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NHL Trade Deadline: Ranking every team’s worst ever trade

By David Rouben

SACRAMENTO, CA - APRIL 3: Wayne Gretzky of the Los Angeles Kings in action against the Edmonton Oilers at the Arco Arena on April 3, 1994 in Sacramento, California. The Kings defeated the Oilers 6-1. (Photo by Rocky Widner/Getty Images)
SACRAMENTO, CA - APRIL 3: Wayne Gretzky of the Los Angeles Kings in action against the Edmonton Oilers at the Arco Arena on April 3, 1994 in Sacramento, California. The Kings defeated the Oilers 6-1. (Photo by Rocky Widner/Getty Images) /
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05/12/06-LEAFSvTHRASHERS-Toronto Maple Leaf Mats Sundin leaning into a shot against the Atlanta Thrashers during the 1st period of the two teams match-up at the ACC in Toronto on Tuesday night.(Photo by Peter Power/Toronto Star)pmp (Photo by Peter Power/Toronto Star via Getty Images)
05/12/06-LEAFSvTHRASHERS-Toronto Maple Leaf Mats Sundin leaning into a shot against the Atlanta Thrashers during the 1st period of the two teams match-up at the ACC in Toronto on Tuesday night.(Photo by Peter Power/Toronto Star)pmp (Photo by Peter Power/Toronto Star via Getty Images) /

19: Colorado Avalanche (Quebec Nordiques)

Again, this isn’t actually a trade the Colorado Avalanche made, although there was one certain trade the Nordiques made that practically built that franchise by itself … more on that later. In this case, the Avalanche could’ve gone into their formative years with an established top-line center and one of the most well-respected players in the game. Instead, they traded him away for a handful of busts and one player with an attitude problem.

Many Leafs fans will remember that Wendel Clark was involved in two massive deals. The second one, which involved giving up a young Kenny Jonsson to get him back, didn’t go too well, but they struck gold with the first one. Mats Sundin is still to this day one of the most popular figures in franchise history despite the fact that he never won a Cup. That’s because he stuck with the team through so many bad years and provided them with some memorable moments in the playoffs, none more so than this which sent Joe Bowen into cardiac arrest:

Sundin was one of the most clutch scorers of all-time with 96 game-winning goals to his name. He scored his 500th goal the only way he could’ve — in overtime, shorthanded, completing a hattrick. Although Garth Butcher was released by the team midway through his first season, Tom Warriner did make history by scoring the first ever goal at the Air Canada Centre.

Wendel Clark was a player who was tough to deal with on the ice, and someone who drove the opposing team nuts. The problem for the Avalanche was Clark became tough to deal with off the ice too. After one lockout-shortened season, he got into a dispute over his contract and basically forced the team to trade him to the Islanders.

Landon Wilson only played 16 games total with the Avalanche while Jeff Keatly was a first-round draft pick that never played a game. Sylvain Lefebvre actually experienced Cup success with the Avalanche so I guess he was a winner since he never would’ve experienced that with the Leafs, but his productivity was diminished down the years due to various injuries.

While Sundin never won a Cup, he still leaves behind a lasting legacy. And he somewhat made up for that stain on his career with an Olympic Gold Medal in 2006.

Next: 18: Dallas Stars

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