Québec Nordiques

The Québec Nordiques (translated into English as "Northmen" or "Northerners") were a professional ice hockey team based in Québec City, Québec, Canada. The Nordiques played in the World Hockey Association (1972-1979) and the National Hockey League (1979-1995). The franchise was relocated to Denver in 1995 and renamed the Colorado Avalanche.

The 1990s

By the 1989 off-season the Nordiques had clearly sunk to the league's cellar. That year les Nords drafted Swede prospect Mats Sundin, making him the first European taken first overall in NHL draft history. The following year Québec chose first again, taking Owen Nolan.

Related Topics:
1989 - Mats Sundin - Owen Nolan

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In 1991 the Nordiques once again had the first overall pick in the NHL Entry Draft. The best player in that year's draft, Eric Lindros, warned Québec not to draft him but the team chose him anyway. Perhaps because he afraid of not being able to adjust to the language differences, Lindros refused to sign with the team and began a holdout that would last over a year. Meanwhile the Nordiques finished out of playoff contention again in 1991-92. Finally on June 30, 1992, after confusion over whether Québec traded Lindros to the Philadelphia Flyers or New York Rangers was settled, the Nordiques sent Lindros to the Flyers in exchange for forward Mike Ricci, goaltender Ron Hextall, defensemen Steve Duchesne and Kerry Huffman, "future considerations" which eventually became enforcer Chris Simon, two first-round picks and US$15 million. One of the draft picks was used by the Nordiques to select goaltender Jocelyn Thibault, the other was traded twice and ultimately used by the Washington Capitals to select Nolan Baumgartner. Also in the trade were the rights to a Swedish teenage prospect named Peter Forsberg. The deal - probably the single most significant NHL transaction of the entire decade - quickly transformed the Nordiques from a laughingstock to a legitimate Stanley Cup contender.

Related Topics:
1991 - Eric Lindros - 1991-92 - June 30 - 1992 - Philadelphia Flyers - New York Rangers - Mike Ricci - Ron Hextall - Steve Duchesne - Kerry Huffman - Chris Simon - Jocelyn Thibault - Washington Capitals - Nolan Baumgartner - Peter Forsberg

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

During the 1992-93 NHL season these new players along with Sakic - now a bona fide NHL All-Star - and the rapidly improving Sundin and Nolan led Québec to the biggest single-season team improvement in NHL history. The Nordiques made the playoffs for the first time in six seasons, but fell to their old nemesis the Montreal Canadiens in the first round. They would miss the playoffs the next season as they struggled with injuries.

Related Topics:
1992-93 NHL season - Montreal Canadiens

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The Lindros deal proved a strong contender for one of the most one-sided trades not merely in hockey history, but professional sports history. Despite Lindros' fine career, no one would now -- in retrospect -- trade him even up for Forsberg, the star of the franchise for a decade and a probably future Hall of Famer. Ricci would give three useful seasons to the franchise before being traded for the draft choice used to select current star Alex Tanguay, while after Hextall's single season as the backstop for Québec, he would be traded for longtime mainstay Adam Deadmarsh, who was in his own right traded for star defenseman Rob Blake. Thibault would, after the franchise shift to Denver, be traded for Montreal goalie Patrick Roy, one of the greats of all-time and the foundation for two future Stanley Cups.

Related Topics:
Hall of Famer - Defenseman - Rob Blake - Patrick Roy

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~