Small trades with big results is a series that looks at trades throughout NHL history that seemed small or insignificant at the time but turned out to be much, much more. In this installment, we look at how Guy Carbonneau ended up with the Montreal Canadiens.
Small NHL Trades with Big Results: Guy Carbonneau
Habs GM Sam Pollock was a master manipulator of the NHL draft in a time when few teams viewed the draft as a viable way to build a team. Pollock was always making trades for veterans long on name recognition but on the wrong side of their careers for draft picks, sometimes years down the road. He could see players he wanted to target and would start working over struggling teams for their high picks dangling players with name recognition. This foresight and use of the draft built the Canadiens into a dominant force in the NHL. In his 14 years as GM, the Habs would win nine Stanley Cups. This trade was Pollock’s last gift to the Canadiens, although it was by no means a shoo-in.
The Trade
The St. Louis Blues trade a 1979 third-round pick to the Montreal Canadiens for Jimmy Roberts. This trade was made on August 18th, 1977. More of the Pollock foresight. Roberts was one of the original Blues, taken in the 1968 expansion draft, from the Canadiens. While at the tail end of his career, the Blues wanted to bring Roberts back for one more year.
Jimmy Roberts
Jimmy Roberts played his junior hockey with the Peterborough Petes of the OHA. While never an offensive standout, Roberts excelled in the defensive aspect of the game. Then Petes coach, Scotty Bowman was always able to get the best out of Roberts. Roberts turned pro with the Montreal Canadiens by signing a contract in 1959. After playing a few years in the minor leagues, Roberts joined the Habs in the 1963-64 season. In four seasons with the Habs Roberts established himself as a versatile defensive stalwart. He would also win two Stanley Cups with the Habs during his original stint with the team.
In 1967, Roberts was the first pick by the St. Louis Blues in the expansion draft. There is no doubt Blues assistant coach (soon to be head-coach) Scotty Bowman had a hand in the pick. Roberts played for the Blues from 1967 to 1971 He played in three consecutive Stanley Cup finals with the Blues and was named team captain in 1971.
The Canadiens and their new head coach Scotty Bowman were in the market for a versatile, experienced player they could use in all situations. Bowman wanted Roberts, so he was traded back to the Canadiens. Roberts would play for six seasons in Montreal, winning three more Stanley Cups.
Guy Carbonneau (1979 third-round pick)
Guy Carbonneau joined the Chicoutimi Saguenéens of the QMJHL for the 1976-77 season. Carbonneau has a decent rookie showing, scoring nine goals and 29 points in 59 games. In his second season, Carbonneau’s production improved greatly. He jumped to 28 goals and 80 points. His production continued to improve in 1978-79 when Carbonneau scored 62 goals and 141 points, good for fifth in league scoring. In his final season in the QMJHL, Carbonneau finished second in league scoring with 72 goals and 182 points. This outburst got the attention of the Montreal Canadiens, who used their third-round pick from the Blues to pick Carbonneau.
The Aftermath
Blues
Roberts played for the Blues for the 1977-78 season. It was his last season as Roberts retired from hockey following the season.
Canadiens
While Carbonneau put up high point totals in junior, he would never reproduce that production in the NHL. When he got to the Canadiens, however, Bob Gainey took Carbonneau under his wing. Gainey was able to help Carbonneau develop into one of the best defensive forwards of his era. Carbonneau would finish top five in Selke voting for eight straight years between 1984-85 to 1991-92. He would win three Selke Trophies in that stretch (1988, 1989, 1992). His defensive acumen helped the Habs win Stanley Cups in 1986 and 1993. He was named Canadiens captain in 1990. The Habs traded Carbonneau to the Blues (of course) prior to the 1994 season.
Carbonneau would also play for the Dallas Stars for six more seasons, winning another Stanley Cup in 1999. Carbonneau retired from hockey following the 2000 season. Guy Carbonneau was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2019.
Big Things can have Small Beginnings
There it is, a somewhat simple trade that ended up being something more. It’s understandable that the Blues would want to bring their very first player back for one more year. Paying a third-round pick also seemed like a fair price. Unfortunately, Roberts only had one more year left, while the Habs were able to grab a future Hall of Fame player with the pick they got for Roberts.
It’s an interesting link between Roberts and Carbonneau. Roberts was the Habs ‘shadow’, used to shut down the top offensive stars. By 1975 the Canadiens had a young Bob Gainey on the roster, making Roberts soon to be expendable. In trading Roberts, the Canadiens were able to secure the long term future of their defensive specialist forwards, going from Roberts to Gainey to Carbonneau.
While this trade might not flash as much as others based on the lack of offensive production but the fact remains, Guy Carbonneau is a Hall of Fame player that excelled in the defensive aspect of the game.
We can finally say goodbye to the 1979 draft, where so many of these trades seemed to happen. Now, we go further back to see more of Sam Pollok’s trading and draft mastery.
