Fansided

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) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
17 of 31
Next
Jan 7, 2016; Ottawa, Ontario, CAN; Ottawa Senators defenseman Erik Karlsson (65) skates with the puck in the third period against the Florida Panthers at the Canadian Tire Centre. The Panthers defeated the Senators 3-2. Mandatory Credit: Marc DesRosiers-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 7, 2016; Ottawa, Ontario, CAN; Ottawa Senators defenseman Erik Karlsson (65) skates with the puck in the third period against the Florida Panthers at the Canadian Tire Centre. The Panthers defeated the Senators 3-2. Mandatory Credit: Marc DesRosiers-USA TODAY Sports /

15: Nashville Predators

The Predators’ worst trade doesn’t involve any actual players in it, but when hindsight’s 20-20, it looks pretty awful. With the Predators owning the 15th overall pick and the Senators owning the 18th, they made a swap since Ottawa was hosting the draft and wanted to hit a home run with their selection. Murray was lucky to have Karlsson fall to No. 15, but he was extremely bullish on him and was confident that they would get him by trading up.

Granted, Nashville’s defense is not one of their weaknesses, and they took Roman Josi later in this same draft. But had the Predators selected Karlsson, they could’ve used their second-round pick to take a forward from around that range like Derek Stepan. Stepan is a serviceable first-line center whose production would’ve been increased dramatically with Weber and Karlsson feeding him the puck.

In a sense, this trade didn’t alter the landscape of the Predators that much, but it goes without saying that the draft picks they ended up with don’t hold a candle to Karlsson. He can win games on his own with the Senators and is a two-time Norris winner – and could win his third this year. Chet Pickard spent two seasons with Nashville’s AHL affiliate before fading into obscurity while Taylor Beck only spent one full season with the Predators in which he scored 16 points in 62 games.

So while Karlsson might not have made the Predators much better, it’s still high up on this list because of how hilariously one-sided it turned out to be.

Next: 14: Pittsburgh Penguins

Home/Anaheim Ducks