Everyone knows about the trade. It’s the most prolific way in sports to completely change a team. Whether that’s on the ice or in the culture, a trade in hockey can completely change the mindset of a franchise. The NHL Draft and free agency are two ways to build a team, but the trade almost always has a bigger impact on everyone involved.
There are trades of all kinds. Sometimes it brings that much-needed star player to a franchise that is desperate for one. We’ve seen that a lot, and most times it doesn’t work out. There are surprise trades where players are blindsided by a team looking to move them. There are trades that come with months of anticipation as the rumor accounts report on a player and GM’s every move until a deal is finally done.
When trades usually work out the best is when a team is selling high on a player for highly-valued draft picks and prospects, or when a team is looking for that one final piece to the puzzle on their way to a championship run. Look at the back-to-back Stanley Cup Champion Tampa Bay Lightning. Two seasons ago, they spent big assets to get Blake Coleman and Barclay Goodrow, but they ended up playing a major role in their championships. They did the same thing this year when they traded for David Savard.
Over the past few decades, there have been deals that completely change franchises. Just about every team has at least one (and teams like the Detroit Red Wings have quite a few). Which ones worked out the best?