The History of Trade is a mini-series going through each team’s best and worst trades of all time. Each team has their own history and some may cross over, but the series will try to stick to each team. This article will focus on the St. Louis Blues trade history, finding the best and worst of all time.
St. Louis Blues Trade History: Best and Worst Trades of All-Time
Over the St. Louis Blues 51 seasons in the NHL, some of the most talented players to ever play the game have donned the Blue Note. Although the Blues have yet to win the Stanley Cup, they have come close thanks to some incredible trades. However, the Blues have also set themselves further back in the race to the Cup due to some rather unfortunate trades.
Best Trade
On March 7, 1988, the Blues acquired one of the greatest players to ever wear the Note, or any other sweater, forward Brett Hull from the Calgary Flames.
The Trade
The Blues trade defenceman Rob Ramage and goaltender Rick Wamsley to the Flames in exchange for right wing Brett Hull and left wing Steve Bozek.
Traded Away
Ramage was the best part of this trade for the Calgary Flames. For instance, Ramage was the first overall pick of the Colorado Rockies in 1979. A good offensive defenceman. He hit his career high in points with the Blues with 66 points. Once he got to Calgary, he slowed down tremendously. Ramage had 42 points in 80 games with the Flames before being traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1989-90 in exchange for a second-round draft pick that turned out to be center Kent Manderville. Ramage only played for the Flames for one full season. That said, he did help the Flames win the Stanley Cup in 1988-89.
Wamsley is a third-round pick of the Montreal Canadiens drafted in 1979. He won the Williams M. Jennings Trophy in 1981-82, which is awarded to the goaltender for the team with the fewest goals scored against it. Wamsley also helped the Flames win the Cup in 1988-89. Wamsley played parts of five seasons with the Flames. He was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1991-92. Wamsley was traded along with center Doug Gilmour, defenceman Jamie Macon, Kent Manderville and defenseman Ric Nattress to Toronto for left wing Craig Berube, defenceman Alexander Godynyuk, right-wing Gary Leeman, defenceman Michel Petit and goaltender Jeff Reese.
The Return
Bozek was a third-round draft pick of the Los Angeles Kings in 1980. He had a great start to his career in Los Angeles with 82 points in 124 games played over two seasons. Then, he had a great five seasons with the Flames, in which he had 143 points over 261 games played. However, when he was traded to the Blues, he only played seven games, in which he had zero points before being traded away.
Brett Hull or “The Golden Brett,” son of “the Golden Jet,” Bobby Hull, is the player with the most impact on the Blues organization. Arguably the best player in Blues history. Over an 11-season stint with the Blues from 1987-88 to 1997-98, Brett Hull scored 936 points over 744 games. In 1989-90, he won the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy. The trophy is awarded to the player with the best sportsmanship, conduct and playing ability. In 1990-91, he won the Hart Memorial Trophy. Awarded to the Most Valuable Player in the NHL. Hull also won the Ted Lindsay Award in 1990-91. A trophy awarded to the Most Outstanding Player in the NHL. He netted 27 hat tricks with the Blues. He went to three All-Star Games as Blue.
The only thing Hull couldn’t do was help the Blues win the Stanley Cup. Yet, he is one of the most beloved Blues in history. He has his own statue outside of the Scottrade Center. Additionally, the street that the Scottrade Center sits is now rechristened Brett Hull Way. His retired number hangs in the rafters alongside the other most beloved Blues. Now, after winning two Stanley Cups with the Dallas Stars and the Detroit Red Wings, Executive Vice President Brett Hull can be found in the press box or his office still cheering on the St. Louis Blues.
Honorable mentions: The Blues receive defenceman Al MacInnis and a fourth-round draft pick (Didier Tremblay) from the Calgary Flames for defenceman Phil Housley and two second-round draft picks (center Steve Begin and right wing John Tripp). The Blues receive center Adam Oates and right wing Paul MacLean from the Detroit Red Wings for center Bernie Federko and left wing Tony McKegney. The Blues receive center Brayden Schenn from the Philadelphia Flyers for center Jori Lehtera, a first-round draft pick (Morgan Frost) and a conditional first-round draft pick.
Worst Trade
On February 1, 1986, the St. Louis Blues traded future Hall of Famer and 3-time Stanley Cup Champion, right wing Joe Mullen, to the Calgary Flames.
The Trade
The Blues traded Joe Mullen, defenceman Terry Johnson and defenceman Rik Wilson to the Calgary Flames for left-wing Eddy Beers, defenceman Charlie Bourgeois, and left-wing Gino Cavallini.
Traded Away
Terry Johnson was with the Blues for only two seasons. The Blues then traded Johnson to the Calgary Flames. He played 188 games and had 19 points. He only played 24 games as a Flame before he was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs the following season. His NHL career only lasted nine seasons. In those nine seasons, he played 285 games and had 27 points.
Rick Wilson spent parts of two seasons wearing the blue note. In those 235 games as a Blue, he tallied 81 points. After he was traded, he only played two games as a Flame before being traded to the Chicago Blackhawks.
Trading Johnson and Wilson weren’t bad decisions. Trading Joe Mullen was. Mullen came into the league undrafted. The Blues signed him in 1981-82. Mullen played parts of five seasons with the Blues. In those five seasons, Mullen played in 301 games and had 335 points. He was even more successful once he left St. Louis. Over 1062 career NHL games with the Blues, Calgary Flames, Pittsburgh Penguins and Boston Bruins, Mullen had 1063 points, was a three-time All-Star, won two Lady Byng Memorial Trophies, and three Stanley Cups. He is also a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame. If the Blues kept him, he would have played the second line. Brett Hull on the first. Brett Hull and Joe Mullen on the same team. Seemingly, the duo could have given the Blues the Cup.
The Return
Eddy Beers spent parts of five seasons in Calgary. He had two great seasons of 68+ points in Calgary. Beers played only 24 games as a Blue, in which he had 18 points. He injured his back in training camp the next season. As a result, his playing career was over. If he would not have gotten injured, this trade might have been a little better.
Charlie Bourgeois spent parts of five seasons in Calgary. Compiling a decent number of points for a defenceman. In his 162 games with the Flames, he acquired 46 points. However, in his three seasons and 127 games as a Blue, Bourgeois finished with 24 points. He completed his career. Playing a final game as a Hartford Whaler.
Gino Cavallini spent parts of two seasons with the Calgary Flames. In 54 games as a Flame, his tally was 30 points. Once he came to the Blues, he had a few decent seasons. Cavallini spent seven seasons as a Blue. In 454 games as a Blue, Cavallini had 211 points. Cavallini was the best part of this trade for St. Louis.
Dishonorable mentions: On August 4, 1995, the St. Louis Blues traded goaltender Curtis Joseph and right wing Mike Grier to the Edmonton Oilers for center Marty Reasoner and Matt Zultek. On February 26, 2012, the Blues traded goaltender Ben Bishop to the Ottawa Senators for a second-round pick (Thomas Vannelli).
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