Tom Barrasso trade to Pittsburgh

[Normand Lacombe]

November 12, 1988: Buffalo trades G Tom Barrasso and a 3rd round pick in the 1990 NHL Entry Draft (LW Joe Dziedzic) to Pittsburgh for D Doug Bodger and LW Darrin Shannon.

At the time of this trade, Pittsburgh was off to a respectable 9-7-0 start. While Mario Lemieux and Paul Coffey were leading a high octane offense, the goaltending situation was less than ideal. The trio of Wendell Young, Frank Pietrangelo and Steve Guenette was found wanting and GM Tony Esposito traded for Barrasso. In Buffalo, Barrasso had started that season poorly, with a .842% and a 4.95 GAA in 9 games. Rebounding nicely in his new home, Barrasso stabilized the Pen's goaltending problem and helped lead the Penguins to the playoffs for the first time since 1982. Two years later, he backstopped Pittsburgh to the first of two consecutive Cups.

Several questions. From Buffalo's perspective, why did Gerry Meehan make this trade? Barrasso was only 23 and had played well during his tenure with the Sabres, save the 1986-87 season. He finished 2nd for the Vezina the season before. Was Buffalo tired of Barrasso's prickly personality and decided it would be best to ship him elsewhere? Did Buffalo consider Daren Puppa a better alternative to Barrasso? Buffalo must have been high on Bodger and Shannon, both former high 1st round draft picks. Bodger was a mainstay for 7 seasons with Buffalo, but Shannon, despite some okay years in Winnipeg, was out of hockey by the age of 29. Were any other teams rumored to interested in Barrasso before the trade was made? A Barrasso trade to LA would have made sense.

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[vadim sharifijanov]

two trades we might want to think about the barrasso deal in relation to:

teemu selanne for chad kilger and oleg tverdovsky

sean burke and eric weinrich for bobby holik and the 2nd round pick that became pandolfo

 

[reckoning]

Was Buffalo tired of Barrasso's prickly personality and decided it would be best to ship him elsewhere? Did Buffalo consider Daren Puppa a better alternative to Barrasso?

I think those are the two main reasons right there.
While neither Bodger or Shannon lived up to expectations, I don't think Buffalo would have been any better had they kept Barrasso. The only drawback was after Puppa got injured, Meehan made that disastrous Calle Johannson for Clint Malarchuk trade. Johansson could have been their #1 defenceman for the 90s.

 

[shills]

At the time of this trade, Pittsburgh was off to a respectable 9-7-0 start. While Mario Lemieux and Paul Coffey were leading a high octane offense, the goaltending situation was less than ideal. The trio of Wendell Young, Frank Pietrangelo and Steve Guenette was found wanting and GM Tony Esposito traded for Barrasso. In Buffalo, Barrasso had started that season poorly, with a .842% and a 4.95 GAA in 9 games. Rebounding nicely in his new home, Barrasso stabilized the Pen's goaltending problem and helped lead the Penguins to the playoffs for the first time since 1982. Two years later, he backstopped Pittsburgh to the first of two consecutive Cups.

The Penguins had actually tried to acquire Andy Moog prior to pursuing Tom Barrasso.

Oilers Send Coffey to Penguins

All of a sudden, Andy Moog isn't the biggest...

https://hfboards.mandatory.com/thre...lo-sabres-trade-tom-barrasso-in-1988.2184033/

 

[Big Phil]

two trades we might want to think about the barrasso deal in relation to:

teemu selanne for chad kilger and oleg tverdovsky

sean burke and eric weinrich for bobby holik and the 2nd round pick that became pandolfo

??????

I mean, the first trade is awful and historically awful, then and now. The 2nd one is neither here nor there. Just wondering, what do any of them have to do with the Barrasso trade?

 

[Big Phil]

Am I missing something here, when the heck did Tony Esposito run the Penguins? You think of Craig Patrick and Eddie Johnson in those days. So I looked it up. April 1988 to December 1989 Tony O was GM of Pittsburgh. No idea why he got hired or fired. Does anyone else? Is it just me or does anyone not remember this at all? I guess it falls into the same scenario that Ted Lindsay was actually an NHL coach at one point.

Okay, back to the topic, I am guessing Barrasso may have had some issues with the management. You don't trade a young 23 goalie away without reason, unless you are Mike Milbury. Either way, it worked out for Pittsburgh. What was Buffalo thinking though? Hmmm..........the idea that Puppa was a capable replacement is probably correct. He turned out okay, had a couple of big spike years in 1990 and 1996, but overall wasn't Barrasso as a goalie. But maybe they thought he would be.

 

[Chili]

The Penguins had actually tried to acquire Andy Moog prior to pursuing Tom Barrasso.

Oilers Send Coffey to Penguins

All of a sudden, Andy Moog isn't the biggest...

https://hfboards.mandatory.com/thre...lo-sabres-trade-tom-barrasso-in-1988.2184033/

As I remember the story, it was the Pens owner Mr Debartolo who squashed the Moog to Pittsburgh trade. One of the other pièces going to the Oilers was apparently G Steve Guennette. The Owner was losing confidence in gm Eddie Johnston at the time because of their lack of playoff appearances. It could have been a solid trade for the Pens but Ed said no.

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

??????

I mean, the first trade is awful and historically awful, then and now. The 2nd one is neither here nor there. Just wondering, what do any of them have to do with the Barrasso trade?

the selanne trade is similar value. two hotshot prospects: a#4 overall potential power forward and an offensive defenseman who’s already shown he can score some points in the league.

the burke trade was the next big young goalie trade.

 

[Johnny Engine]

the selanne trade is similar value. two hotshot prospects: a#4 overall potential power forward and an offensive defenseman who’s already shown he can score some points in the league.

One way to look at the Selanne trade is something of an inverse result to the Kessel trade - if the players Winnipeg received turn out like Primeau and Zubov, suddenly it looks like Anaheim torpedoed their depth before they even started building a team. Likewise, if Seguin and Hamilton (or any other drafted players) disappointed for the Bruins, suddenly it looks as bad as Big Phil thinks the Selanne trade was. We know in hindsight how those trades turned out, but those were the stakes involved.

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

^ or, a more concrete example, desjardins and leclair for recchi

 

[Jinsell]

November 12, 1988: Buffalo trades G Tom Barrasso and a 3rd round pick in the 1990 NHL Entry Draft (LW Joe Dziedzic) to Pittsburgh for D Doug Bodger and LW Darrin Shannon.

At the time of this trade, Pittsburgh was off to a respectable 9-7-0 start. While Mario Lemieux and Paul Coffey were leading a high octane offense, the goaltending situation was less than ideal. The trio of Wendell Young, Frank Pietrangelo and Steve Guenette was found wanting and GM Tony Esposito traded for Barrasso. In Buffalo, Barrasso had started that season poorly, with a .842% and a 4.95 GAA in 9 games. Rebounding nicely in his new home, Barrasso stabilized the Pen's goaltending problem and helped lead the Penguins to the playoffs for the first time since 1982. Two years later, he backstopped Pittsburgh to the first of two consecutive Cups.

Several questions. From Buffalo's perspective, why did Gerry Meehan make this trade? Barrasso was only 23 and had played well during his tenure with the Sabres, save the 1986-87 season. He finished 2nd for the Vezina the season before. Was Buffalo tired of Barrasso's prickly personality and decided it would be best to ship him elsewhere? Did Buffalo consider Daren Puppa a better alternative to Barrasso? Buffalo must have been high on Bodger and Shannon, both former high 1st round draft picks. Bodger was a mainstay for 7 seasons with Buffalo, but Shannon, despite some okay years in Winnipeg, was out of hockey by the age of 29.

I could be wrong, but I seem to recall there being some dissension between Barrasso and Puppa. As you said, Barrasso was playing poorly at the start of the season and there was a crowded crease in Buffalo anyways with him, Puppa, and Jacques Cloutier. Puppa was out playing Barrasso at the time and I guess Meehan figured he'd send Barrasso and his prickly personality elsewhere.

Were any other teams rumored to interested in Barrasso before the trade was made? A Barrasso trade to LA would have made sense.

I remember reading that Mike Keenan was pushing then Chicago GM Bob Pulford to acquire Barrasso, but it never happened obviously.

 

[billybudd]

??????

I mean, the first trade is awful and historically awful, then and now. The 2nd one is neither here nor there. Just wondering, what do any of them have to do with the Barrasso trade?

That Burke trade wasn't bad. Weinrich was a solid minute eater until his eye got messed up and Burke was a pretty good starter. Holik had a lot of team success and made a lot of money, but I don't know that a two-way middle six center and another checking forward is worth more than a starting goaltender and a middle-pairing D. And I don't know that a role-defining player like Holik should be worth less than that return, either.

The more I think about it, I don't mind that trade for either party.

 

[c9777666]

Am I missing something here, when the heck did Tony Esposito run the Penguins? You think of Craig Patrick and Eddie Johnson in those days. So I looked it up. April 1988 to December 1989 Tony O was GM of Pittsburgh. No idea why he got hired or fired. Does anyone else? Is it just me or does anyone not remember this at all? I guess it falls into the same scenario that Ted Lindsay was actually an NHL coach at one point.

Yup. And for that one full season, he actuallly was in direct competition with his brother (who was also a GM):

Even Off the Ice, It's Still a Family Feud for the Esposito Brothers

 

[Tarantula]

Yeah, forgot about Tony O running the Pens, completely.