Trade Deadline Primer

Heading into Trade Deadline Weekend, here's a little historical look at the trade deadline:

Trade Deadline Activity Since 1979-80

Deadline Trades Made By Eventual Stanley Cup Champion

Turning Deadline Draft Picks Into Superstars

Here's my own top ten list of the biggest deadline trades in history:

10. 1987 - Los Angeles sends Marcel Dionne to New York for Bob Carpenter and Tom Laidlaw. It was the end of a era in LA.

9. 1989 - Washington sends fan favorites Mike Gartner and Larry Murphy to Minnesota for fan favorite Dino Ciccarelli and Bob Rouse. Two teams looking to shake up their identity.

8. 1994 - The Canucks acquire Jeff Brown, Bret Hedican and Nathan Lafayette in exchange for Craig Janney. This deadline deal propelled the Canucks to within a Lafayette goal post away from the Stanley Cup.

7. 1986 - The Flames send Steve Konroyd and Richard Kromm to the Islanders for John Tonelli. Every team in NHL history would love to add John Tonelli to their playoff roster.

6. 2003 - Anaheim sends a 5th round draft pick to Chicago for veteran Steve Thomas. I love this trade because I spent a week prior to it telling everyone my Canucks should acquire Thomas. The Ducks did, and he went on a goal scoring tear and helped Anaheim reach the finals.

5. 2000 - Boston sends vets Ray Bourque and Dave Andreychuk to Colorado for Brian Rolston, Sammy Pahlsson, Martin Grenier and a 1st round pick. The Avs would win the Cup, but not until the next year.

4. 2007 - Ryan Smyth is dealt from the Oilers to the Islanders. Oilers fans are broken hearted, again, as their soul is traded away, again.

3. 1988 - The Flames trade Brett Hull to St. Louis for Rick Wamsley and Rob Ramage. The two stable veterans helped the Flames win the Cup in 1989, but Hull went on to become a superstar.

2. 1991 - The Whalers trade Ron Francis and Ulf Sameulsson to Pittsburgh for John Cullen and Zarley Zalapski. The Pens went on to win back-to-back Stanley Cups. The Whalers floundered, alienating their fans along the way. They would relocate to Carolina later on.

1. 1980 - The Kings trade Butch Goring to the Islanders. The original deadline impact deal still ranks as the best. Goring was the final piece of the Islanders' puzzle. The Islanders would 19 consecutive playoff rounds and 4 consecutive Stanley Cups.