Ken Solheim

The NHL Trade Deadline has become one of the most anticipated events on the NHL calendar. Television and radio stations provide dozens of hours of coverage - often live regardless if there is anything actually going on.

There was not much media coverage back in 1983. Good thing. There was only one trade that trade deadline. The Minnesota North Stars traded two goal scorer Ken Solheim to Detroit in exchange for future considerations.

Detroit actually cancelled the future considerations  and returned Solheim to the North Stars a little more than year later.

Solheim was a big Albertan winger. At six-foot-three and 210 pounds, he was an imposing figure though he was not noted for his physical play.

The Grand Prairie native was more noted as a goal scorer in junior hockey. He starred with the Medicine Hat Tigers and scored 54 and 68 goals in his two seasons in the WHL. That definitely helped him get drafted 30th overall by the Chicago Blackhawks in 1980.

Solheim would only get to play in five games with the Hawks. Even though he scored twice, he was traded to Minnesota in exchange for veteran Glen Sharpley. That trade was hardly insignificant. Sharpley was a solid depth player and Solheim was a promising up and comer.

Solheim would play parts of four seasons with the North Stars. His only full season in the NHL was 1984-85 when he played in 58 contests. He scored eight goals and eighteen points.

Solheim played in the Edmonton Oilers organization in 1985-86 before retiring from the game.