesick, taking a lot of ribbing from veterans, turned off with the experience & returned home to Saskatoon. Following winter, approached by a Red Wings Scout, rest is history.

Summer of 97, the Rangers, having lost Messier to Vancouver sign Colorado's Joe Sakic to a $21M 3yr Offer Sheet, the Avalanche however stepping up to the plate & matching. At that tine, had Colorado not matched and lost Sakic, I believe the indemnification was 5 or 6 1st Round Picks from New York.

In 2007, Detroit was up against it with the Salary Cap, Datsyuks Contract up and they didnt have a lot of breathing room. A deal reportedly in place with New Jersey for Scott Gomez. Fortunately for the Wings, they did manage to sign Pavel, one of the most popular, creative, entertaining & best 2 way players in todays game.
 

Moose Head

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Mar 12, 2002
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Pollock had a deal on the table for the #2 pick in the lafleur draft. Could have had lafleur and dionne.

Incidentally, they picked Robinson with their 2nd rounder.
 

BobRouse

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Mar 18, 2009
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Prime Teemu for Jason Allison, Sylvain Cote and Nolan Baumgartner. Nixed by Abe Polin who didn't want to pay Teemu his salary. Same guy who forced a trade of Ciccarelli for Kevin Miller due to not wanting to pay.
 

Hobnobs

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Nov 29, 2011
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Wirtz and Pulford refused a deal with Islanders as "trying to get rid of 4th line players" when they offered Palffy, Green, Lachance+ for Roenick.

They also refused an offer from blues which was a package containing Brett Hull and Shayne Corson+.

I guess that is good explanation as to why that team turned into a garbage basement team.
 

Buck Aki Berg

Done with this place
Sep 17, 2008
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Ottawa, ON
Not sure how "almost" it was, but the story goes that the Nords were willing to part with Nolan, Forsberg, and Hextall for the 1st pick in 1993. You know, Daigle.

Yzerman was a playoff failure who was almost traded for Alexei Yashin in the mid 90s.

Jesus, could you imagine if those two things had happened?
 

feffan

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Sep 9, 2010
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Malmö
If Lindros had been awarded to Rangers instead of Flyers... Or Wirtz had given up the money Quebec wanted... Or Quebec taken the Flames deal instead... and so on...

Nothing probably shaped the landscape off the last 25 years like the final outcome off the Lindros trade. So many great careers and franchises would take completley different turnes.


One off my favourite "What if´s" is already mentioned above. How close it was that Dionne was a Canadaian. How different he would be looked at.
 

Moose Head

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Speaking of Lindros, the Habs and Nords talked a Roy+ trade. They were close, but in the end, I think Savard backed off because it would have been political suicide to trade his French Canadian star for Lindros, who many in Quebec couldn't stand.
 

Moose Head

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Are there any significant unrestricted free agents who were close to signing with a team other than the one they ultimately chose?

Brett Hull was all but signed by the Habs, and then Detroit came in with a late offer (for less cash) and he couldn't resist the chance for another cup or two.
 

John Flyers Fan

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Feb 27, 2002
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Shanahan to the Blues for Brind'amour & CuJo ... instead the Devils were awarded Scott Stevens.

The Lindros trade and all its possibilities and the Shanny offer sheet changed the course of the NHL more than any othwr deals of the last 25 years.
 

John Flyers Fan

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Feb 27, 2002
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Clarke thought he had the following deal all wrapped up, until Arthur Griffiths pulled out at the last minute and went with the Bruins late offer.

Brian Propp, Rich Sutter, Dave Richter and a 1986 #1
for
Cam Neely, J.J. Daigneault and a 1986 #1
 

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