Looking back on the biggest trades in Flames franchise history

On Friday, the Calgary Flames made a big trade involving big players going in each direction. Matthew Tkachuk (who received Hart and Selke Trophy votes last season) went to Florida in exchange for Jonathan Huberdeau (who received Hart and Lady Byng votes) and MacKenzie Weegar (who received Norris votes).

Here are previous Flames trades with big pieces going in each direction.

McDonald was undoubtedly one of the top Flames of all-time. He was a perennial year-end all-star contender during his time with the Leafs. He was acquired with a fourth-round pick in 1983, and the Flames sent Don Lever and Bob MacMillan to the Rockies in exchange. MacMillan was a recent Lady Byng winner (and consistent all-star contender), while Lever had received Selke votes in the previous season.

Tonelli was a big add for the Flames at the trade deadline preceding their first run to the Stanley Cup Final. He was a second-team all-star in the previous season (and received Hart and Selke votes), while the Flames landed him for Richard Kromm (who received Selke votes the prior season) and Steve Konroyd (who did not).

Hull was coming off a great rookie season that saw him finish fifth in Calder voting. But the Flames wanted to load up for the 1988 playoffs, so Hull was packaged with Steve Bozek and shipped to the Blues in exchange for perennial all-star contenders Rob Ramage and Rick Wamsley.

In big trades, you have to give to get. The Flames acquired Doug Gilmour in the fall of 1988 in a massive, seven-player swap. Gilmour had received Hart and Selke consideration a couple seasons prior, and he was sent with Steve Bozek, Michael Dark and Mark Hunter to the Flames. The Blues landed a haul of their own, led by Mike Bullard (who received year-end all-star votes the season prior), Tim Corkery and Craig Coxe.

MacInnis was a restricted free agent and signed an offer sheet with the Blues, with this trade set up to adhere to the rules at the time. MacInnis was a perennial all-star and Norris contender, and he was sent to the Blues in exchange for well-regarded blueliner Phil Housley (another consistent all-star contender) and a pair of second-round draft picks.

In one of Darryl Sutter’s bolder moves as general manager, he tried to get a jump on the free agency market by trading for Jay Bouwmeester’s rights – Bouwmeester had gotten Norris votes in two of three seasons prior to the trade. To land Bouwmeester’s rights, the Flames sent Florida the UFA rights to Jordan Leopold. Leopold wasn’t quite as well-regarded as Bouwmeester, but he had received Lady Byng votes a couple seasons earlier.

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