CAredwingsfan91 28 Report post Posted November 22, 2007 Allllllllllmost but no soup for the maple leafs. Sportsnet.ca November 22, 2007 Unbe-Leaf-able missed chance Oh, what could have been for the Maple Leafs. In 2001, they were a mere penstroke away from acquiring arguably the biggest offensive threat in the NHL today, Vincent Lecavalier. Back in '01, Lecavalier and head coach John Tortorella were butting heads and then Lightning GM Rick Dudley decided to explore trade opportunities for his brooding superstar, writes the Ottawa Sun. The Leafs, then under the direction of GM/coach Pat Quinn and assistant Bill Watters, assembled a package of defenceman Tomas Kaberle, winger Nik Antropov, winger Jonas Hoglund and either Brad Boyes or a first-round draft pick in 2002. The deal was good enough for Dudley to approach upper management, but ultimately Tampa Bay decided to keep Lecavalier. "Our scouting staff, Pat Quinn, everybody was so excited at the time because the deal was pretty much done and the media didn't have a sniff of it," Watters told the Sun's Mike Zeisberger last spring. "It was a deal comparable to the one that brought Mats Sundin to Toronto. Vincent would have been the perfect player to support Mats. And after Mats was gone, this was a guy who could step in and take over." And heres the Ottawa Sun piece. Ottawa Sun Article Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Grittzkey 1 Report post Posted November 22, 2007 I wuld of kept Vinny to. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wingslogo19 281 Report post Posted November 22, 2007 Smart move by the Bolts to keep Vinny Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cicada 4 Report post Posted November 22, 2007 who the hell would the leafs have traded for him? considering the entire maple leafs playing staff is worthless? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wingslogo19 281 Report post Posted November 22, 2007 who the hell would the leafs have traded for him? considering the entire maple leafs playing staff is worthless? If you read the article, it tells you Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MacK_Attack 108 Report post Posted November 22, 2007 I cry myself to sleep over that one. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
interminded 1 Report post Posted November 22, 2007 I guess there are a thousand "almost-trades" we don't know about. Like the Red Wings almost traded Ozzie for....... Patrick Roy.. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
12Newf 0 Report post Posted November 22, 2007 haha imagine what the leafs' defense would look like without kaberle? obviously the trade would have been a great one had it gone through but its still fun to think about how the leafs defense could be worse than already. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MacK_Attack 108 Report post Posted November 22, 2007 (edited) haha imagine what the leafs' defense would look like without kaberle? obviously the trade would have been a great one had it gone through but its still fun to think about how the leafs defense could be worse than already. I doubt the blueline would look exactly the same as it is today, minus Kaberle, if that trade went through. At the time, Kaberle was a 3rd pairing defenceman who ran the powerplay. He was simply too small to play a lot in the old NHL. Edited November 22, 2007 by MacK_Attack Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Barrie 900 Report post Posted November 22, 2007 According to the Leafs fans and media, they had a chance at most of the top talent in the NHL Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Detroit # 1 Fan 2,204 Report post Posted November 22, 2007 (edited) He would've put them over the top in 02 and probably 04 back when they had good teams. (In 02 they probably would have made the finals, but not won the cup .) Edited November 22, 2007 by Detroit # 1 Fan Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CAredwingsfan91 28 Report post Posted November 22, 2007 (edited) I guess there are a thousand "almost-trades" we don't know about. Like the Red Wings almost traded Ozzie for....... Patrick Roy.. whoa whoa what? the only one i remember reading about is how yzerman almost got traded to ottawa if i remember correctly. Edited November 22, 2007 by CAredwingsfan91 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Barrie 900 Report post Posted November 22, 2007 whoa whoa what? the only one i remember reading about is how yzerman almost got traded to ottawa if i remember correctly. I don't know how close that one was, but that's the story. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
irishtemper14+25 11 Report post Posted November 23, 2007 lol yea very wise move by tampa Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Aussie_Wing 354 Report post Posted November 23, 2007 Samrt move by Toronto. Not enough room for Body and Vinny. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BringHomeTheCup! 0 Report post Posted November 23, 2007 Samrt move by Toronto. Not enough room for Body and Vinny. How is that? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Yzerfan1999 81 Report post Posted November 23, 2007 (edited) Spare me, there are trillions of these 'trades' that we never even hear of. The only reason we are reading this now is because it involves the almighty Leafs, and what they could have had, as if its some kind of injustice that the trade never actually happened. Edited November 23, 2007 by Yzerfan1999 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
thedisappearer 291 Report post Posted November 23, 2007 Spare me, there are trillions of these 'trades' that we never even hear of. The only reason we are reading this now is because it involves the almighty Leafs, and what they could have had, is if its some kind of injustice that the trade never actually happened. +1 I'm tired of hearing about the Leafs and what could/should have. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
2probert4 8 Report post Posted November 23, 2007 I guess there are a thousand "almost-trades" we don't know about. Like the Red Wings almost traded Ozzie for....... Patrick Roy.. It's the Toronto and Ottawa media, its as believeable as George W Bush. whoa whoa what? the only one i remember reading about is how yzerman almost got traded to ottawa if i remember correctly. that was for Alexi Yashin, and Im not able to prove this, but im confidant in saying Illitch stopped that one Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Red Kingdom 4 Report post Posted November 23, 2007 Poor Vinnie. He didn't get to fulfill his lifelong dream of playing in Toronto. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wingslogo19 281 Report post Posted November 23, 2007 Well it was really a smart move with Vinny staying with the Bolts, they won a cup.. and the Leafs well..... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GMRwings1983 8,804 Report post Posted November 23, 2007 Poor Vinnie. He didn't get to fulfill his lifelong dream of playing in Toronto. Yeah, but then he wouldn't have gotten to fullfill his lifelong dream of getting his name on the cup. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rick zombo 3,739 Report post Posted November 23, 2007 that was for Alexi Yashin, and Im not able to prove this, but im confidant in saying Illitch stopped that one worst trade ever?????? I barf in my head everytime I think of this happening. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shockwave180 0 Report post Posted November 23, 2007 worst trade ever?????? I barf in my head everytime I think of this happening. Seriously. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Donaldjr2448 43 Report post Posted November 23, 2007 I don't know how close that one was, but that's the story. Actually I think he was going to be traded to New Jersey for Scott Stevens!! That was in 1993ish!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
