Highest Trade Values in NHL History

[bobholly39]

Would like to start a discussion about the top 5-10 or so highest trade values in NHL history.

This isn't as simple as listing the top players and saying Gretzky is #1, Orr #2, Lemieux #3, etc. League dynamics is a huge component of this. For example - an argument can be made that Connor McDavid today is worth more as a trade asset in today's league than Gretzky was at any point in his career, based on how much league changed. Or - maybe you disagree completely and do think this list should start with Gretzky and Orr.

You can list one same player twice on a list if it makes sense. Example - you might list Sidney Crosby from his first few years, and Sidney Crosby today (30+) as two separate entries. Don't get stupid with it though and list players too close to each other (ex - McDavid just starting his career - his trade value is what it is, don't really care how it differs from 2019 to 2017).

Lindros trade + hype is obviously a good start point.
Crosby + McDavid as prospects/rookies are other strong contenders.
Do Orr/Howe/Rocket from back in the day make such a list? Lafleur?
How about Gretzky/Lemieux? Lemieux may be the #1 most hyped prospect of all time - but Gretzky did get traded, and although Cash was a heavy component and likely skews the value a bit, the return itself seems pretty lame (contrast this to Lindros trade - or what Crosby/McDavid might fetch near start of career).
Maybe Hasek in his buffalo years?

Try and make a list of top 5 or so of all time. Specify if you're thinking of a player in a specific year only (ie Lindros only in draft year), or just for a more general timeframe (ie Crosby in his first 2-3 years as a whole).

Click to read more...

 

[bobholly39]

So here's my first attempt at this. Tell me if you agree or not:

#1 - Lindros rookie/early years. It's hard to argue against this imo - since the trade actually happened, and it was a case of Philly throwing everything and the kitchen sink and seeing what sticks. One of those video-game type trades, where Quebec seemingly got so much value.

#2 - Sidney Crosby - Prospect/rookie/early years. One of the most hyped players/prospects of all-time - newly cap league, lots of parity, where acquiring top end talent becomes that much harder. I'd say this is #2.

#3 - Connor McDavid from 2015-2017 (I think the Oiler's woe's since then hurt his value a tiny bit, which is why i put this specific time period). Like Crosby - super hyped player, came in at 18 years old and tore into the league. I'd have him slightly behind Crosby though, who I feel had more hype.

I struggle after. I want to list Hasek in his buffalo years (early on, not as he got older) - but i wasn't following the league enough back then. How valuable was that? Give me a Hasek in today's NHL where you expect he has 3-5 years left at that hart-level - and add that to a contender, and that's almost a guaranteed cup or more. I just don't remember enough about league dynamics back then to know if he was viewed as such, and how much value this would have been given for a goalie. In today's league - might value that as much/more than McDavid.

Lemieux is interesting too - but i'm not sure which version of Lemieux. Do we list Lemieux as a rookie/prospect, similar to when Lindros was traded? Could he make a case for #1 on this list, above even Lindros if so, since i think he was the better prospect? Or would Lemieux in 89 be worth more - as he was healthy, in his prime, showed what he could do in playoffs and pacing to top some of Gretzky's video game records (think this was right before any major health issues).

Gretzky is tricky. I really hate the trade. He should be #1 - but it's hard to argue that when I think the trade kind of sucked. And I wonder if Gretzky's trade hurts Lemieux here too - since it's the same era.

Finally - Orr/Lafleur/Maurice Richard/Howe.....no idea. Would love some insight about people who are more familiar with those eras how top players were perceived when it came to trade value back then.

 

[MadLuke]

Gretzky (+2 minor asset) trade:

Jimmy Carson
Martin Gelinas (1988 7th overall pick)
1989 1st round pick (#18-Jason Miller)
1991 1st round pick (#20-Martin Rucinsky)
1993 1st round pick (#16-Nick Stajduhar)
$15 million cash of 1989 NHL money.


Lindros:

Steve Duchesne
Peter Forsberg
Ron Hextall
Kerry Huffman
Mike Ricci
$15M cash
1993 1st round pick (#10-Jocelyn Thibault)
future considerations (Chris Simon 1994 1st round pick (#10-Nolan Baumgartner))

Hindsight do modify the perceived trade value I think here (Forsberg becoming an good hall of farmer on one side, Rucinsky being the biggest 1 pick the other way around and Carson very short career)

But Carson was a 19 year's old that just had a 55 goal (third in the league)-107 point season. And that 15 million figure was different when the highest paid athlete was under 1M vs 3M in Lindros days, that 15 million was enough to pay a Edmonton Gretzky salary for 15 year's.

If Forsberg does not become what he became that trade look quite different)

 

[Iron Mike Sharpe]

I don't quite get it - how do you determine "trade value" of players who have never been traded? It just seems like arbitrary speculation, & I'm not entirely sure what the point is.

 

[Canadiens1958]

I don't quite get it - how do you determine "trade value" of players who have never been traded? It just seems like arbitrary speculation, & I'm not entirely sure what the point is.

Point is getting thru summer.

 

[MadLuke]

I don't quite get it - how do you determine "trade value" of players who have never been traded? It just seems like arbitrary speculation, & I'm not entirely sure what the point is.

Is there any talk on a message board like this that will not be quite arbitrary, speculative and without much point at the end of it (no one will never make a different action in there life after reading a thread here), it is all just for fun.