Every NHL Team's Worst Trade of All Time

August 6, 2026

Brandon Wampler's worst trades of all time from each of the 32 NHL teams. Brandon names the biggest NHL trade busts in league history.

With the 2026-27 NHL season fast approaching following the conclusion of free agency, it's a good time to think about some of the worst trades in NHL history.

In this column, we're going to dive into each NHL team's worst trade of all time.

Only player-centric trades were considered.

Anaheim Ducks – Chris Pronger to Philadelphia (2009)

Anaheim acquired:

• Joffrey Lupul (RW)
• Luca Sbisa (D)
• 2009 first-round pick (John Moore (D))
• 2010 first-round pick (Emerson Etem (RW))

Philadelphia acquired:

• Chris Pronger (D)
• Ryan Dingle (LW)

Chris Pronger was one of the NHL's premier defensemen before the deal, recording 48 points in 82 games during the 2008-09 season while averaging over 27 minutes per night. In his first season with Philadelphia, the veteran blueliner followed it up with 55 points in 82 games and helped lead the Flyers to the 2010 Stanley Cup Final.

Anaheim received multiple young assets, but none developed into the franchise cornerstone it hoped for. Trading away an elite, Norris-caliber defenseman for quantity over quality ultimately accelerated the Ducks' decline and remains one of the organization's biggest "what-ifs."

Boston Bruins – Joe Thornton to the San Jose Sharks (2005)

Boston acquired:

• Marco Sturm (LW)
• Wayne Primeau (C)
• Brad Stuart (D)

San Jose acquired:

• Joe Thornton (C)

Joe Thornton was already one of the NHL's elite centers despite recording just nine goals and 24 assists through 23 games before the trade. However, after arriving in San Jose, he exploded for 20 goals and 72 assists in 58 games, capturing both the Art Ross Trophy (125 points) and Hart Trophy that same season.

Boston received three serviceable NHL players but never found another franchise center of Thornton's caliber. Watching their homegrown superstar win league MVP just months after the deal makes this one of the most lopsided trades in NHL history.

Buffalo Sabres – Dominik Hasek to the Detroit Red Wings (2001)

Buffalo acquired:

• Vyacheslav Kozlov (LW)
• 2002 first-round pick (Daniel Paille (LW))

Detroit acquired:

• Dominik Hasek (G)

Even at 36 years old, Dominik Hasek remained the backbone of the Sabres, posting a 37-24-7 record, .921 save percentage, and six shutouts during his final season in Buffalo. In his first year with Detroit, Hasek recorded a 41-15-8 record, .915 save percentage, and backstopped the Red Wings to the 2002 Stanley Cup.

Buffalo received a respectable return, but replacing arguably one of the greatest goaltenders in NHL history proved impossible. The trade officially closed the most successful era in Sabres history.

Calgary Flames – Brett Hull to the St. Louis Blues (1988)

Calgary acquired:

• Rob Ramage (D)
• Rick Wamsley (G)

St. Louis acquired:

• Brett Hull (RW)
• Steve Bozek (C)

Before the trade, Hull had produced 26 goals, 24 assists, and 50 points in 52 games for Calgary during the 1987-88 season. He added six goals and 14 points in 13 games after joining St. Louis before exploding for 41 goals, 43 assists, and 84 points in his first full season with the Blues the next year.

Calgary won the Stanley Cup in 1989 with Ramage and Wamsley, making the deal beneficial in the short term. However, Hull developed into a generational scorer and eventually recorded 527 goals for St. Louis, leaving the Flames to wonder what their already-loaded roster could have accomplished had they kept him.

Carolina Hurricanes (Hartford Whalers) – Ron Francis to the Pittsburgh Penguins (1991)

Hartford acquired:

• John Cullen (C)
• Zarley Zalapski (D)
• Jeff Parker (RW)

Pittsburgh acquired:

• Ron Francis (C)
• Ulf Samuelsson (D)
• Grant Jennings (D)

Francis was in the middle of another outstanding season, recording 24 goals and 53 assists for 77 points in 59 games before the trade. He added 45 points in 28 games after joining Pittsburgh and helped the Penguins win back-to-back Stanley Cups in 1991 and 1992.

Hartford never received equal value in return, and trading away the face of the franchise only accelerated the Whalers' decline. It remains the defining trade of the organization's history.

Chicago Blackhawks – Artemi Panarin to the Columbus Blue Jackets (2017)

Chicago acquired:

• Brandon Saad (LW)
• Anton Forsberg (G)
• 2018 fifth-round pick

Columbus acquired:

• Artemi Panarin (LW)
• Tyler Motte (LW)

Panarin wrapped up his final season in Chicago with 31 goals and 43 assists for 74 points before becoming a salary-cap casualty. In his first season with Columbus, he followed that with 27 goals and 55 assists for 82 points, continuing to establish himself as one of the league's elite playmakers.

Brandon Saad provided solid two-way play but never replaced Panarin's offensive production. The Blackhawks sacrificed one of hockey's most dynamic young wingers in an effort to manage the salary cap.

THE GOAL OF THE SEASON.

NUMBER 10. ARTEMI. PANARIN. pic.twitter.com/q5wjGsKBZe

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) May 16, 2022

Colorado Avalanche – Ryan O'Reilly to the Buffalo Sabres (2015)

Colorado acquired:

• Nikita Zadorov (D)
• Mikhail Grigorenko (C)
• J.T. Compher (C)
• 2015 second-round pick (A.J. Greer (RW))

Buffalo acquired:

• Ryan O'Reilly (C)
• Jamie McGinn (LW)

O'Reilly finished his final season in Colorado with 17 goals and 38 assists for 55 points while continuing to develop into one of the NHL's premier two-way centers. He posted 60 points in his first season with Buffalo before eventually winning the Selke Trophy, the Conn Smythe Trophy, and the Stanley Cup with St. Louis.

Colorado received several useful pieces, including Compher, but none developed into the franchise center O'Reilly became. In hindsight, the Avalanche moved on from a player whose best hockey was still ahead of him.

Columbus Blue Jackets – Jeff Carter from the Philadelphia Flyers (2011)

Columbus acquired:

• Jeff Carter (C)

Philadelphia acquired:

• Jakub Voracek (RW)
• 2011 first-round pick (Sean Couturier (C))
• 2011 third-round pick (Nick Cousins (C))

Jeff Carter arrived in Columbus expected to become the franchise's top-line center, but he recorded just 15 goals and 10 assists in 39 games before being dealt to Los Angeles later that season.

Meanwhile, Voracek developed into one of Philadelphia's all-time leading scorers, while Couturier became a Selke Trophy-winning center. Columbus surrendered two foundational pieces for a player who never wanted to play there, making this one of the most damaging trades in franchise history.

Dallas Stars – James Neal and Matt Niskanen to the Pittsburgh Penguins (2011)

Dallas acquired:

• Alex Goligoski (D)

Pittsburgh acquired:

• James Neal (LW)
• Matt Niskanen (D)

Dallas believed it was acquiring its future No. 1 defenseman in Alex Goligoski, but the price proved far too steep. Neal was coming off a 21-goal, 45-point season with the Stars before scoring 40 goals and 81 points in his first full season with Pittsburgh.

Niskanen also blossomed into a top-four defenseman, eventually helping the Washington Capitals win the Stanley Cup in 2018. Goligoski became a dependable blueliner for Dallas, but surrendering both Neal and Niskanen for one defenseman left the Stars on the wrong side of one of the organization's most lopsided trades.

Detroit Red Wings – Marcel Dionne to the Los Angeles Kings (1975)

Detroit acquired:

• Dan Maloney (LW)
• Terry Harper (D)
• 1976 second-round pick

Los Angeles acquired:

• Marcel Dionne (C)
• Bart Crashley (D)

Dionne finished his final season in Detroit with 47 goals, 74 assists, and 121 points in 80 games. He followed that with 40 goals, 54 assists, and 94 points during his first season in Los Angeles and never scored fewer than 36 goals across his 11 full seasons with the Kings.

Maloney and Harper were established NHL players, but neither could replace one of the greatest scorers in league history. Losing a 23-year-old superstar over a contract dispute helped extend Detroit’s lengthy period outside Stanley Cup contention.

Edmonton Oilers – Wayne Gretzky to the Los Angeles Kings (1988)

Edmonton acquired:

• Jimmy Carson (C)
• Martin Gélinas (LW)
• 1989 first-round pick
• 1991 first-round pick — Martin Ručinský (LW)
• 1993 first-round pick — Nick Stajduhar (D)
• $15 million

Los Angeles acquired:

• Wayne Gretzky (C)
• Marty McSorley (D)
• Mike Krushelnyski (C)

Gretzky recorded 40 goals, 109 assists, and 149 points in 64 games during his final season in Edmonton before producing 54 goals, 114 assists, and 168 points in his first year with Los Angeles. Carson scored 49 goals for Edmonton, while Gélinas became a useful contributor, but no collection of players, picks, or cash could replace the greatest player in hockey history.

Despite the Oilers winning another Stanley Cup in 1990, trading Gretzky ended the dynasty’s most dominant chapter and permanently changed the direction of the franchise.

Florida Panthers – Roberto Luongo to the Vancouver Canucks (2006)

Florida acquired:

• Todd Bertuzzi (RW)
• Bryan Allen (D)
• Alex Auld (G)

Vancouver acquired:

• Roberto Luongo (G)
• Lukas Krajicek (D)
• 2006 sixth-round pick — Sergei Shirokov (RW)

Luongo carried Florida throughout the 2005-06 season, posting a 35-30-9 record, .914 save percentage, 2.97 goals-against average, and four shutouts across 75 appearances. In his first season with Vancouver, he went 47-22-6 with a .921 save percentage and five shutouts, finishing as a finalist for both the Hart and Vezina trophies.

Bertuzzi played only seven games for Florida because of injury, while Luongo developed into one of the NHL’s premier goaltenders and eventually led Vancouver to the 2011 Stanley Cup Final. The fact that Florida later traded to bring him back only further demonstrated how poorly the original deal worked out.

Los Angeles Kings – Butch Goring to the New York Islanders (1980)

Los Angeles acquired:

• Billy Harris (RW)
• Dave Lewis (D)

New York acquired:

• Butch Goring (C)

Goring had produced 20 goals, 48 assists, and 68 points in 69 games for Los Angeles before the trade. He added 11 points over his final 12 regular-season games with New York before helping the Islanders capture the first of four consecutive Stanley Cups.

Harris and Lewis provided legitimate NHL depth, but Goring became the missing piece of a dynasty and won the Conn Smythe Trophy in 1981. Los Angeles traded away its dependable two-way center and watched him immediately become a central figure in one of the greatest championship runs in league history.

Minnesota Wild – Brent Burns to the San Jose Sharks (2011)

Minnesota acquired:

• Devin Setoguchi (RW)
• Charlie Coyle (C/RW)
• 2011 first-round pick — Zack Phillips (C)

San Jose acquired:

• Brent Burns (D)
• 2012 second-round pick

Burns finished his final season in Minnesota with 17 goals, 29 assists, and 46 points in 80 games, establishing career highs across the board. He recorded 11 goals and 37 points in his first season with San Jose before eventually winning the Norris Trophy and developing into one of the NHL’s most productive defensemen.

Coyle became a dependable player for Minnesota, but Setoguchi declined quickly, and Phillips never established himself in the NHL. The Wild received useful pieces, although none matched the long-term impact of the elite defenseman they surrendered.

Montreal Canadiens – Patrick Roy to the Colorado Avalanche (1995)

Montreal acquired:

• Jocelyn Thibault (G)
• Martin Ručinský (LW)
• Andrei Kovalenko (RW)

Colorado acquired:

• Patrick Roy (G)
• Mike Keane (RW)

Roy posted a 17-20-6 record, .906 save percentage, and 2.97 goals-against average during the lockout-shortened 1994-95 season. After the infamous bench confrontation that led to the trade, he went 22-15-1 with a .909 save percentage in 39 regular-season games for Colorado and then backstopped the Avalanche to the 1996 Stanley Cup.

Ručinský became a productive scorer for Montreal, but the Canadiens traded a franchise goaltender in the heat of the moment and watched him win another championship immediately. Montreal has not lifted the Stanley Cup since Roy’s departure.

Nashville Predators – Kyle Turris from the Ottawa Senators in a Three-Team Trade (2017)

Nashville acquired:

• Kyle Turris (C)

Colorado acquired:

• Samuel Girard (D)
• Vladislav Kamenev (C)
• 2018 second-round pick
• Shane Bowers (C)
• Andrew Hammond (G)
• 2019 first-round pick
• 2019 third-round pick

Ottawa acquired:

• Matt Duchene (C)

Turris arrived in Nashville after recording 27 goals and 55 points with Ottawa during the 2016-17 season, but he never became the offensive center the Predators envisioned. Injuries limited his production, and he totaled just 93 points over four seasons before the Predators bought out the remainder of his contract.

Meanwhile, Samuel Girard developed into one of Colorado's top defensemen and became an important piece of the Avalanche's 2022 Stanley Cup championship. Nashville paid a steep price for a player who never matched expectations, making this one of the organization's most regrettable moves.

New Jersey Devils – Kirk Muller to the Montreal Canadiens (1991)

New Jersey Devils acquired:

• Stéphane Richer (RW)
• Tom Chorske (RW)

Montreal Canadiens acquired:

• Kirk Muller (C)
• Roland Melanson (G)

Muller was coming off another productive season in New Jersey, recording 19 goals and 51 assists for 70 points in 1990-91 while serving as one of the Devils leaders. He immediately became Montreal's top offensive player, posting 36 goals and 41 assists for 77 points in his first season with the Canadiens before helping the franchise capture the 1993 Stanley Cup.

Stéphane Richer scored 30 goals during his first season in New Jersey but never matched Muller's overall impact. Trading away one of the league's premier two-way centers entering his prime remains one of the biggest missed opportunities in franchise history. 

New York Islanders – Zdeno Chara to the Ottawa Senators (2001)

New York Islanders acquired:

• Alexei Yashin (C)

Ottawa Senators acquired:

• Zdeno Chara (D)
• Bill Muckalt (RW)
• 2001 second-round pick (Jason Spezza (C))

The Islanders believed Alexei Yashin would become the franchise centerpiece after he posted 88 points in his final season with Ottawa. While Yashin produced two solid seasons on Long Island, the real story became what New York gave up.

Chara developed into a Norris Trophy winner, Stanley Cup champion, and Hall of Famer, while the draft pick became Jason Spezza, who went on to score 995 career NHL points. Losing both a future Hall of Fame defenseman and an eventual elite first-line center makes this one of the most one-sided trades in modern NHL history.

New York Rangers – Rick Middleton to the Boston Bruins (1976)

New York Rangers acquired:

• Ken Hodge (RW)

Boston Bruins acquired:

• Rick Middleton (RW)

Middleton was just 22 years old when the Rangers traded him after producing 22 goals and 44 points the previous season. He blossomed into one of Boston's greatest players, recording 898 points over 12 seasons while reaching the 100-point mark twice.

Hodge lasted only two seasons in New York before leaving the organization. The Rangers gave up on a future franchise winger far too early, making this one of the organization's most regrettable trades.

Ottawa Senators – Marian Hossa to the Atlanta Thrashers (2005)

Ottawa Senators acquired:

• Dany Heatley (LW)

Atlanta Thrashers acquired:

• Marian Hossa (RW)
• Greg de Vries (D)

Hossa finished his final season in Ottawa with 36 goals and 82 points before being dealt for Dany Heatley. Heatley rewarded the Senators with consecutive 50-goal seasons, helping Ottawa reach the 2007 Stanley Cup Final, so the trade initially looked like a win.

However, Hossa went on to build a Hall of Fame career that included three Stanley Cups, over 1,100 career points, and recognition as one of the NHL's premier two-way wingers. In hindsight, Ottawa traded away a future Hall of Famer entering his prime.

Philadelphia Flyers – Sergei Bobrovsky to the Columbus Blue Jackets (2012)

Philadelphia Flyers acquired:

• 2012 second-round pick (Anthony Stolarz (G))
• 2012 fourth-round pick (Taylor Leier (LW))

Columbus Blue Jackets acquired:

• Sergei Bobrovsky (G)

Bobrovsky appeared in just 54 games over two seasons with Philadelphia before the Flyers elected to move on. He immediately rewarded Columbus by posting a 21-11-6 record with a .932 save percentage, winning the 2013 Vezina Trophy in his first season with the Blue Jackets.

Bobrovsky later added a second Vezina Trophy and became the winningest goaltender in franchise history. Philadelphia eventually found stability in goal years later, but moving on from a future two-time Vezina winner remains one of the organization's biggest miscalculations.

32 saves on the night for Sergei Bobrovsky! 😼

He became the oldest goaltender ever to open the #StanleyCup Final with a shutout! pic.twitter.com/IPgt9DZjQK

— NHL (@NHL) June 9, 2024

Pittsburgh Penguins – Markus Näslund to the Vancouver Canucks (1996)

Pittsburgh Penguins acquired:

• Alek Stojanov (RW)

Vancouver Canucks acquired:

• Markus Näslund (LW)

Näslund struggled to earn consistent ice time in Pittsburgh, recording 24 points during the 1995-96 season before the trade. Once he settled in Vancouver, he developed into one of the NHL's elite forwards, recording three consecutive 40-goal seasons, winning the Lester B. Pearson Award, and becoming Canucks captain.

Stojanov appeared in just 45 NHL games after the deal. Few trades illustrate the cost of giving up on young talent too early better than this one.

San Jose Sharks – Owen Nolan to the Toronto Maple Leafs (2003)

San Jose Sharks acquired:

• Alyn McCauley (C)
• Brad Boyes (RW)
• 2003 first-round pick (Mark Stuart (D))

Toronto Maple Leafs acquired:

• Owen Nolan (RW)

Despite many not knowing of this trade, it arguably goes down as one of the worst in the league’s history. Nolan was the first true superstar in Sharks history, recording 206 goals and 451 points in 568 games while serving as team captain and earning three NHL All-Star selections.

He continued to produce in Toronto, totaling 28 goals and 67 points in his first 81 games before injuries slowed the remainder of his tenure. Meanwhile, San Jose received a respectable 83 points in 174 games from McCauley, but Boyes appeared in just one game for the Sharks and first-round pick Mark Stuart never played a game for the organization.

While Toronto never fully capitalized on Nolan because of injuries, San Jose failed to turn the franchise icon into the long-term assets it envisioned, making this one of the most disappointing trades in franchise history. 

Seattle Kraken – 2026 First-Round Pick (Jonas Lagerberg Hoen (F)) and Conditional 2027 Second-Round Pick to the Florida Panthers (2026)

Seattle Kraken acquired:

• Mackie Samoskevich (RW)

Florida Panthers acquired:

• 2026 first-round pick (No. 25 overall — Jonas Lagerberg Hoen (F))
• Conditional 2027 second-round pick (higher of Winnipeg or Columbus)

Unlike the other trades on this list, it is simply too early to determine whether Seattle made the wrong decision. The Kraken acquired Mackie Samoskevich after he produced 63 points (27 goals, 36 assists) in 156 career games with Florida, where he showed the ability to contribute in both bottom-6 and top-6 roles despite the Panthers' deep forward group.

Seattle hopes Samoskevich can take another step offensively as the organization looks to become a more relevant and competitive team. The cost, however, was high. Ottawa eventually used the 25th overall pick to select Jonas Lagerberg Hoen (F), while the conditional second-round pick is projected to become a prospect similar to James Scantlebury, a potential top-9, two-way center.

If those assets develop into impact NHL players, this trade could eventually become one Seattle regrets. Until then, only time will tell whether the Kraken's push to accelerate their rebuild was worth the price.

St. Louis Blues – Doug Gilmour to the Calgary Flames (1988)

St. Louis Blues acquired:

• Mike Bullard (C)
• Craig Coxe (RW)
• Tim Corkery (D)

Calgary Flames acquired:

• Doug Gilmour (C)
• Mark Hunter (RW)
• Steve Bozek (C)
• Michael Dark (D)

Gilmour left St. Louis after recording 36 goals and 86 points in 72 games during the 1987-88 season. He immediately produced 26 goals and 85 points in 72 games for Calgary before adding 22 playoff points and scoring the Stanley Cup-clinching goal in 1989.

Bullard managed 16 points in only 20 games for St. Louis, Coxe recorded seven points in 41 games, and Corkery never reached the NHL. Losing a future Hall of Famer entering his prime for virtually no lasting return makes this one of the Blues’ most damaging trades.

Tampa Bay Lightning – Dan Boyle to the San Jose Sharks (2008)

Tampa Bay Lightning acquired:

• Matt Carle (D)
• Ty Wishart (D)
• 2009 first-round pick
• 2010 fourth-round pick

San Jose Sharks acquired:

• Dan Boyle (D)
• Brad Lukowich (D)

Boyle had already helped Tampa Bay win the 2004 Stanley Cup and had signed a six-year extension only months before being traded. He immediately recorded 57 points in 77 games during his first season with San Jose and remained one of the NHL's premier offensive defensemen for six seasons.

Tampa Bay received little immediate value, as Carle produced just two points in 12 games before being traded, Wishart appeared in only five NHL games with the Lightning, and fourth-round pick James Mullin never reached the NHL. While the first-round pick was later traded as part of another deal, Tampa Bay ultimately received very little long-term value for a Stanley Cup-winning defenseman still in his prime.

Toronto Maple Leafs – Tuukka Rask to the Boston Bruins (2006)

Toronto Maple Leafs acquired:

• Andrew Raycroft (G)

Boston Bruins acquired:

• Tuukka Rask (G)

Toronto traded Rask just one year after selecting him 21st overall, hoping former Calder Trophy winner Andrew Raycroft would solve its goaltending woes. Raycroft won 37 games in his first season with the Maple Leafs but posted a .894 save percentage and lasted just two years with the organization.

Meanwhile, Rask developed into one of the NHL's elite goaltenders, becoming Boston's all-time wins leader (308 wins). He won the 2014 Vezina Trophy and helped the Bruins capture the 2011 Stanley Cup. Rask followed that up by leading them to two additional Stanley Cup Final appearances. Moving a future franchise goaltender after just one year remains one of the most regrettable trades in Maple Leafs history.

Utah Mammoth/Arizona Coyotes/Winnipeg Jets – Teemu Selanne (RW) to the Anaheim Mighty Ducks (1996)

Winnipeg Jets acquired:

• Oleg Tverdovsky (D)
• Chad Kilger (LW)
• 1996 third-round pick (Per-Anton Lundström (D))

Mighty Ducks of Anaheim acquired:

• Teemu Selanne (RW)
• Marc Chouinard (C)
• 1996 fourth-round pick

For those who do not know, this is not THE Winnipeg Jets, and this was prior to the original Winnipeg Jets relocating to Phoenix and becoming the Phoenix Coyotes. Selanne had already established himself as one of the NHL's premier goal scorers, posting 76 goals and 132 points as a rookie before recording 72 points in 51 games during his final season with Winnipeg.

He made an immediate impact in Anaheim with 36 points in 28 games. The winger followed that with 51 goals and 109 points in his first full season, forming one of the league's most dynamic duos alongside Paul Kariya.

While Oleg Tverdovsky developed into a solid defenseman, Chad Kilger never became more than a depth forward, and the third-round pick never reached the NHL. Trading away a future Hall of Famer entering his prime remains one of the defining moves in franchise history.

Vancouver Canucks – Cam Neely (RW) to the Boston Bruins (1986)

Vancouver Canucks acquired:

• Barry Pederson (C)

Boston Bruins acquired:

• Cam Neely (RW)
• 1987 first-round pick (Glen Wesley (D))

Neely showed flashes of becoming a star in Vancouver, but the Canucks dealt him after just three seasons in exchange for Barry Pederson. Neely blossomed into one of the NHL's premier power forwards, scoring 395 goals in 525 games with Boston, earning five NHL All-Star selections, winning the 1994 Bill Masterton Trophy, and later being inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Pederson produced 76 points in 136 games over parts of three seasons with Vancouver before being traded. Giving up both a future Hall of Famer and the draft pick that became Glen Wesley makes this one of the most lopsided trades in franchise history.

Vegas Golden Knights – Max Pacioretty (LW) to the Carolina Hurricanes (2022)

Vegas Golden Knights acquired:

• Future considerations

Carolina Hurricanes acquired:

• Max Pacioretty (LW)
• Dylan Coghlan (D)

Salary-cap constraints forced Vegas to move Pacioretty despite him producing 97 goals and 194 points in 224 games with the Golden Knights.

In return, the organization received only future considerations, effectively losing one of its top scorers for no tangible asset. Although injuries limited Pacioretty's time in Carolina, the trade remains one of the poorest examples of asset management in franchise history.

Washington Capitals – Filip Forsberg (LW) to the Nashville Predators (2013)

Washington Capitals acquired:

• Martin Erat (LW)
• Michael Latta (C)

Nashville Predators acquired:

• Filip Forsberg (LW)

Washington traded one of hockey's top prospects for immediate help during a playoff push. Erat recorded just 27 points in 62 games with the Capitals before requesting a trade, while Latta served primarily in a depth role.

Forsberg developed into the face of the Predators franchise, recording more than 600 career points, multiple 40-goal seasons, and becoming Nashville's all-time leader in goals. Surrendering a future franchise cornerstone for a short-term gamble remains one of the NHL's most criticized trades of the salary-cap era.

Winnipeg Jets – Jacob Trouba (D) to the New York Rangers (2019)

Winnipeg Jets acquired:

• Neal Pionk (D)
• 2019 first-round pick (No. 20 overall — Ville Heinola (D))

New York Rangers acquired:

• Jacob Trouba (D)

Trouba developed into Winnipeg's No. 1 defenseman, posting 259 points in 408 games while helping the franchise reach the 2018 Western Conference Final. Although Pionk became a reliable top-4 defenseman and Heinola has shown flashes of potential, neither has matched Trouba's overall impact.

Trouba went on to become the Rangers captain, making this a difficult trade for Winnipeg despite receiving respectable value in return.

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