Monday, March 7, 2011

The Worst Trades in Penguins History


July 11, 2001-
RW Jaromir Jagr and D Franticek Kucera to the Washington Capitals for centers Kris Beech and Michal Sivek, D Ross Lupaschuk and future considerations. The Penguins traded their second best player in their history at this point, a man with more than 1000 points and multiple scoring titles for three prospects that wound up about as valuable as the shit in the four 55 gallon drums in front of my house on garbage night. Yeah, Jagr wanted out, and we probably had to make A deal, but not THIS deal. Horrible trade for the Penguins.

March 20, 1996-
LW Marcus Naslund to Vancouver for RW Alex Stojanov. This was one of the worst trades in hockey history period. Naslund became a perennial All-Star and captain of the Vancouver Canucks while scoring 395 goals, and Stojanov wants to know if you want fries with that? Joke move.

February 10, 2003-
RW Alex Kovalev, LW Dan LaCourture, and defensemen Janne Laukannen and Mike Wilson to the New York Rangers for defensemen Joel Bouchard, and Richard Lintner and right wings Rico Fata and Mikael Samuelsson. Craig Patrick again made a salary dump move in moving one of the games elite wingers, plus some other roster players for a collection of prospects that never amounted to anything here. Samuelsson became a decent winger for the Red Wings, but the other three were horrible. Fata would have been more valuable to a pizza shop than a hockey team, and he was the most valuable of the group that got any real time in Pittsburgh. Again, if you have to move out salary, at least get some prospects that can play hockey. Horrible trade again for the Penguins. You may detect a theme, that the once brilliant Craig Patrick might have undergone a lobotomy late in his tenure with the Penguins. More Patrick gems to follow.


June 22, 1996-

The Penguins trade D Sergei Zubov to Dallas for D Kevin Hatcher. This had the potential to be a win-win, as the Penguins were looking for grit on the blue line, and thought they got it in Hatcher. Instead, it was an epic fail as Zubov anchored the Dallas blue line in its cup winning run in 1996, and was a mainstay as one of the elite defensemen in the league for Dallas. Hatcher put up decent offensvie numbers, but his game was softer than a baby's ass while in Pittsburgh. Not what the Penguins were looking for from Hatcher.


March 18, 1997-

RW Glen Murray to Los Angeles for Ed Olczyk. The Penguins brought in an aging winger whose production was fading and traded away a young power forward to LA. While in LA, Murray put up nearly 300 goals. Back on the home front, Edzo faded away. He ultimately become the head coach of the Penguins, and after letting the inmates run the asylum, he was finally fired in favor of Michael Therrien so that the Penguins could play an NHL level of hockey. Edzo still has a hair up his ass for the Pens and continues to embarass himself nightly on various NHL hockey shows. Thanks again Craig!


July 8, 1995-

D Larry Murphy was traded to Toronto for D Dmitri Mironov and a 2nd round pick in the 1996 entry draft. Mr. Patrick had read the scouting reports on young Russian defenseman Dmitri Mironov or part of it. He got the part that said big, fast, laser beam for a shot. He missed the part that said the kid was a classic underachiever. So let me put this brain fart in perspective for you. Larry Murphy anchored the Penguins blue line for their back to back Cup runs, but Patrick trades him for a young defenseman who played his way TO THE BENCH BY THE END OF HIS FIRST YEAR. Murphy in the meantime anchors the Red Wings blue line for their back to back Stanley Cups in 1997 and 1998. In addition he played in two All-Star games, BECAME THE FIFTH HIGHEST SCORING DEFENSEMAN OF ALL TIME, and made the Hockey HALL OF FAME. Not too much more needs to be said about Craig Patrick's deals post Stanley Cup runs in the 1990-91 and 1991-92 seasons. A blind man with a dart board full of names would have done better! I am not sure if this one actually surpasses the Jagr and Kovalev deals, but I saved I saved it for last to frame the post Cup Patrick trade history in a memorable manner.

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