Quote:
Originally Posted by Eric Vail
Fletcher was one of the all time best GMs in hockey, but do you remember him trading Mel Bridgeman and Phil Russel for Steve Tambelini and Joel Quenneville?
That trade set the Flames back tremendously.
Bridgeman goes on to score 280 gritty points - mostly for New Jersey. Russel plays 190 games - again, mostly for New Jersey.
Tambelinni scores 54 points over two seasons for the Flames and is released. Quenneville never plays for the Flames as he is traded 2 weeks later as part of a package for Mickey Volcan who plays 19 games for the Flames before being demoted to the AHL and finishing in Europe.
or
Ken Houston (physical 20 goal scorer) and Pat Riggin (NHL's second all star goalie in 2983-84) for Howard Walker and George While who combine for 3 NHL games
or
Willie Plett for Steve Christoff, Bill Nyrop, and a 2nd rounder.
Plett was an intimidating enforcer who could play. Was rookie of the year and scored 39 goals in the Flames first season. Went on to play 6 more seasons after being traded.
Steve Christoff went on to play two seasons and never hit 10 goals in a season. Bill Nyrop never plays for the Flames. The second rounder plays 2 NHL games.
Not every move will work out.
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You have to understand why those deals happened.
Russell, Houston, Riggin, and Plett were core players for the Atlanta Flames. That core had one good season after the relocation, and then basically staged a sit-down strike because they didn't want to be in Calgary. The '80-81 team finished with 92 points and made the third round of the playoffs. The '81-82 team scraped out 75 points and was easily bounced in the first round.
Fletcher didn't get good value for them because most of them demanded to be traded at a time when they were playing badly. So he sucked it up, and instead tried filling out the roster with college free agents who were happy just to be in the NHL – and the results are history.