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Habs' Good Trades


smon

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First time poster, longtime visitor.

Now as we all well know, the Habs have made boneheaded trades many times...Roy trade of course, Recchi twice, etc..but on the flipside the club has also on occasion completely won trades. And isn't that a great thing. :/)

For example..flashback to 2000, which actually was a good trade year for the Habs.

The sulking but talented enigma that is Vladimir Malakhov was headed to UFA and had played all of 7 games due to injury. At the deadline, Malakhov was shipped to New Jersey for Sheldon Souray, Josh DeWolf, and a 2nd round pick (later dealt to washington, more on that later). Now the Devils did win the cup that season, but Malakhov signed a big deal with NYR in the offseason, while Souray has become a hardhitting top two defenseman. The normally slowwitted Houle made an excellent move here.

Another good move by Houle was the acquistion of Jeff Hackett in 1999. Chicago Blackhawks traded Jeff Hackett, Eric Weinrich, Alain Nasreddine and 4th round selection (previsoulsy acquired from the Tampa Bay Lightning - Chris Dyment) to the Montreal Canadiens for Jocelyn Thibault, Dave Manson and Brad Brown. Manson was a physical presence, but Weinrich was much much better allaround..although Savard eventually dealt him for Traverse :eyes:

Hackett was miles above Thibault in consistency and he provided solid goaltending for years -- until he was dealt for Sundstrom. Nasreddine and Brown were a wash, they both sucked.

Next off, Trevor Linden, Dainius Zubrus and a 2nd round selection (previously acquired, later traded to Tampa Bay - Andreas Holmqvist) were sent to the Washington Capitals for Richard Zednik, Jan Bulis and a 1st round selection (Alexander Perezhogin). Another steal for the Habs. Best trade by Savard.

Any thoughts?

[Edited on 2005/9/15 by smon]

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Malakhov was traded in 2000!? That's when I started following and I always thought Malakhov had left a few years earlier.

The Zednik/Bulis/Perezhogin trade was our best trade in a LONG time. The best I can remember anyway.

Acquiring Hackett was a good move too. Malakhov for SOuray wasn't all that great. Malakhov in his prime was better than Souray is now. And we don't even know if SOuray will play like he did last seaosn.

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I can't think of any trade that tops this one. Check this one out!

This is lifted of a site called www.legendsofhockey.net

"Prior to 1970, the Montreal Canadiens were granted a unique concession on the day of the amateur draft. They were allowed to draft the top two French-speaking prospects each year. With that concession ended in 1970, the Buffalo Sabres were able to draft Gilbert Perreault...

The Canadiens' general manager, Sam Pollock, orchestrated a trade with the Oakland Seals that would ensure that Montreal would receive one of the top draft choices in 1971. Oakland had perennially finished near the bottom of the division, and 1970 looked like it was going to conclude with the same result. The shrewd Pollock sent Ernie Hicke and a first round draft choice in 1970 to the Seals in return for Francois Lacombe and a first round draft choice in 1971. The lowly Seals assured Montreal of having one of the earliest picks in the draft - potentially the first overall selection. But as the season went on, Los Angeles Kings fell in the standings and looked like they were going to battle with the Seals for last place.

Pollock, making certain all his bases were covered, sent centre Ralph Backstrom to the Kings for Ray Fortin and Gord Labossiere - two perennial minor leaguers. Labossiere was then traded by Montreal to Minnesota less than a week later. Fortin never played again in the NHL. In the meantime, Backstrom's acquisition sparked L.A. and they not only climbed out of contention for the last spot (and thus, the first draft pick), but almost made the playoffs. As a result, Oakland finished last and Montreal was able to guarantee their first draft choice overall."

Who did Pollock aim for and get?

I'll leave that to you to figure out.

:ghg::ghg::ghg:

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Of course. That was probably the most famous trade in Habs history. But people never wonder whether it might not have been that great anyway.

Think about it. The Habs traded away Ralph Backstrom to grab Guy Lafleur. The second overall pick was Marcel Dionne (who the Habs would have gotten had they not traded with LA).

So who would you rather have, Dionne and Backstrom or Guy Lafleur?

The problem is that we donèt know if Dionne would have played as well in Montreal and Lafleur as well in Detroit.

Just to make you think.

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Best Habs trade ever was getting Russ Courtnall for John Kordic. WTF were the Leafs thinking.

Worst trade ever? Hmm. Roy? Chelios? Leclair/Desjardins? No.No.No. Claude Lemieux for Sylvain Turgeon - the habs got a useless, one dimensional POC (they didn't even protect him in the expansion draft) for the MVP of the Devil's first Cup. I think I may have cried the day they made that trade.

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I'm going to look into my glass darkly, my foggy crystal ball, my alternate universe sports history documents and say that no, Dionne wouldn't have done as well in Montreal as he did in Detroit or LA.

Detroit was a long way from being the powerhouse they were 20 years before. They had no indication of the powerhouse they would become 20 years later. So, the media and professional pressures there would have been quite light.

In LA, Dionne was in an even better situation. Good linemates (Dave Taylor & Charlie Simmer) without the heavy media and professional pressure again.

Dionne was a prima donna, a problem child in Detroit (something like Yashin in Ottawa). Detroit lost a lot problems by trading him to LA.

Prima donna/problem child behaviour would not have cut it in Montreal, especially under Pollock's reign. Talent-wise, he may likely have been better than Lafleur but his ability to be a 'team player' was likely much less than Lafleur's. Lafleur was able to fit into the team system and blossom with it. Dionne, I don't think so.

Lafleur play as well or better in Detroit? I don't know. I don't think so because I don't know if Lafleur would have been able to be a proudly self-motivated player like Dionne.

In the end, though, this is all speculative.

:ghg::ghg::ghg:

[Edited on 2005/9/16 by shortcat1]

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as theflower is my nic i of course just had to respond as yes they got theflower even tho it was posted before. but indeed still an amazing trade. just to add to it, regarding the flower some years back when guy was deciding whether to do that last nordiques stint he did i was in montreal at the 4 seasons on business. I have met a ton of movie stars in my life and always talked and said hi with no problem, but this day im in the lobby and go out to get a cab, turn to my right and Guy is standing right beside me waiting for valet. I couldnt get a word out of my dam mouth. Finally i said hi and wished him well. I asked him are you really gonna play hockey for quebec he said "i love the game" so i'm gonna try. I shook his hand and sat there like an idiot with my mouth open. Thanks Guy!!! You Da Man!!!

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Originally posted by Bulis_the_Habbie

Malakhov was traded in 2000!? That's when I started following and I always thought Malakhov had left a few years earlier.

The Zednik/Bulis/Perezhogin trade was our best trade in a LONG time. The best I can remember anyway.

Acquiring Hackett was a good move too. Malakhov for SOuray wasn't all that great. Malakhov in his prime was better than Souray is now. And we don't even know if SOuray will play like he did last seaosn.

You gotta consider that Malakhov was heading for UFA after the season..usually rental players dont net quality defensemen in return, this case looks like an exception.

Malakhov was a good offensive defenseman in his prime, but that ended after he was dealt to New Jersey.

He signed an enormous UFA deal with the Rangers, then missed the entire next season with injuries. Since leaving the Habs four seasons ago, he has never scored more than 28pts or 6goals in a season. Woeful considering he netted 10 goals three times with the Habs.

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