Montreal Canadiens: Top 5 Trades That Were Rumoured, But Never Quite Happened

As we start to cool off from the expected non-frenzy that was this year’s trade deadline, as we did with Marc Bergevin’s trade deadline track record, let’s take a look at history from another angle.

As you know, rumors are sometimes  a whisper an employee heard from the horse’s mouth, or it’s conjured out of thin air and is picked up as actual facts. Just ask the couple of ”insiders” that created those awkward rumors that controversial defenceman Tony DeAngelo was poised to sign a contract with Montreal as an example, even though DeAngleo refused the Rangers’ offer to terminate his contract and will subsequently be bought out in the off-season.

Sometimes however, rumors become facts. More often than not it’s a trade that failed or a free agent that refused to sign. Digging these facts up is a lot more fun than hearing the made up rumors that we hear all too often in order to generate more TV ratings and website clicks.

Over the years some former higher ups, including general managers, have admitted to trades almost happening. Serge Savard has been extremely generous in the last few years giving radio interviews and being totally honest about trades he almost made.

Let’s take a look at the top 5 trades the Canadiens almost made in their history.

The shortened 94-95 season proved to be a furstrating one in Montreal. Only 2 seasons removed from an incredible Cup run, the Habs showed a lack of intensity and emotion as they finished with a paltry 18-23-7 record and missed the playoffs. General manager Serge Savard was, of course, furious with the result.

Savard had already completed what was one of his greatest trades on his resume, shipping Kirk Muller and Mathieu Schneider to the Islanders in return for Pierre Turgeon and Vladimir Malakhov. The team was poised to have a great 1-2 punch down the middle with Turgeon and Vincent Damphousse, and had Mark Recchi taking on the heavy duties on the right side, but Savard was looking for a bonafide power forward who can put the puck in the net.

At that moment, Patrick Roy, still only 29 years old, boasted a Hall of Fame worthy trophy room. 2x Stanley Cups, 2x Conn Smyth, 3x Vezina and 4x William Jennings. Despite being the biggest star the team had since Guy Lafleur, it was no secret that Roy’s ego took up a lot of space in the dressing room and it wasn’t helped with the fact that head coach Jacques Demers coddled his star goaltender at every moment.

Entering the 95-96 season and seeing his team piling up the losses, Savard decided it was time to pull the trigger. After months of negotiations, the newly minted Colorado Avalanche had offered the scoring power forward that Savard wanted so desperately in Owen Nolan, as well as young netminder Stephane Fiset in return for Roy.

Ultimately, despite the verbal agreement, it was too little too late as both Savard and Demers were fired and in came the era of Rejean Houle as general manager and Mario Tremblay as head coach. Neither of these Canadiens alumnis had any experience in their respective departments.

Perhaps sensing Houle’s inexperience, Roy was traded to the Avalanche anyway after that infamous Red Wings game along with team captain Mike Keane, in return for Jocelyn Thibault, Martin Rucinsky and Andrei Kovalenko.

After the 1989-1990 season, Jacques Demers was fired as head coach of the Detroit Red Wings after finishing last in the division. That year, his best scorer was a 24 year old named Steve Yzerman who put up an eye popping 62 goals and 67 assists totalling 127 points. However it was said that this young scorer was a one-dimensional player who cannot back check as proven by his +/- record of -6. The Red Wings were going nowhere and they wanted to stack up on more complete players and thought they can get a big haul for the young centerman.

In came Serge Savard who was looking for a bonafide 1st line center to help Guy Carbonneau and Brian Skrudland. Savard would later admit that he salivated at the idea of uniting Yzerman with Stephane Richer, who was fresh off a 51 goal campaign, and Russ Courtnall.

The trade was verbally agreed upon and Detroit signed on the dotted line. After mulling it over, Savard decided to back off from the deal. He didn’t like having to give up Shayne Corson who at the time, was a locker room leader and clutch player (before alcoholism and reports of gambling started derailing his career), and Brent Gilchrist was still considered as a player with huge potential.

In the end, the idea was nixed. Yzerman transformed himself as one of the most complete players in the game and constantly shows up in the top 10 greatest players of all time. Corson would leave Montreal in 91-92 and would bounce around the league in Edmonton, St-Louis, back to Montreal, Toronto and Dallas, never to be the dominant player he could’ve been.

Gilchrist never lived up to his potential having mostly played 3rd and 4th line roles in Edmonton, Dallas, Detroit and Nashville. Eric Desjardins would prove himself as the quarterback of the Montreal blue line until he was ultimately traded to Philadelphia along with John LeClair and Gilbert Dionne in the still debatable Mark Recchi trade.

In the 1950’s, it was unimaginable to think of Doug Harvey in any other uniform than the famous Habs sweater, but it almost happened.

Despite a rookie Jacques Plante taking the starting goaltending job during the 1954-55 season, then Habs general manager Frank Selke wasn’t sure that Plante was solid enough to carry the team in the long run.

A call was then placed to the Detroit Red Wings who had just beaten them for the Stanley Cup. Eventually, a deal was agreed that would have sent Norris trophy winner Doug Harvey in return for Vezina trophy winner Terry Sawchuk.

Detroit had Glenn Hall in the pipeline and was ready to bring in Harvey who was in his prime and would have given the Wings a formidable addition to the team.

Upon hearing the rumors, head coach Toe Blake apparently stormed in Selke’s office and let him have it. There was no way Doug Harvey would get traded and was convinced he was one of, if not the, best defenceman in the league.

Montreal would then win 5 Stanley Cups in a row and Harvey would win 7 Norris trophies in 8 years before getting traded to the Rangers. The Wings ended up trading both Sawchuk and Hall only to see Sawchuk return a few seasons later.

Admit it, you saw this one coming.

In the 2009 offseason, Montreal general manager Bob Gainey struck a deal with the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Habs would send the 2010 1st round pick along with Carey Price, Max Pacioretty and PK Subban and in return they would get Vincent Lecavalier.

Done. Signed. Delivered.

Lecavalier had just completed an underwhelming season posting 29 goals, 38 assists for 67 points. A far cry from his 92 and 108 (with a Rocket Richard winning 52 goals) points from the last 2 seasons. After a decade in the league, it seemed that the big 6’4″ centerman was heading towards a regression.

That, however, didn’t stop Bob Gainey from emptying the cupboards in order to bring in a player often compared to Jean Beliveau, for whatever reason other than his physical appearance.

Carey Price had just finished his 2nd season in the league and was in a tandem battle with teammate Jaroslav Halak. Pacioretty had spent the season travelling between the AHL and NHL while PK Subban was wrapping up his final season in the OHL with the Belleville Bulls.

Today the city would be in an uproar for making such an offer, but at the time Price struggled in his first couple of seasons in the NHL, Pacioretty had no signs of being the goal scorer he is today and Subban hadn’t played a game of professional hockey yet.

Bottom line, it was an argument between the league and co-owners that ultimately led to the trade being cancelled.

The previous year, former NHLer Len Barrie and movie producer Oren Koules became co-owner of the Tampa Bay Lightning. It was reported that Barrie was the one who constructed the deal with Gainey in a backdoor deal. Thus undermining his partner Koules as well as general manager Brian Lawton.

Koules disagreed with the trade, not wanting to part with the face of the franchise, and was subsequently furious that Barrie would make a deal behind his back. Bob Gainey intervened with the league saying the deal was done and NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman ultimately stepped in and had a meeting with both Koules and Barrie.

Since the purchase of the team there had been a myriad of disagreements between the two at a point where Bettman gave them an ultimatum. Either Barrie buys out Koules and the deal goes through, or Koules buys out Barrie and the deal is cancelled, or we just forget about everything and start over.

It was agreed that a burrial of the hatchet was in order and thus the trade was canceled by the league. Later that year, the Lightning were sold to Jeffrey Vinik.

Here are some trades that were heavily rumored to be in the works but were never officially confirmed by the parties involved despite heavy leaks.

• Deal was reportedly accepted on condition Montreal added their 1985 1st round pick as well. Montreal refused the deal and Lemieux was draft to Pittsburgh.

• Verbal agreement that never materialized.

• During Atlanta Thrashers era. GM Andre Savard was not willing to give up Theodore.

• During Atlanta Thrashers era. Deal was settled but cancelled at last minute by Atlanta who traded Hossa to Pittsburgh.

• Deal was vetoed by Sundin who held a no-trade clause.

• Deal was considered until the last second until Detroit decided to draft Marcel Dionne. Montreal held the 1st overall pick and drafted Guy Lafleur. Also drafted Larry Robinson in the 2nd round, 20th overall.