NHL's Worst Succession Plan

[Stephen]

In the history of the NHL, what was the worst succession plan? By that, I mean in what scenario was a team counting on replacing an established star player with a rookie with a lot of pedigree only to have the whole thing fail spectacularly and cost the team dearly? By this I'd use an example like the Flames bringing in Trevor Kidd to replace Mike Vernon only to have him bust or the Canadiens trying to replace Patrick Roy with Jocelyn Thibault.

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[steve141]

Any trade involving Wendel Clark.

 

[Kirikanoir]

Montreal Canadians

Guy Lafleur to Doug Wickenheiser

Ken Dryden to Michel Larocque, Denis Herron, Richard Sevigny

Scotty Bowman to Bernie Geoffrion Claude Ruel

 

[Kirikanoir]

Almost forgot this one.

Montreal Canadians

Sam Pollock to Irving Grundman

 

[MXD]

I think Lemaire to MacLean already deserves to get a mention.

It's certainly better than replacing Dryden by Herron... (okay, it was Larocque, but Herron ended up doing quite well). The team as a whole got worst (Lemaire retired as well)...

 

[Big Phil]

Pierre Turgeon supposed to replace Gilbert Perreault. He was traded less than 4 years later.

Raycroft replacing Belfour

 

[Super Fadio Bro]

Mike Richter to Mike Dunham

 

[jkrx]

McLean to Irbe to Snow to Cloutier...

 

[byrone12]

The New York Islanders began a steady decline after their Four Stanley Cup wins. Once they lost to the Oilers in the fifth season, it was downhill. They were loyal to their players, so didn't trade for newer talent. Guys like Trottier, Nystrom, Smith, Potvin etc could have been traded for new talent. In juries to guys like Bossy really hurt. And many years of late first-round draft picks, and overall unsuccessful drafts brought down the team.

So it wasn't really one thing. But overall, they had no succession plan

 

[pappyline]

Rocket Richard to Bill Hicke.

Hicke came in as Richard retired & was expected to be a star. Had a decent career but health problems held him back.

 

[Habsfan18]

The New York Islanders began a steady decline after their Four Stanley Cup wins. Once they lost to the Oilers in the fifth season, it was downhill. They were loyal to their players, so didn't trade for newer talent. Guys like Trottier, Nystrom, Smith, Potvin etc could have been traded for new talent. In juries to guys like Bossy really hurt. And many years of late first-round draft picks, and overall unsuccessful drafts brought down the team.

So it wasn't really one thing. But overall, they had no succession plan

True that. So many busts around the same time period.

Dave Chyzowski
Scott Scissons
Brad Dalgarno
Dean Chynoweth
Kevin Cheveldayoff
Wayne Doucet

All were supposed to play big parts of the future on Long Island.

 

[TheDevilMadeMe]

I'm sure it isn't the worst ever, but the worst one in Devils history definitely happened when the Devils traded Conn Smythe winner Claude Lemieux in a 3 way trade that landed the Devils Steve Thomas after the 1995 playoffs. Thomas couldn't replace Lemieux's defensive play, grit, or leadership and never looked comfortable playing the Lemaire trap. Thomas is best remembered by Devils fans for having his foot in the crease in the 1997 choke job versus the Rangers.

Eventually, the Devils traded away Brian Rolston in the prime of his career to bring the aging Lemieux back.

 

[Gobo]

Messier and Gretzky to Weight and Smyth?

 

[Derick*]

Belfour -> Raycroft
Roy -> Aebisher

 

[seventieslord]

Rocket Richard to Bill Hicke.

Hicke came in as Richard retired & was expected to be a star. Had a decent career but health problems held him back.

I was going to come in here and mention Hicke.

Decent player, but not within three stratospheres of Richard.

I did find room for him on my A-draft team though, as we approached pick#1600.

 

[WarriorOfGandhi]

Forsberg --> Turgeon
Foote --> Brisebois

 

[DJ Man]

Late 1960s Black Hawks: Glenn Hall to be suceeded by Denis DeJordy.

 

[RH]

Winnipeg-> Phoenix -> Glendale

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

ronning/ridley --> messier

 

[McRpro]

Messier and Gretzky to Weight and Smyth?

Wouldn't Carson and Nicholls be correct?

 

[Super Fadio Bro]

Coach: Scotty Bowman to Dave Lewis (yeah, the wings made the playoffs with the latter but ONE playoffs win is not what I can call a good succession plan)

 

[Scott1980]

Late 1960s Black Hawks: Glenn Hall to be suceeded by Denis DeJordy.

Hall is in an insteresting story in himself! He was brought up and replaced the shutout king himself on the 55/56 Red Wings. The Wings gave up on him because of his butterfly style.

The Hawks were impressed by DeJordy's brief play in the early 60s. Then he started to play more. Someone I know said that DeJordy was good, but once teams started to face him more than 2 or 3 times a season, he suddenly wasn't.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Since management was mentioned, for the Flyers, I'd say replacing Fred Shero (who resigned) as head coach with Bob McCammon. McCammon wasn't fully prepared, lasted 50 games, and traded places with Pat Quinn who was coaching at Maine of the AHL. About four years later, McCammon replaced Quinn.

 

[Jumptheshark]

Wouldn't Carson and Nicholls be correct?

yep

I was about to point that out

 

[blogofmike]

Wouldn't Carson and Nicholls be correct?

I think it should be necessary for someone to have the foresight to have a plan, rather than Pocklington selling off the Oilers assets because his other ventures were losing money.

Just think, if Pocklington won the leadership race in 1983...