Rangers made historic trade for coach ahead of 1987 NHL Draft

Legendary hockey reporter Stan Fischler writes a weekly scrapbook for NHL.com. Fischler, known as "The Hockey Maven," shares his humor and insight with readers every Wednesday. This week, ahead of the 2023 Upper Deck NHL Draft, Fischler takes us back 36 years to a most unusual draft-day occurrence, when the New York Rangers traded a first-round pick to obtain a coach.

The NHL Draft is a true highlight of the League's busy offseason each year. In 1987, intrigue at the draft was raised even higher when the New York Rangers made a trade to acquire their new coach.

The coach the Rangers traded for on June 18, 1987, was Michel Bergeron, who was 265-283 with 86 ties in seven seasons with the Quebec Nordiques. Quebec had finished first in the Adams Division in 1985-86 and twice reached the conference final (1982, 1985) with Bergeron as coach.

How this trade took place still strains credulity because, as New York Times hockey writer Gerald Eskenazi wrote, "It started as a joke!"

First off, the Rangers shouldn't have needed a coach. However, Tom Webster, whom general manager Phil Esposito hired during the 1986-87 season, was stricken with a serious inner ear infection that prevented him from traveling by plane. Esposito took over as coach from Webster and did double duty for the final 43 games of the season. Webster officially resigned April 30, 1987.

Less than two months later, the Rangers acquired Bergeron to replace Webster.

"Phil knew that he eventually would need a coach," said Frank Brown, Rangers beat writer for the New York Daily News at the time. "He got one at the draft."

It was a huge story that occupied a whole page in the Daily News accompanied by the headline: ESPO NAMES BERGERON AS COACH.

"Over the last 11 months, Phil Esposito had limited himself to trading for players," Brown wrote. "Yesterday, the Rangers GM entered another dimension by completing a blockbuster deal for a coach, sending number one pick in the 1988 draft and $75,000 to the Quebec Nordiques for fiery, flamboyant Michel Bergeron."

Despite some success, Quebec was ready to move on from Bergeron, who had been feuding with general manager Maurice Filion.

"They were ready to part ways," wrote historian Mike Commito, "although Bergeron was an exceptional coach."

Bergeron was also French-Canadian and very popular in Quebec. Claude Larochelle, sports editor of the city's daily, Le Soleil, called Bergeron one of the city's most popular sports figures.

"Michel not only was a good coach, but he had a fighting spirit to go with it," Larochelle pointed out. "Some players called him 'Napoleon.' But when he and Filion couldn't get along anymore, Michel knew that he had to leave. Maurice was hoping to get something for Bergeron. That happened when Filion met Esposito at the draft."

Here's where the joke part fits in.

"When Phil proposed trading for Bergeron," wrote Eskenazi, "it was almost like a joke. But then Filion said, 'Let's talk' and they worked out a deal."

Most appealing to Esposito was Bergeron's incendiary temper, which he knew would be a big hit with the New York crowd. In French-speaking Quebec province Bergeron was known as Le Petit Tigre (The Little Tiger).

"I wanted Michel for his motivation and emotion," Esposito explained. "I had known enough about him to believe that he could help our team."

When Filion demanded a first-round pick as part of the exchange, Esposito refused. But after thinking it over, Esposito changed his mind and cut the deal. History was made that day when the Rangers traded their first-round pick in the 1988 NHL Draft and $75,000 for Bergeron.

There was joy at Madison Square Garden especially after the Times called Bergeron "one of the most acclaimed coaches in hockey."

As for Bergeron, his first words after the deal -- with an appealing French accent -- were "I'm confident."

The Nordiques selected Daniel Dore with the No. 5 pick in the 1988 NHL Draft and the right wing proved to be an abject failure. He played 17 games for Quebec from 1989-91 and had five points (two goals, three assists).

Bergeron was no bargain either. Although the Rangers were favored to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 1987-88, they finished 36-34-10 and missed the playoffs. They were edged out by the New Jersey Devils for the final postseason berth on the final night of the regular season.

The Rangers were a bit better the following season. They were 37-33-8 with two games remaining when Bergeron was fired by Esposito for "philosophical differences." Esposito took over as coach. New York promptly lost the final two games of the regular season and were swept in four straight games by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first round of the playoffs.

"The trade itself was the first transaction of its kind in the league," wrote historian Mike Commito. "Since then, no other coach has been traded."

Looking back, one could say that nobody benefitted from the trade, not even its architect.

Esposito was fired after the debacle to end the 1988-89 season and replaced as Rangers general manager by Neil Smith. In 1993-94, Smith led the Rangers to their first Stanley Cup championship in 54 years.