What happened?

Once upon a time in a hockey town named habsland there was a goalie trade. No not that one the other one. Vezina and Hart winner Jose Theodore was traded away for David Aebischer. Nobody blinked. Little reaction by the french media for one of their own being traded away. Everyone more or less let go a sigh of relief. Jose Theodore was a Memorial cup winning goalie drafted by the habs in the second round. He also married into a quebecois entertainment family and was the toast of the town for a year or two. Theodore took the long road to the NHL. He played over two seasons in the AHL where his numbers were average at best. During this same period, the habs had Tomas Vokoun in their system who would become a starting goalie for several NHL teams. Theodore was given preference in the habs organization and he slowly progressed until he became the habs starting goalie. After his Hart and Vezina winning season in 2001-2002, the accolades followed including a sizeable long term contract.

It is rare to follow a trade long-term. However, the Craig Rivet trade has been fascinating to follow and has multiplied fruitfully for the habs franchise. Craig Rivet was drafted in the third round by the Habs in 1992 by GM Serge Savard. He had been a high scoring defenceman in junior with the Kingston Frontenacs. He had an above average career with the habs becoming a 3rd or 4th defenceman on the team. He also became an alternate captain and part of the Saku Koivu clique with the habs. He had a memorable long fight with Brian Marchment of the leafs which ended in a draw. When Savard’s ex-teammate Bob Gainey became GM he decided to trade Rivet to San Jose in 2007. Rivet had had a lengthy career with the habs and the return was interesting even for a 33 year old. The habs received for Rivet an unknown defenceman at the time, Josh Gorges, and a first round pick number 22 overall in 2007. The habs chose Max Pacioretty with this pick. Josh Gorges became a steady de