Biggest "Almost" Deals Through History?

blood gin

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Esposito addressed that Gratton saga in his book. I think he would admit that the "smudged fax" was basically a hail mary that he didn't expect to come through.

Esposito was in a tough spot at that point in 1997. The franchise was put on sale for a year with no buyers, and thus had next to no financial support from the mystery Japanese group which owned it. Tampa had made the playoffs in 1996 (and missed by 3 points in 1997), so perhaps Esposito's ego/competitiveness thought that he could get them back in 1997-98.

So he made the short sighted decision that he needed some players in return for Gratton rather than just take the draft picks. In the book, Esposito also makes some dubious claims the Flyers owner Ed Snider went over Esposito's head for the Renberg/Dykhuis trade and Esposito was forced to take it. If I recall correctly, Esposito said that the original trade was supposed to include Rod Brind'Amour as well.

Were the Lightning ever owned by the Yakuza?
 

Ziggy Stardust

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Apparently there were talks of the Kings trading Bernie Nicholls to Minnesota for Dino Ciccarelli. That would've been interesting. Of course, Bernie would go on to score 70 goals, but he's dealt in 1990 for Tomas Sandstrom and Tony Granato.

Kings' Nicholls, Despite Dispute, Wants to Stay
Nicholls' name, however, has been included in numerous trade rumors, most recently in one that has him going to Minnesota for Dino Ciccarelli, who would meet the Kings' need for a high-scoring right winger.

Vachon acknowledged that he has spoken to the North Stars as well as to Ciccarelli's agent, Ron Salcer, but says that Ciccarelli would cost the Kings too much--in salary and in players the Kings would have to give up to get him.
 

brachyrynchos

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Avalanche GM Pierre Lacroix really wanted that 1st overall pick in 1998 to select Vincent Lecavalier. They made some deals and ended up with 4 1st rd picks and were said to have offered all 4 to Tampa Bay who refused. Not sure if any players or what other packages were rumored.
Colorado had a core of Sakic, Forsberg, Drury, Hejduk, Fleury, Lemieux, Kamensky, and Deadmarsh. Maybe Lecavalier plays C or is put on left wing, stacked team either way.
BTW, those picks were:
12th via SJ Ricci trade (Tanguay)
17th via LA- E. Lacroix/Fiset deal (Skoula)
19th- from BOS, Myrvold & Landon Wilson (Regehr)
20th- Jones/Simon trade w/WSH (Parker).
 

Brodeur

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Still find it amazing that the Avs didn't have higher picks for 1998. In 1997, Boston/SJ/LA picked 1-2-3 and Washington picked #9. Imagine the Penguins owning 2019 1st rounders from Buffalo, Ottawa, Arizona, and Edmonton.

I dunno if it was mentioned earlier, but I stumbled on some old articles looking up Sergei Zubov. Apparently Quebec and the Rangers were talking about a Ricci/Zubov swap around the 1995 deadline. Had the Nordiques gotten Zubov, maybe that precludes the Nolan/Ozolinsh trade several months later?
 

Bluesguru

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Came to post exactly this. If you search through the Chicago Tribune online archives you can still find the articles.


Thanks for the info. Just looked it up and found the article. Did not know it was this close to a reality. I had heard back then at the time that the Blues offered Hull and MacInnis for Chelios and Belfour, but never knew if it was real or how close to reality. The story fails to mention the other player involved with Roenick in the deal, so I'm assuming maybe Keenan did try to do a blockbuster and tried to get either Chelios or Belfour included in that deal with Roenick. At the time I thought it was a bad deal for the Blues to trade Hull to the Hawks, but given how history unfolded, I wish the deal had been made.
 

Bluesguru

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I never heard about the Roenick deal before but the return of Hull and Corson would have been better than Zhamnov. I love in the article they were talking about "pointing fingers" when in reality Wirtz probably nixed it because there was still bad blood between Wirtz and Bobby Hull, that is quite obvious considering when Hull became a FA it was considered a no-brainer that the Hawks were going to sign him, they were already pulling #9 down from the rafters, yet of course Hull signs with the Wings, and the Hawks actually end up signing Gilmore to a more lucrative contract despite being a lesser player..

It's safe to say Wirtz was so spiteful of the Hull family that he never wanted to see the name Hull on the back of a Hawks jersey again.


I'm guessing the deal was bigger than just Hull/Corson for Roenick. The article said a 3rd player from the Blues was included. Since the article was from 96, I'm guessing out of respect for the parties involved, there was no mention of the other Hawk player, but obviously that deal was a bigger deal for it to fall apart. I had heard at that time that Keenan offered Hull and MacInnis for Chelios and Belfour. So obviously there was some there and something was cooking back then. At the time, I thought it was crazy to trade Hull, but given how everything unfolded, I wish Keenan pulled it off.
 
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brachyrynchos

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So apparently at the 1973 Draft, Canadiens GM Sam Pollock offered 4-5 players to Bill Torrey's Islanders for Denis Potvin, Torrey turned it down. I can't find who the players offered were, does anybody know?
 
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brachyrynchos

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9/21/94 NY Times reported that there had been discussions involving a Messier for Hull deal. Hull was also said to be mentioned as compensation for Keenan going to St Louis.
The Times also reported that Hull was close to signing with the Rangers in July 2001.
August 2001, Sports Illustrated claimed that Hull was about to be signed by NYR for 2 yrs worth a total of $10M as soon as the trade for Lindros was finalized. Hull ended up signing with Detroit.
Flashback: The Times Brett Hull Was Almost A Ranger. Adam Rotter 6/13/12
And supposedly Glen Sather reached out to Rangers GM Phil Esposito in 1988 about trading Gretzky but a deal couldn't be worked out. Kisio, Sandstrom, and Beezer were said to be players included.
 
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FerrisRox

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9/21/94 NY Times reported that there had been discussions involving a Messier for Hull deal. Hull was also said to be mentioned as compensation for Keenan going to St Louis.
The Times also reported that Hull was close to signing with the Rangers in July 2001.
August 2001, Sports Illustrated claimed that Hull was about to be signed by NYR for 2 yrs worth a total of $10M as soon as the trade for Lindros was finalized. Hull ended up signing with Detroit.
Flashback: The Times Brett Hull Was Almost A Ranger. Adam Rotter 6/13/12
And supposedly Glen Sather reached out to Rangers GM Phil Esposito in 1988 about trading Gretzky but a deal couldn't be worked out. Kisio, Sandstrom, and Beezer were said to be players included.

I'm not sure what happened, but the Ranger thing fell apart. Hull was very very close to signing with the Montreal Canadiens in August of 2001. Hull signed, I believe, on a Wednesday but on the Monday of that same week he had informed the Canadiens he was set to sign with them for a 2-year deal. His agent essentially did one more round of phone calls around the league before Hull signed the deal and got a bite from Detroit. Hull, who was keen to sign with the more competitive Red Wings, instructed his agent to pursue it. The Wings, initially, offered a one year contract while the Canadiens offered two. Hull reasoned that Detroit's talent base would allow him to put up the kind of numbers that might set him up hit the market again the next summer in a good position and the Canadiens, in an effort to up their offer contemplated a third year on their offer (that would have paid Hull until he was 40) but ultimately wouldn't commit to the third year. The Wings upped their offer to a two year pact and he signed in Motown.
 
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Speedtrials

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I remember a lot of talk that Hull was interested in signing with the Rangers when it looked like they were going to land Jagr from the Penguins. Seeing what Jagr did when he actually came to the Rangers, those two probably would have at least turned them back into a playoff team.
 
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SabbathBloodySabbath

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So apparently at the 1973 Draft, Canadiens GM Sam Pollock offered 4-5 players to Bill Torrey's Islanders for Denis Potvin, Torrey turned it down. I can't find who the players offered were, does anybody know?

Maybe one of Torrey’s greatest moves was a trade he didn’t make. The old master, Montreal Canadiens general manager Sam Pollock, who had fleeced a few GMs over the years for their top picks, tried to do the same with Torrey, offering five players off his roster for the pick that turned into Potvin.

Torrey held firm and he took to his grave the names of those five players, always refusing to give up the names.


Bill Torrey’s best deal was one he refused to make - Sportsnet.ca
 

brachyrynchos

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Tomas Kaberle to Philly for Carter and 1st was already mentioned, but at that same 2008 Trade Deadline, Toronto GM Fletcher had a trade worked out with Gainey and Montreal, Chris Higgins, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd for Mats Sundin. Sundin didn't waive his NTC and stayed a leaf.
In the fall of 2008, New York Rangers were one of the teams pursuing Sundin, Philly was said to have interest, and of course VAN.
"Yes, we have interest in Forsberg", Ranger GM Glen Sather said. " from the reports we've been getting, the foot is much better than it was a year ago". Flyers, Caps, Montreal, and Colorado all had been scouting Forsberg. Brooks ny post 11/5/09
 

brachyrynchos

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Sorry, another almost Ranger trade. 1992 St Louis was to send Adam Oates and Paul Cavallini for Darren Turcotte and James Patrick. Neil Smith went to talk it over with coach Roger Neilson, who didn't want to make the deal. SNY 6/26/12
 

Tuna Tatarrrrrr

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Earlier in his career, Maurice Richard was almost traded to the New York Rangers before he becomes the Rocket.
 

Ziggy Stardust

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Tretiak to Montreal.

Gretzky ultimatum from Canucks.

Tretiak was actually drafted by the Canadiens, but you're right, him dressing for them was a big "almost" that we never got to see.

1983 NHL Entry Draft -- Vladislav Tretiak
After drafting Tretiak in 1983, Montreal general manager Serge Savard made a real effort to convince Soviet authorities to release him to the Canadiens after the 1984 Olympics in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia.

The Soviets, locked in the Cold War with the U.S., would never have considered releasing a player to a U.S.-based NHL team, but Montreal was another story. Savard found that the Soviets were willing to entertain the unprecedented offer, since Tretiak, then 32, was clearly in the twilight of his European career and was no longer showing the skill that had once made him the world's best goaltender.

Savard went to Moscow four times during the winter of 1984, hoping to secure Tretiak's release. Many North American newspapers were reporting that Tretiak was expected to play in the NHL for the last part of the 1983-84 season. But even though Tretiak, a lieutenant-colonel in the Soviet army, was prepared to leave his homeland to play in the NHL, Soviet officials ultimately vetoed Tretiak's transfer, however, amid concerns about what it would mean to let a Russian soldier, whose father held the prestigious rank of major in the Soviet army, enter the NHL.

Tretiak later said he could never forgive the Soviets for that veto and said his subsequent decision to retire was his only way to get back at the people who prevented him from playing for the Canadiens.
 

LeafsNation75

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Tomas Kaberle to Philly for Carter and 1st was already mentioned, but at that same 2008 Trade Deadline, Toronto GM Fletcher had a trade worked out with Gainey and Montreal, Chris Higgins, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd for Mats Sundin. Sundin didn't waive his NTC and stayed a leaf.
In the fall of 2008, New York Rangers were one of the teams pursuing Sundin, Philly was said to have interest, and of course VAN.
"Yes, we have interest in Forsberg", Ranger GM Glen Sather said. " from the reports we've been getting, the foot is much better than it was a year ago". Flyers, Caps, Montreal, and Colorado all had been scouting Forsberg. Brooks ny post 11/5/09
The Leafs and Canadiens also had a trade for Sundin worked out at the 2008 Draft if Sundin was willing to talk about signing with them, since he was set to become a UFA.
 

crobro

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Guy Lafleur in 1984 getting solid offers from Edmonton and Pittsburgh

Doru Toreanu the Romanian superstar rejecting by Duress a $500.000 per season offer from Montreal
 

The Panther

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And supposedly Glen Sather reached out to Rangers GM Phil Esposito in 1988 about trading Gretzky but a deal couldn't be worked out. Kisio, Sandstrom, and Beezer were said to be players included.
I know Esposito says something about this in his book, but I can't believe it. Sather didn't even know Pocklington was wheeling and dealing Gretzky until the deal with McNall was already done (at which point, when informed, Sather tried to punch Pocklington while they were on a hunting trip).

Maybe Espo was on the sauce back then and it was actually Pocklington who talked to him...
 

Notabaguette

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When Roy got dealt from Habs they had good offers from Detroit and Chicago.

Yzerman, Osgood and McCarty
Belfour, Suter and Poulin

They went with Thibault, Rucinsky and Kovalenko
 

boredmale

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Without reading 10 pages to see if it was mentioned, I read somewhere the Islanders had a deal for Lindros lined up(before the Yashin deal) that included Chara among other stuff(I believe Tim Connolly). This was during the 2000/01 season, the rumor says Lindros refused the deal.

I wonder if Lindros ever regrets not taking that Yashin contract given Lindros' career started to fizzle out by the mid 2000s
 
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alko

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Without reading 10 pages to see if it was mentioned, I read somewhere the Islanders had a deal for Lindros lined up(before the Yashin deal) that included Chara among other stuff(I believe Tim Connolly). This was during the 2000/01 season, the rumor says Lindros refused the deal.

I wonder if Lindros ever regrets not taking that Yashin contract given Lindros' career started to fizzle out by the mid 2000s

Searched with help of Mighty Google, but nothing found. But there was another interesting fact about 92 "The Trade". Lindros to Maple Leafs.

Were the Maple Leafs in on Eric Lindros in 1992? Sure, there were offers, and some sources have told me if it wasn’t Philadelphia or the New York Rangers (who had an offer accepted by Aubut, only for him to re-nege and take the Flyers offer…honourable human being, huh?), that Toronto had put the next-best package together among other suitors who badly wanted a 19-year old Lindros.
Though there now is a salary cap — imagine this summer if Connor McDavid had demanded a trade from Edmonton after his injury-influenced rookie season. Can you imagine the bids? Or Crosby in Summer 2006 after one year in Pittsburgh? That’s the kind of marketplace a 6-foot-4, 225-pound Lindros was able to establish.

Near as I can figure, a Toronto Maple Leafs deal for Lindros would have had to involve the following headed back to Quebec:
24-year old Wendel Clark (ok, so he gets to Quebec City a couple summers early!)
20-year old Felix Potvin (yet to become a star, or even the entrenched Leafs #1, and Grant Fuhr was still only 28 years old)
27-year old Dave Ellett (this one also hurts, but LINDROS and STUFF!)
26-year old Peter Zezel (I’d want a centre back, and Zezel was a reliable scorer still, at that point).
And draft picks, lots and lots of them. And, are you familiar with a little thing called cash?

This looks like a lot, I know, but when you consider what Philadelphia gave up (a future HHOFer in Peter Forsberg and a very good #1 goalie in Ron Hextall), what the Rangers would have (Alexei Kovalev, Doug Weight, John Vanbiesbrouck) and what Detroit would have done (no, a deal can’t get done without Steve Yzerman going to Quebec), I’m not sure if the Leafs don’t get off decently here.
 

FrozenJagrt

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Searched with help of Mighty Google, but nothing found. But there was another interesting fact about 92 "The Trade". Lindros to Maple Leafs.

Were the Maple Leafs in on Eric Lindros in 1992? Sure, there were offers, and some sources have told me if it wasn’t Philadelphia or the New York Rangers (who had an offer accepted by Aubut, only for him to re-nege and take the Flyers offer…honourable human being, huh?), that Toronto had put the next-best package together among other suitors who badly wanted a 19-year old Lindros.
Though there now is a salary cap — imagine this summer if Connor McDavid had demanded a trade from Edmonton after his injury-influenced rookie season. Can you imagine the bids? Or Crosby in Summer 2006 after one year in Pittsburgh? That’s the kind of marketplace a 6-foot-4, 225-pound Lindros was able to establish.

Near as I can figure, a Toronto Maple Leafs deal for Lindros would have had to involve the following headed back to Quebec:
24-year old Wendel Clark (ok, so he gets to Quebec City a couple summers early!)
20-year old Felix Potvin (yet to become a star, or even the entrenched Leafs #1, and Grant Fuhr was still only 28 years old)
27-year old Dave Ellett (this one also hurts, but LINDROS and STUFF!)
26-year old Peter Zezel (I’d want a centre back, and Zezel was a reliable scorer still, at that point).
And draft picks, lots and lots of them. And, are you familiar with a little thing called cash?

This looks like a lot, I know, but when you consider what Philadelphia gave up (a future HHOFer in Peter Forsberg and a very good #1 goalie in Ron Hextall), what the Rangers would have (Alexei Kovalev, Doug Weight, John Vanbiesbrouck) and what Detroit would have done (no, a deal can’t get done without Steve Yzerman going to Quebec), I’m not sure if the Leafs don’t get off decently here.
The Leafs circled a Lindros deal a number of times. Along with this, they had worked on a deal at the end of his Flyers tenure. I don't remember the specifics unfortunately, so I'm not sure who backed out. I believe the Leafs had been allowed to talk to Lindros, and I think Antropov may have been part of the deal. I know Sundin wasn't involved. One wonders how Toronto would have done if they could roll out those two horses back to back during the playoffs.
 

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