4th Round Pick for Radim Vrbata
Radim Vrbata is a little bit of a Hurricanes’ enigma. Brought to the team in 2003 for Bates Battaglia, Vrbata really never accomplished much in a Hurricane uniform. However, his 2011-2012 season led many Carolina fans saying “didn’t we have that guy at one point?”
Dealt in December of 2005, Vrbata wasn’t fitting it with the rebuilt Hurricane roster full of fresh faces that would go on to win the Cup. Chicago took a chance and sent Carolina the fourth round pick, which they used to get Bobby Hughes. Hughes never played in the NHL.
Scoring 35 goals on Arizona’s top line during that 11-12 season, Vrbata finished tied for 11th in goals in the NHL. While he never did anything like that again, this season led so many fans of the Hurricanes – especially knowing that the team had issues scoring – looking back at this trade.
Give this one to the Blackhawks, even though Vrbata didn’t do much there either.