It's not every day we witness a star player change jerseys in the NHL. Blockbuster trades in the salary cap era have been few and far between, so it's rather memorable when a major deal comes to fruition.
Here, we look back on the five biggest swaps of the decade.
5. Bruins trade Seguin to Stars
Date: July 4, 2013
The trade:
| Stars acquire | Bruins acquire |
|---|---|
| F Tyler Seguin | F Loui Eriksson |
| F Rich Peverley | F Reilly Smith |
| D Ryan Button | F Matt Fraser |
| D Joe Morrow |
Through 203 games with the Boston Bruins, a 21-year-old Tyler Seguin had already racked up 56 goals and 121 points, and was quickly becoming one of the league's most electrifying talents. What could Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli and his staff have possibly been thinking when they dealt him away?
Wish you could be a fly on the wall for such a discussion? Voila!
"He's a star player, there's no doubt, but does he fit with our culture?" Bruins director of player personnel Scott Bradley questioned.
The Bruins believed Seguin relied too heavily on his skill and lacked a physical edge that the club looked for in its players. They also weren't thrilled with his off-ice habits; one week earlier, Chiarelli publicly said Seguin needed to "become more of a professional."
"I just think there are too many red flags with him," said Bradley. "You know, he has a lot of talent, we know that. He should be scoring ... like he brings up (Patrick) Kane, if he gives us half of Kane we win the Stanley Cup."
After much deliberation, Chiarelli decided to pick up the phone and shop his young star. The result was a seven-player blockbuster that saw Seguin land in Dallas while veteran winger Loui Eriksson highlighted the Bruins' return.
Since being traded to the Stars, Seguin ranks fourth in the NHL in goals (217) and sixth in points (495) - more than any Bruin during that span.
4. Canucks deal Luongo back to Panthers
Date: March 4, 2014
The trade:
| Panthers acquire | Canucks acquire |
|---|---|
| G Roberto Luongo | G Jacob Markstrom |
| F Steven Anthony | F Shawn Matthias |
The tale of the Vancouver Canucks trading away two of the decade's top goalies in the span of nine months is one for the ages, and it ends with Roberto Luongo back on a beach in Sunrise.
Luongo inked a 12-year, $64-million contract with the Canucks in September 2009 that would kick in ahead of the 2010-2011 season. But with a young Cory Schneider outperforming his backup role, the club found itself with a pair of top-tier goaltenders and some important decisions to make.
With several postseason disappointments to begin the decade, including the Canucks' infamous Game 7 loss to the Bruins in the 2011 Stanley Cup Final, Luongo turned into the scapegoat for fans and the media. The 6-foot-3 puck-stopper reportedly requested a trade after losing the starting role to Schneider midway through the opening round of the 2012 playoffs.
When the Canucks couldn't find a suitor for Luongo's mammoth contract, general manager Mike Gillis instead shipped Schneider to the New Jersey Devils at the 2013 NHL Draft. Problem solved, right? Not so fast.
The following season was a disaster for the Canucks, as the club missed the playoffs for the first time in six years. Head coach John Tortorella opting to play backup Eddie Lack at the 2014 Heritage Classic proved to be the final straw. The damaged relationship between Luongo and the Canucks became irreparable, and the veteran was traded back to Florida two months later.
3. Senators trade Karlsson to Sharks
Date: Sept. 13, 2018
The trade:
| Sharks acquire | Senators acquire |
|---|---|
| D Erik Karlsson | F Chris Tierney |
| F Francis Perron | F Rudolfs Balcers |
| F Josh Norris | |
| D Dylan DeMelo | |
| 1st-rd pick (2020) | |
| 2nd-rd pick (2019) |
Just 16 months after leading the underdog Senators to Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Final, Erik Karlsson, the club's homegrown franchise talent, was gone. The deal officially marked the beginning of a rebuild, and general manager Pierre Dorion delivered a promising message of hope to fans five days later.
Karlsson was one of the greatest Senators of all time, but with his contract expiring and a hefty payday on the horizon, the veteran blue-liner no longer fit the club's plans.
The San Jose Sharks were a perfect suitor - they were a Stanley Cup favorite that also had expendable assets in their system and money to dish out for an extension. In June, the two-time Norris Trophy winner inked an eight-year, $92-million deal to stay in the Bay Area after the team lost in six games to the St. Louis Blues in the Western Conference Final.
Karlsson holds the Senators' franchise record for goals, assists, and points by a defenseman. Only Daniel Alfredsson and Jason Spezza have recorded more points and assists for Ottawa.
2. Canadiens, Predators swap star blue-liners
Date: June 29, 2016
The trade:
| Canadiens acquire | Predators acquire |
|---|---|
| D Shea Weber | D P.K. Subban |
In 2016, 23 minutes shifted the NHL landscape completely. Just 17 minutes after the most memorable trade of the decade (we'll get there), the Canadiens and Predators joined in on the fun, as P.K. Subban was dealt to Nashville in exchange for Shea Weber, who headed back to Montreal.
Each player was more than just a star for their respective clubs - Subban and Weber were the faces of each franchise. But Subban didn't have the same connection with the front office as he did with the fan base. His flashy, charismatic style didn't jive with head coach Michel Therrien's old school approach; two days before a no-trade clause was to kick in on his long-term deal, the stalwart defenseman was dealt.
"Right now I'm going to a team that wants me," Subban said after the trade, according to CBC.com. "I'm just happy to be in a situation where I can excel and feel good about myself coming to the rink every day."
While Subban's career continued to blossom in Nashville, an aging Weber struggled to stay healthy, and many touted Predators general manager David Poile as a genius for turning back the clock on his defensive anchor.
Fast-forward to the end of the decade, and Subban is a member of the New Jersey Devils while Weber looks to have reinvented himself with the Canadiens.
1. Oilers trade Taylor Hall for Adam Larsson
Date: June 29, 2016
The trade:
| Oilers acquire | Devils acquire |
|---|---|
| D Adam Larsson | F Taylor Hall |
Chiarelli makes another unfortunate appearance on our list - this time at No. 1 as general manager of the Edmonton Oilers.
The decade's most remarkable trade also paved the way for arguably the most memorable hockey tweet of all time. While fans and pundits alike awaited for the Oilers' return, TSN's Bob McKenzie provided the jaw-dropping answer:
Trade is one for one: Adam Larsson for Taylor Hall.
— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) June 29, 2016
As Hall went on to capture the 2018 Hart Trophy in his second season with the Devils, Oilers fans were left wondering what could have been. Larsson was a solid defenseman, but having an MVP, the face of the league in Connor McDavid, and German sensation Leon Draisaitl in the same lineup today is an all-time "what if?" for the organization.
In retrospect, it's hard to say that anybody actually won this trade. Hall got his cup of coffee in the postseason with the Devils and the Oilers ended a decade-long playoff drought of their own, but both sides failed to build off any progress. The Oilers faded from playoff contention in the following years, and Hall was traded to the Arizona Coyotes earlier this month.
Despite what followed, it remains one of the more lopsided trades in NHL history.
Just missed the cut:
- Maple Leafs trade Phil Kessel to Penguins
- Atlanta ships Ilya Kovalchuk to Devils
- Flyers trade both Mike Richards and Jeff Carter
- Blue Jackets deal Ryan Johansen to Predators for Seth Jones
