In retrospect its easy to see how the depth fell apart so quickly but it is incredible that at the time that Hull was traded they had the following HOF or HOF caliber RWs all in the system at same time
Lanny (was on his last legs which was not a surprise so doesn't really count he wasn't in the long term plans)
Mullen (1st team AS RW 88-89;team gave up on him quickly thereafter, he wasn't finished though)
Loob (retired suddenly, was the 1st team AS RW in 87-88)
Fleury (at that point was in the minor league system mostly as a C but had a (topic for another day) HOF to borderline HOF career as a RW
Hull
Makarov (yet to report for duty, was up there in age but a quality NHLer for a few years)
so you have Hull who can clearly score but in a team that is sitting there feeling pretty elite (they were at the time) with a few gaps to fill and with essentially unprecedented depth at RW...which was gone within a few years
|