Chicago Blackhawks: Five Worst Trades In Recent History

Yeah, that Brandon Saad trade stings. It was one of those trades that hit right at the heart. Fans of the Chicago Blackhawks had grown to love Saad rather quickly. Two Stanley Cups and phenomenal performance will do that. However, the trade might end up working out well for the Hawks.
We won’t know for sure until several years from now, but the Blackhawks got some solid players in return for our favorite up-and-coming NHL star (perhaps).
Let’s take a look back at some trades that we actually can evaluate. More specifically, the bad ones. The ones that didn’t work out so well for the Blackhawks.
5. August 8th, 2007 — P.A Parenteau to the New York Rangers for a conditional seventh-round pick that ultimately was not exercised by the Blackhawks
This writer totally forgot that the Hawks ever had Parenteau. The “Dark Ages” of Blackhawks hockey have been shoved deep into the dusty memory attics of most Blackhawks fans. Many fans may not have even been fans of the Blackhawks during their “Dark Ages,” and they should feel very fortunate.
But, yes, Parenteau actually played five games for the Blackhawks during the 2006-07 season. He recorded one assist in those five games, his first in the NHL. The following summer, he was traded … err, given away … to the Rangers for a conditional seventh-round pick which ultimately wasn’t utilized by the Blackhawks.
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Poor Parenteau just missed being part of the early days of the Blackhawks’ current Renaissance Era, which basically started with the debuts of Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane at the beginning of the 2007-08 season.
Parenteau spent the majority of the next three seasons playing in the AHL and played 22 games for the Rangers in 2009-2010. He played for the New York Islanders in 2010-11, where he recorded 53 points in 81 games. The following season, he would put up 67 points, with 49 assists, in 80 games for the Islanders.
In 2013, Parenteu put up 43 points in the 48-game lockout-shortened season for the Colorado Avalanche. He has missed 53 games in the last two seasons for the Avalanche and Montreal Canadiens, respectively, and he just signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs as a free agent on July 1.
Yes, Parenteau has trailed off a bit the last two seasons, but he has a few high-scoring seasons under his belt it’s unfortunate that the Hawks just gave him away.
Next: What Is The Fourth Worst Trade?
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