Effects of the Esposito Trade

[DeysArena]

Everyone know that the trade that moved Esposito, Hodge and Stanfield to Boston helped build the Big, Bad Bruins of the early 70s, but the effects for much further than most people realize. Here are some of the things that do or don't happen without that trade:

• The Bruins don't win two Cups in the early 70s
• The Blackhawks do win at least one
• Esposito follows Bobby Hull to the WHA which means he's ineligible for the Summit Series which means that Canada probably loses
• Esposito never gets traded to New York for Park and Ratelle
• The late 70s Bruins aren't good enough to seriously challenge Montreal so nobody blames Don Cherry for losing in the playoffs
• Cherry keeps his job and remains a coach instead of a broadcaster
• Esposito never becomes President of the Rangers and doesn't make the contacts to win an expansion franchise
• Peter Karmanos is awarded the second expansion franchise in 1990 and the Lightning play in St. Petersburg
• Karmanos never buys the Whalers and never moves the team to Carolina

All of that from one trade.

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[Dennis Bonvie]

Everyone know that the trade that moved Esposito, Hodge and Stanfield to Boston helped build the Big, Bad Bruins of the early 70s, but the effects for much further than most people realize. Here are some of the things that do or don't happen without that trade:

• The Bruins don't win two Cups in the early 70s
• The Blackhawks do win at least one
• Esposito follows Bobby Hull to the WHA which means he's ineligible for the Summit Series which means that Canada probably loses
• Esposito never gets traded to New York for Park and Ratelle
• The late 70s Bruins aren't good enough to seriously challenge Montreal so nobody blames Don Cherry for losing in the playoffs
• Cherry keeps his job and remains a coach instead of a broadcaster
• Esposito never becomes President of the Rangers and doesn't make the contacts to win an expansion franchise
• Peter Karmanos is awarded the second expansion franchise in 1990 and the Lightning play in St. Petersburg
• Karmanos never buys the Whalers and never moves the team to Carolina

All of that from one trade.

I like that last point a lot.

Not too happy about the first one, though.

 

[Bluesguru]

The “what if” game can be played on so many things.

And by the way, the Rangers should of never made that trade. Back then, teams would make trades for the sake of making a trade to shake up the team. That’s what Emile Francis did and I don’t think he ever admitted it was a mistake but it was a huge mistake.

 

[DeysArena]

I like that last point a lot.

Not too happy about the first one, though.

I thought Whalers fans hated the Bruins.

 

[Moose Head]

What if the Bruins never gift the Habs Dryden? Even if Dryden never gets a chance with the Bruins, Vachon stays with the Habs and the Bruins had him by the nether regions.

I see an at least 3 cup flip

 

[DeysArena]

What if the Bruins never gift the Habs Dryden? Even if Dryden never gets a chance with the Bruins, Vachon stays with the Habs and the Bruins had him by the nether regions.

I see an at least 3 cup flip

If the Bruins never trade Dryden, he never plays NHL hockey. He becomes a full-time lawyer instead and I predict he becomes a judge.

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

I thought Whalers fans hated the Bruins.

I was always a Bruins fan.

The Whalers settling in Hartford gave me a chance to be a season ticket holder and see lots of NHL stars for about 15 years.

 

[Davenport]

The prediction that Chicago would win at least one Stanley Cup if this trade were not made is based on the assumption that Ken Hodge and Fred Stanfield would have blossomed with the Hawks as they did with the Bruins. Would not have happened. If that trade had not been made, then both Hodge and Stanfield would have been lost in the Expansion Draft on June 6, 1967. In making that trade, Chicago parted with a centre whose attitude was not well regarded with management, and two players they would have lost in the draft. They acquired a centre to play with Bobby Hull, and a defenseman who went immediately on to the Hawks' protected list for the draft.

Besides not liking Phil Esposito's attitude, management in Chicago was not impressed with the fact that he put up zero points in the first round playoff series with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1966-67. After finishing in first place during the regular season, that first round elimination was an embarrassment.

 

[Davenport]

Below is a link to an article which outlines the background to and rationale for the trade. Included are quotes by Milt Schmidt, who pushed for and made the trade for Boston:

May 15, 1967: Schmidt, Bruins pull off the “most lopsided trade in NHL history”.