The 1991 NHL Draft on the surface appeared to be an uneventful one for the Vancouver Canucks. Their highest draft pick that year was Canadian winger Alek Stojanov. Taken as the 7th overall pick, Stojanov had shown great promise while playing for the Hamilton Dukes in the OHL. A tough, physically imposing forward, he seemed a good fit for Pat Quinn’s side. But there was one selection nine places below that would make a key difference in the Canucks future. With the 16th overall pick, the Pittsburgh Penguins selected Swedish winger Markus Naslund. What would transpire from this affair would be become one of the most lopsided trades in NHL history.

Despite his previous offensive showcasing, Stojanov looked out of his element very quickly in the NHL. A shoulder injury kept him out of the entire 1993-94 season. In 1994-95, he made only four appearances in the NHL. Despite some impressive showings for AHL affiliate, Syracuse Crunch, his goal scoring talents seemed to dry up. By 1996, Stojanov had been pushed into more of an enforcer role. His points total though was troubling the Canucks management because in 62 regular season games, he had registered only a single assist.

Over in Pennsylvania, Naslund had been faring little better. His first two seasons had brought about only 15 points. His natural goalscoring seemed to have vanished and the once promising talent was beginning to look like a bust. The 1995-96 season appeared to bring about a change as Naslund notched up 52 points. But his production towards the end of the year slowed, which appeared to be the final nail in the coffin. Despite having high hopes for him to match Jaromir Jagr, trade rumors were persistent in his final year.

March 20, 1996 is a day that will always be well remembered in Canucks history. On this day, Naslund was traded to the Canucks in exchange for Stojanov. Upon arriving in British Columbia, he was finally able to make use of the talent he displayed with Modo in Sweden. By the time he departed Vancouver in 2008, he held a franchise high points total of 756 (since surpassed by Henrik and Daniel Sedin). Naslund became the Canucks first ever European captain in 2000, which he held until his departure. Alongside Brendan Morrison and Todd Bertuzzi, the three formed the productive ‘West Coast Express Line’ which tormented NHL defences between 2001-2005.

Alek Stojanov however, was a disaster for the Penguins, scoring only 6 points in his two seasons. His 222 penalty minutes, would be his only career high. He would spend the remainder of his career playing in the minor leagues before calling time on his career at just 29 years old. 24 years on this trade has proven to be one that was a big mismatch. Naslund’s number 19 now hangs proudly from the rafters of the Rogers Arena. While Stojanov’s name regularly appears in the all time draft bust lists! From out of nothing, Vancouver turned a potential problem into a great long term solution.