Peca for Mogilny--Do you still make the trade

[Islanduker]

During the boring days of summer, I got to thinking the other day. I was Just looking back nearly 20 years ago at a significant trade for two teams that came into existence at the same time-- Buffalo and Vancouver. Trades often have winners and losers, but sometimes there are trades that are mutually beneficial. Hindsight is 20/20, and I think Buffalo wins the trade in the long-term, but I also think that if both teams could go in the past, they would both make the trade again.

Summer 1995
To Vancouver: Alexander Mogilny. He would have an immediate impact surpassing 50 goals, and then proceed to have 4 semi-productive years. He was later traded to New Jersey in 2000 for Brendan Morrison, who would go on to be an integral part of Vancouver’s success in the early/mid 2000s. (Denis Pederson too, serviceable 4th liner)

To Buffalo: Mike Peca (played 5 seasons in Buffalo, winning the Selke and leading them to the Stanley Cup Finals, before being traded to the Islanders for Tim Connolly and Taylor Pyatt (both quality players), Jay McKee (played about 10 years in Buffalo as a dependable defensive defenseman, and Mike Wilson (played 4-5 seasons in Buffalo before being traded to Florida for Rhett Warrener a 5th rounder (Goalie Ryan Miller!!!)

Would you still make the trade? Who is the long-term winner of this?

Click to read more...

 

[LaFontaineToMogilny]

During the boring days of summer, I got to thinking the other day. I was Just looking back nearly 20 years ago at a significant trade for two teams that came into existence at the same time-- Buffalo and Vancouver. Trades often have winners and losers, but sometimes there are trades that are mutually beneficial. Hindsight is 20/20, and I think Buffalo wins the trade in the long-term, but I also think that if both teams could go in the past, they would both make the trade again.

Summer 1995
To Vancouver: Alexander Mogilny. He would have an immediate impact surpassing 50 goals, and then proceed to have 4 semi-productive years. He was later traded to New Jersey in 2000 for Brendan Morrison, who would go on to be an integral part of Vancouver’s success in the early/mid 2000s. (Denis Pederson too, serviceable 4th liner)

To Buffalo: Mike Peca (played 5 seasons in Buffalo, winning the Selke and leading them to the Stanley Cup Finals, before being traded to the Islanders for Tim Connolly and Taylor Pyatt (both quality players), Jay McKee (played about 10 years in Buffalo as a dependable defensive defenseman, and Mike Wilson (played 4-5 seasons in Buffalo before being traded to Florida for Rhett Warrener a 5th rounder (Goalie Ryan Miller!!!)

Would you still make the trade? Who is the long-term winner of this?

The team that gets the bets player wins the trade so Vancouver wins this one. Didn't like the trade when it happened, didn't like it 5 yeras later, don't like it today.

 

[NotABadPeriod]

The 1999 run doesn't happen without Peca/McKee/Warrener.

 

[Paxon]

The trade was great for Buffalo, there's no way you don't do it again. Mogilny was my favorite player and I was 11 at the time, so I was crushed. It worked out great for us though -- Mogilny's injuries had mounted and Peca became our captain. That the team bungled Peca's future here shouldn't factor in, as they could easily have kept him here if they weren't such foolish tightwads about it. I'd have done this trade straight up but the extra pieces turned out to be key for us as well, with the pick turning into McKee and Wilson later getting flipped for the Warrener. Trading a guy like Mogilny is never easy but this is the kind of deal you do it for.

 

[TehDoak]

Question: Would Mogilny and his wife go on TV to slap some tuna cans for Tops?
Answer: No. No he wouldn't

So, the answer to the OP's question: Of course I do the trade.

 

[TheMistyStranger]

The trade was great for Buffalo, there's no way you don't do it again. Mogilny was my favorite player and I was 11 at the time, so I was crushed. It worked out great for us though -- Mogilny's injuries had mounted and Peca became out captain. That the team bungled Peca's future here shouldn't factor in, as they could easily have kept him here if they weren't such foolish tightwads about it. I'd have done this trade straight up but the extra pieces turned out to be key for us as well, with the pick turning into McKee and Wilson later getting flipped for the Warrener. Trading a guy like Mogilny is never easy but this is the kind of deal you do it for.

Right there with you. I had a Mogilny Red Hot Russian sweatshirt that I wore a few times a week in elementary school until it got too ratty. It was horrible seeing him leave, but damn that return was good.

 

[TheMistyStranger]

Question: Would Mogilny and his wife go on TV to slap some tuna cans for Tops?
Answer: No. No he wouldn't

So, the answer to the OP's question: Of course I do the trade.

I will always mark out for that reference.

I also enjoy telling my wife repeatedly about the Hasek commercials for Adelphia, both the Must See! Must See! one and the instant messenger with the gloves on one.

 

[Dunkster19]

During the boring days of summer, I got to thinking the other day. I was Just looking back nearly 20 years ago at a significant trade for two teams that came into existence at the same time-- Buffalo and Vancouver. Trades often have winners and losers, but sometimes there are trades that are mutually beneficial. Hindsight is 20/20, and I think Buffalo wins the trade in the long-term, but I also think that if both teams could go in the past, they would both make the trade again.

Summer 1995
To Vancouver: Alexander Mogilny. He would have an immediate impact surpassing 50 goals, and then proceed to have 4 semi-productive years. He was later traded to New Jersey in 2000 for Brendan Morrison, who would go on to be an integral part of Vancouver’s success in the early/mid 2000s. (Denis Pederson too, serviceable 4th liner)

To Buffalo: Mike Peca (played 5 seasons in Buffalo, winning the Selke and leading them to the Stanley Cup Finals, before being traded to the Islanders for Tim Connolly and Taylor Pyatt (both quality players), Jay McKee (played about 10 years in Buffalo as a dependable defensive defenseman, and Mike Wilson (played 4-5 seasons in Buffalo before being traded to Florida for Rhett Warrener a 5th rounder (Goalie Ryan Miller!!!)

Would you still make the trade? Who is the long-term winner of this?

I do this trade 100 out of 100 times. I only wish Peca could have stayed longer in Buffalo. He would have been one of the all time favorite Sabres. Add in McKee and Warrener and it becomes even more of a no brainer.

 

[jvirk]

I definitely do it, and looking back it looks great too

The stanley cup run and playoff runs don't happen without Peca and McKee. Those 2 were the stable players on that team, and they had intangibles that weren't going to show up on the score sheet

 

[kirby11]

An additional question: Which will look better down the road?

Mogilny for Peca/McKee/Warrener

or

Vanek for Moulson, NYI 2015 1st, NYI 2015 2nd?

To respond to the question, yes. Only wish is we would've kept Peca, of course.

 

[Paxon]

An additional question: Which will look better down the road?

Mogilny for Peca/McKee/Warrener

or

Vanek for Moulson, NYI 2015 1st, NYI 2015 2nd?

To respond to the question, yes. Only wish is we would've kept Peca, of course.

I would go conservative on this and say the Peca/Mogilny trade. It doesn't have the capacity for homerun "value" that the Vanek trade does, but the overall positive effect on the franchise was great -- I wouldn't assume that effect will be matched by the Vanek trade, though it could be. Peca was one of the best defensive forwards I've ever seen and fit the budding new construction of the team perfectly.

It's hard to compare Mogilny and Vanek though, as they were in different situations when traded. Mogilny was a better, more complete player even as he played through the dead puck era slowed by mounting injuries. His value was reduced by man games lost, whereas Vanek's was reduced by being a certainty to leave in free agency. What we do know is that it's unlikely, though possible, that we will have walked out of the Vanek trade with a player as good as Peca. That right there makes it hard to prefer that trade even if the total value of the return winds up greater. The flipside is that Vanek returned so much more than what the rental market dictated at the deadline, so in terms of pure value it's a superior trade which was masterfully executed in its market context by having been consummated well ahead of a buyers deadline.

 

[Chad Thundercock]

I would have kept Mogilny then, and still would today. Although, the value of Mogilny for Peca + McKee ends up being fairly close.

 

[cardiffgiant]

I'd make that trade all day, every day. I'm blown away that some folks wouldn't.

 

[Chainshot]

Just looking at the circumstances of the trade at the time, new ownership was no longer willing to foot the bill for payroll above what the Knoxes had been willing to kick in. With the Rigas' group taking over and the Knox money leaving, Muckler had a mandate to cut costs. Mogilny was part of that.

That said, I can only imagine what the interwebz fury would be now if a former 76-goal scorer was dealt for a package like that now.

 

[CaptPantalones]

I do it again.

I remember at the time Vancouver supposedly offered linden and Geoff courtnall for him before they settled on the future package muckler preferred. Which do you make?

 

[zbubble]

Lost in all of this is the assertion (if you believe Jim Kelley at the time) that Mogilny was playing his way off the team because he wanted out of Buffalo. It was probably inevitable Mogilny was going to be traded, so the only real question is was the return worth it.

 

[Chainshot]

I do it again.

I remember at the time Vancouver supposedly offered linden and Geoff courtnall for him before they settled on the future package muckler preferred. Which do you make?

Given the mandate by the owners, I would go with the one that helped me accomplish the goal of cutting payroll. I'm a schill.

 

[Bobby Bottle Service]

Considering that the Russian mafia was extorting Mogilny and the Sabres, yes, I'd pull that trade again.

 

[LongWayDown37]

I do it again.

I remember at the time Vancouver supposedly offered linden and Geoff courtnall for him before they settled on the future package muckler preferred. Which do you make?

Oh man, Geoff's brother Russ Courtnall was fabulous in NHLPA '93! I'd make the trade for that alone.

 

[nal06]

Rhett Warrener was also part of the deal to Calgary that brought Drury back.