Biggest "Almost" Deals Through History?

[Stephen]

The Leafs almost had Vincent Lecavalier around the same time they were trying to acquire Eric Lindros. For a similar package too. Nik Antropov, Jonas Hoglund and Tomas Kaberle.

When Vinny Lecavalier was nearly traded to the Maple Leafs

 

[LeafsNation75]

I think that was 2006 when the Oilers eventually traded him to Anaheim after the finals run and resulting scandal.

That's exactly correct when it comes to the timeline of Pronger being traded from Edmonton to Anaheim instead of Edmonton to Toronto.

Now even he was traded to Toronto I guess in some ways Toronto doesn't trade for Vesa Toskala. I assume the two 1st round picks JFJ offered was in 2007 and 2008. Remember JFJ eventually traded their 2007 1st round pick to San Jose for Toskala.

Their 2008 1st round pick ended up being Luke Schenn and he was eventually traded for James van Riemsdyk.

 

[LeafsNation75]

The Leafs almost had Vincent Lecavalier around the same time they were trying to acquire Eric Lindros. For a similar package too. Nik Antropov, Jonas Hoglund and Tomas Kaberle.

When Vinny Lecavalier was nearly traded to the Maple Leafs

If Toronto was able to trade for Lecavalier do you think they end up defeating New Jersey in the Easter Conference Semi Final and Pittsburgh in the Eastern Conference Final and at least make the 2001 Stanley Cup Final?

What about defeating Carolina 1 year later in the 2002 Eastern Conference Final?

 

[Stephen]

If Toronto was able to trade for Lecavalier do you think they end up defeating New Jersey in the Easter Conference Semi Final and Pittsburgh in the Eastern Conference Final and at least make the 2001 Stanley Cup Final?

What about defeating Carolina 1 year later in the 2002 Eastern Conference Final?

I like the center depth between Sundin and young Lecavalier but we also didn’t have a lot of wing depth to help those guys out and we would have been lacking any kind of efficient puck mover too. I want to say we get past Philly once and maybe New Jersey too. But I’m not sure. If Berard never got hurt we could have rolled with a Berard McCabe duo but no Kaberle hurts.

 

[Brodeur]

Found an early 2002 rumor about a Jason Arnott for Patrick Marleau swap:

https://nypost.com/2002/01/09/devils-set-to-pull-off-arnott-deal/

Sources have told The Post that Devils GM Lou Lamoriello may be on the verge of trading Jason Arnott to San Jose for center Patrick Marleau and a defenseman.

While that line wasn’t going to be recreated tonight when Calgary visits the Meadowlands, with Patrik Elias expected to miss his third straight game with a hand infection, there has been increasing buzz that Arnott may be on the move.

Arnott’s status with the Devils as their top offensive center has been clouded this season as he approaches restricted free agency and salary arbitration.

The 27-year-old who scored the 2000 Stanley Cup-winning goal was stripped of his alternate captaincy earlier this season by coach Larry Robinson and has frequently been separated from his usual “A Line” mates, Elias and Petr Sykora.

Arnott stands 13-13-26 and plus-2 in 39 games this season, while Marleau was 7-10-17 and plus-5 for San Jose this year after compiling his best numbers last season at 25-27-52.

https://nypost.com/2002/01/21/lous-got-some-holes-to-fill/

Another source said that, despite San Jose’s denials, talk of a deal of Jason Arnott for Patrick Marleau and a defenseman continue, with the defenseman in question said to be Michigan’s Jeff Jillson.

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

It’s actually the second time this year Sather thought he had a deal for Khabibulin and Tkachuk only to see it nullified. In October, Sather’s attempt to deal with then-Phoenix GM Bobby Smith and send Brendl, Fleury, Jamie Lundmark and Mike Richter to the desert was vetoed by Gary Bettman when Gretzky, not yet in power, voiced his objections.

i wonder what the problem was... nyr paying too much of fleury and richter’s salaries? or was it that he knew fleury was basically a time bomb at that point?

it’s funny to see the same players in all thise rumours eventually being traded for bure, lindros, poti, and so on. it really just goes to show just how indiscriminate the pre-cap years were for teams like the rangers, blues, flyers, and leafs. anyone poor team’s too expensive players would do, it really didn’t matter which ones. team building by pillage.

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

The Canucks were offered Jeremy Roenick and Quebec offered Joe Sakic in 2 potential deadline trades in 89-90

the Canucks held onto Trevor Linden unfortunetly

in the short and long terms, i’m much happier with linden and the proceeds of the linden trade (luongo and a sedin) than having roenick, as electrifying as the young jr was. we’re still riding our all-star goalie that directly resulted from holding on to linden 30 years ago. we also arguably wouldn’t have pettersson either if not for linden.

sakic is a whole other conversation though. man, rolling through the 90s with two burnaby boys down the middle...

 

[Brodeur]

Report: Hawks almost traded Keith for Roenick and Amonte

Stumbled on this one that I hadn't heard before:

Former Blackhawks general manager Mike Smith told the Athletic's Mark Lazerus that the franchise came "this close" to trading then prospect now two-time Norris Trophy winner and three-time Stanley Cup champ Keith to the Philadelphia Flyers to bring back Jeremy Roenick and Tony Amonte.

Smith said his successor, Bob Pulford, intended to package Keith — who was drafted by the Hawks at No. 54 overall in 2002 — with three other players to return the two Blackhawks legends, who were 34 at the time, to Chicago. The 2004-05 NHL lockout prevented the deal from happening with the trade market being frozen for the year.

 

[DaBroons]

From what I've heard, the Islanders almost traded the Chara + #2 pick (Spezza) package at the '01 draft to Boston for Jason Allison, but Milbury last minute decided to go for Yashin instead. I think the sticking point was Mike O'Connell asking for Scatchard instead of Bill Muckault as the throw-in.

The rest of the story, is that O'C thought the deal was done and told Allison, who was livid. They woke up the next morning to find out that Milbury had changed his mind and was going with the Ottawa offer. The Broons' relationship relationship with Allison was never the same and he was later trade to the Kings.

Another one is that Boston had a deal with Calgary at the draft in 2013. Seguin and Peverly to Calgary for the Flames' #1, Baertschi, and another player whose name I forget. The deal, however, was contingent upon Lindholm being available, but Carolina took him the previous pick. Deal was off.

 

[ForsbergForever]

The rest of the story, is that O'C thought the deal was done and told Allison, who was livid. They woke up the next morning to find out that Milbury had changed his mind and was going with the Ottawa offer. The Broons' relationship relationship with Allison was never the same and he was later trade to the Kings.

Another one is that Boston had a deal with Calgary at the draft in 2013. Seguin and Peverly to Calgary for the Flames' #1, Baertschi, and another player whose name I forget. The deal, however, was contingent upon Lindholm being available, but Carolina took him the previous pick. Deal was off.

This adds a lot of context as far as why Boston and Allison couldn't agree on a new contract for him when he was team captain and their leading scorer. Usually you just give a guy like that a blank check, not play hardball, especially in the pre-cap era.

 

[Brodeur]

The rest of the story, is that O'C thought the deal was done and told Allison, who was livid. They woke up the next morning to find out that Milbury had changed his mind and was going with the Ottawa offer. The Broons' relationship relationship with Allison was never the same and he was later trade to the Kings.

Had this video pop up in my feed and Milbury elaborated about what happened on the Islanders end. He says he agreed to the Chara/Scatchard/2nd overall trade for Allison. This made sense as they had just hired Peter Laviolette from the Bruins. But when Milbury went to ownership for approval, Charles Wang said no because he appreciated all the charitable work that Scatchard did off the ice. Milbury didn't expand on it, but I can only imagine he tried to sub out Scatchard and the Bruins were annoyed since they had already agreed.

 

[vancityluongo]

Hall + 4th overall for Subban + 9th overall, contingent on PLD being available for the Habs to draft. He was not, Oilers drafted Puljujarvi, Hall went for Larsson, PK went for Weber.

 

[DaBroons]

Had this video pop up in my feed and Milbury elaborated about what happened on the Islanders end. He says he agreed to the Chara/Scatchard/2nd overall trade for Allison. This made sense as they had just hired Peter Laviolette from the Bruins. But when Milbury went to ownership for approval, Charles Wang said no because he appreciated all the charitable work that Scatchard did off the ice. Milbury didn't expand on it, but I can only imagine he tried to sub out Scatchard and the Bruins were annoyed since they had already agreed.

Thanks, that makes more sense than Milbury's changing his mind.

 

[Stephen]

This adds a lot of context as far as why Boston and Allison couldn't agree on a new contract for him when he was team captain and their leading scorer. Usually you just give a guy like that a blank check, not play hardball, especially in the pre-cap era.

An interesting wrinkle to all this is the Allison to the Islanders would have put the Jason Spezza pick into the hands of the Bruins, forming a Thornton-Spezza 1, 2 duo upfront for Boston. As people like to hype things, "that would have given Boston their center depth for the next 2 decades." It never happened, but fast forward 20 years in 2021, and Thornton-Spezza are finishing up their careers on the Toronto Maple Leafs. For the record, Jason Allison also ended up on the Leafs to finish his career in 2006.

 

[PepeBostones]

In 1976 a tabloid in Sweden, Expressen had a story that the New York Islanders were so hard upon cash that Denis Potvin was being sold to the Boston Bruins for some $5.0m cash. Islanders owner Roy Boe owed the NHL $10.0m and since Bobby Orr had just left Boston it seemed like a mighty fine idea to me.
Apparently Boe found a solution to his financial struggle elsewhere and nothing came to. Nobody I've talked to in Boston seems to remember. Anybody heard about this

 

[BigBadBruins7708]

An interesting wrinkle to all this is the Allison to the Islanders would have put the Jason Spezza pick into the hands of the Bruins, forming a Thornton-Spezza 1, 2 duo upfront for Boston. As people like to hype things, "that would have given Boston their center depth for the next 2 decades." It never happened, but fast forward 20 years in 2021, and Thornton-Spezza are finishing up their careers on the Toronto Maple Leafs. For the record, Jason Allison also ended up on the Leafs to finish his career in 2006.

Not to go down the butterfly effect path but that also likely means they dont pick Bergeron in 2003

 

[Nerowoy nora tolad]

In 1976 a tabloid in Sweden, Expressen had a story that the New York Islanders were so hard upon cash that Denis Potvin was being sold to the Boston Bruins for some $5.0m cash. Islanders owner Roy Boe owed the NHL $10.0m and since Bobby Orr had just left Boston it seemed like a mighty fine idea to me.
Apparently Boe found a solution to his financial struggle elsewhere and nothing came to. Nobody I've talked to in Boston seems to remember. Anybody heard about this

Dunno, but word was the islanders financial situation was never great even in the dynasty years because their lease with nassau colisseum was on unfavourable terms

 

[CokenoPepsi]

Report: Hawks almost traded Keith for Roenick and Amonte

Stumbled on this one that I hadn't heard before:

Surprising, Wirtz and Pulford held grudges

 

[Brodeur]

Brought this one up in a similar thread, but this is probably my favorite "almost" deal that I only learned about in recent years.

The urban legend was that Quebec offered the farm for Alexandre Daigle at the 1993 Draft. They were interested but Ottawa didn't want to trade out, so both sides said that names were never discussed.

Instead Quebec's real target was Chris Pronger at #2. Quebec had so many young forwards, so a cornerstone D like Pronger would have been a perfect fit.

San Jose had #2 and their room was split. Their OHL scouts wanted Pronger, their NCAA scouts wanted Paul Kariya, but co-GM Chuck Grillo wanted Viktor Kozlov. Grillo eventually got his way and it was up to the other co-GM Dean Lombardi to trade down and get Kozlov while adding some assets.

Seemingly three teams were most interested: Quebec, Hartford, and the Rangers. Hartford had the most straightforward offer as Kozlov would probably be there with their first at #6. New York's first pick (#8) was a little too late to guarantee Kozlov. Quebec offered something centered around Mike Ricci and #10. Quebec also dangled that to Tampa for #3 and possibly would have swapped spots with San Jose, but Tampa declined.

Quebec and San Jose were going to meet the night before the draft to try to hammer something out, but Quebec's brass no showed. Lombardi was also upset that Quebec owner Marcel Aubut tried to go over his head and negotiate the deal with the Sharks owner. We were only a year removed from Quebec trading Eric Lindros twice, so they probably didn't have the best reputation around the league.

The interesting "what if" part was that Quebec offered an unsigned Peter Forsberg to San Jose straight up for the pick on the draft floor. After the draft, Lombardi fumed to the press about Quebec's chaotic negotiations. He implied he would have done the deal contingent on signing Forsberg. But since Quebec made a last minute offer, that left San Jose with no time to negotiate with Forsberg's agent.

In that CBA, offer sheets were permitted for unsigned European draft picks (after a certain amount of time). In the summer of 1992, Calgary signed Teemu Selanne to a 3 year offer sheet at 400K/season plus a 1.5 million dollar signing bonus. Winnipeg begrudgingly matched since they would have received no compensation if they hadn't. Forsberg and Markus Naslund were set to get offer sheet privileges a week after the 1993 Draft. There were rumors that Forsberg could command a 4-5 million dollar signing bonus / Forsberg was looking for something in the neighborhood of Daigle's huge contract.

San Jose wasn't sure if they could afford that, so they went with Hartford's offer instead. But it's fun to think that a Chris Pronger for Peter Forsberg trade was on the table.

 

[Voight]

In 1976 a tabloid in Sweden, Expressen had a story that the New York Islanders were so hard upon cash that Denis Potvin was being sold to the Boston Bruins for some $5.0m cash. Islanders owner Roy Boe owed the NHL $10.0m and since Bobby Orr had just left Boston it seemed like a mighty fine idea to me.
Apparently Boe found a solution to his financial struggle elsewhere and nothing came to. Nobody I've talked to in Boston seems to remember. Anybody heard about this

I'm guessing the trade included some nothing player/picks too, cause I can't see Clarence Campbell being open to the idea of selling players for cash.

Not to go down the butterfly effect path but that also likely means they dont pick Bergeron in 2003

I'm drawing a blank - whys that?

 

[alko]

Brought this one up in a similar thread, but this is probably my favorite "almost" deal that I only learned about in recent years.

The urban legend was that Quebec offered the farm for Alexandre Daigle at the 1993 Draft. They were interested but Ottawa didn't want to trade out, so both sides said that names were never discussed.

Instead Quebec's real target was Chris Pronger at #2. Quebec had so many young forwards, so a cornerstone D like Pronger would have been a perfect fit.

San Jose had #2 and their room was split. Their OHL scouts wanted Pronger, their NCAA scouts wanted Paul Kariya, but co-GM Chuck Grillo wanted Viktor Kozlov. Grillo eventually got his way and it was up to the other co-GM Dean Lombardi to trade down and get Kozlov while adding some assets.

Seemingly three teams were most interested: Quebec, Hartford, and the Rangers. Hartford had the most straightforward offer as Kozlov would probably be there with their first at #6. New York's first pick (#8) was a little too late to guarantee Kozlov. Quebec offered something centered around Mike Ricci and #10. Quebec also dangled that to Tampa for #3 and possibly would have swapped spots with San Jose, but Tampa declined.

Quebec and San Jose were going to meet the night before the draft to try to hammer something out, but Quebec's brass no showed. Lombardi was also upset that Quebec owner Marcel Aubut tried to go over his head and negotiate the deal with the Sharks owner. We were only a year removed from Quebec trading Eric Lindros twice, so they probably didn't have the best reputation around the league.

The interesting "what if" part was that Quebec offered an unsigned Peter Forsberg to San Jose straight up for the pick on the draft floor. After the draft, Lombardi fumed to the press about Quebec's chaotic negotiations. He implied he would have done the deal contingent on signing Forsberg. But since Quebec made a last minute offer, that left San Jose with no time to negotiate with Forsberg's agent.

In that CBA, offer sheets were permitted for unsigned European draft picks (after a certain amount of time). In the summer of 1992, Calgary signed Teemu Selanne to a 3 year offer sheet at 400K/season plus a 1.5 million dollar signing bonus. Winnipeg begrudgingly matched since they would have received no compensation if they hadn't. Forsberg and Markus Naslund were set to get offer sheet privileges a week after the 1993 Draft. There were rumors that Forsberg could command a 4-5 million dollar signing bonus / Forsberg was looking for something in the neighborhood of Daigle's huge contract.

San Jose wasn't sure if they could afford that, so they went with Hartford's offer instead. But it's fun to think that a Chris Pronger for Peter Forsberg trade was on the table.

Very nice. But do you have some source, that confirm this?

 

[Brodeur]

Very nice. But do you have some source, that confirm this?

NHL: A CLOSER LOOK

The air inside Le Colisee during the NHL draft June 26 was hot, but Whalers general manager Brian Burke was hotter. “The Irish temper,” said Dean Lombardi, laughing. It’s easy to …

www.courant.com

It’s behind a paywall unfortunately. I have a screenshot at home, I’ll post it after I get back from traveling.

 

[BigBadBruins7708]

I'm drawing a blank - whys that?

I don't see them using a 2nd round pick on a center when they have Thornton-Spezza already at C (in this scenario)

 

[Brodeur]

Very nice. But do you have some source, that confirm this?

It's too bad I was traveling when newspaper.org was doing their free trial. Would have been fun to dig up some old stuff.

 

[Brodeur]

I had this screenshot saved in the same batch. I'll see if I can dig up anything more on this, but interesting to think if Quebec offered Sakic to Anaheim for #4 (and more?) then would have tried to swap #4 with San Jose to take Pronger at #2?