> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # FTB: Courtnall for Kordic turns 35 - URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/courtnall-for-kordic-leafs-chat/ - Published: 2023-11-07T11:56:25.000Z - Updated: 2023-11-07T12:26:20.000Z - Description: The Leafs won last night, but it's the anniversary of one of the biggest losses they've made. - Author: Adam Selvig - Tags: From The Branches Good morning Toronto Maple Leafs fans! The sun is shining, birds are chilling in their nests and the Maple Leafs made a huge comeback (then a small one) to defeat the Tampa Bay Lightning last night. [Recap: Leafs make a huge comeback, win it OTAfter being down by three goals in the first period, the Maple Leafs storm back into the game…![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/size/w256h256/format/png/2023/04/pension-plan-min.svg)PPP LeafsAdam Selvig![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1610988609269-7289d0739c2c?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDIxfHxob2NrZXklMjBuZXR8ZW58MHx8fHwxNjk5MzI0NTIwfDA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/toronto-maple-leafs-game-recap-tampa-bay-lightning-joe-woll/) No one was injured aside from Samsonov's pride, so I call that a double win. It's also a big day in Maple Leafs history as well. It's the 35th anniversary of the Russ Courtnall for John Kordic trade. On November 7th, 1988 General Manager Gord Stellick looked at the roster and decided that no, we have too much scoring talent. We are in the Norris Division. We'll just get more toughness. So, Russ Courtnall, who was coming off 60, 73, and 49 point seasons, would be traded to the hated Montreal Canadians, who were in the other conference to be fair, for John Kordic. Courtnall was an NHL regular racking up points and solidly putting up 20-25 goals a season. John Kordic was getting sent down to the AHL at least once a season, would give you about 8 points a season. However this was 1988, in the Norris Division where you were guaranteed a fight a period, and Kordic had 159 penalty minutes the previous season. This was considered a plus back then. Many people consider this one of the worst trades the Maple Leafs ever made. [https://www.overtimeheroics.net/2022/02/12/worst-trades-in-maple-leafs-history-part-2/](https://www.overtimeheroics.net/2022/02/12/worst-trades-in-maple-leafs-history-part-2/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Worst Leafs Trades Since 1967 Countdown – No. 4: Russ Courtnall for John KordicAdding truculence to the lineup was a thing that enamoured ex…![](https://theleafsnation.com/apple-touch-icon.png)TheLeafsNationCam Lewis![](https://theleafsnation.com/_next/image?url=https://publish.theleafsnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2020/06/Cj-D2IwW0AEfm9i.jpg&w=1200&q=75)](https://theleafsnation.com/news/amp/worst-leafs-trades-since-1967-countdown-no-4-russ-courtnall-for-john-kordic?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Russ Courtnall For John Kordic Was Not a Good TradeI like Twitter. I can go weeks without checking in with Facebook, but I keep close tabs on my Twitter account. Today, thanks to Twitter, I finally visited Down Goes Brown’s blog, one year old today. Ya gotta love a blogger with the handle “Down Goes Brown”. What Leaf fan![](https://www.torontomike.com/favicon.png)Toronto MikeToronto Mike![](http://www.torontomike.com/images/blog/leafs.gif)](https://www.torontomike.com/2009/02/russ%5Fcourtnall%5Ffor%5Fjohn%5Fkordic/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) However, one Maple Leafs blogger defended the deal. [Russ Courtnall for John Kordic was a good trade. No, I’m not drunk.An NHL and hockey humor blog. The Best Of Down Goes Brown is available in book stores now.![](http://www.downgoesbrown.com/favicon.ico)Down Goes Brown![](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RmRLSdNiYKw/R7yAqg2E1lI/AAAAAAAAAAM/2fMCOG-6Y2c/w1200-h630-p-k-no-nu/russ.jpg)](http://www.downgoesbrown.com/2008/02/courtnall-for-kordic-was-good-trade.html?m=1&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Russ Courtnall wasn't that good. Yes, I said it. Courtnall was a decent player with great speed, who showed occasional flashes but was generally inconsistent and soft. And that's about it. > ... So why does everyone think he was superstar? Largely because the Toronto media feels a need to ridiculously over-rate any young player who the Leafs trade away. I get both sides of this argument, but you probably could have gotten a better player for Courtnall. Courtnall would go on to play for the Canadians, North Stars, Dallas Stars, Canucks, Rangers, and Kings. A popular trade piece around the league, he would sadly be moved off Montreal before the 1993 trade deadline. Missing out on their Stanley Cup. Kordic would end up being traded to the Washington Capitals in 1991 for a 5th round pick, and sadly pass away in the 1992 off-season after struggling with substance abuse his whole career Turning a second/third line forward into a goon, then a fifth round pick. That pick became Alexei Kudashov who played 25 games for the Leafs, then went back to Russia. He's currently head coach of Dynamo Moscow in the KHL. So, happy trade-iversary everyone! Here's some other things to talk about. Need some early USHL prospects to dream of? [2024 NHL Draft Watch: Early USHL BreakoutsSo far this season, I’ve written three watch list updates based on early season breakouts: \* Earl WHL breakouts \* Early QMJHL breakouts \* Early OHL breakouts It only makes sense that I include an update on the early breakouts south of the border in the USHL! So let’s get to it. Matvei![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/size/w256h256/format/png/2023/04/pension-plan-min.svg)PPP LeafsBrian S![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1518671971334-a728cb8e9f91?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDE2fHxhbWVyaWNhfGVufDB8fHx8MTY5ODkzOTY5NHww&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2024-nhl-draft-watch-early-ushl-ncaa-breakouts/) Despite the win there are still worries. [The Maple Leafs’ lack of secondary scoring, and the role Sheldon Keefe’s questionable line construction plays in itWhat a difference a week makes. It was only seven days ago that the Leafs wrapped up their season-high five-game road trip, owned a winning record, and were sitting pretty. But a lopsided loss to a top LA team, a shootout loss to an undermanned Bruins team in which Brad Marchand put one of the Leafs…![](https://www.mapleleafshotstove.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/MLHS-LOGO2-EMBLEM-500x500.png)Maple Leafs HotstoveAnthony Petrielli![](https://mapleleafshotstove.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/sheldon-keefe-maple-leafs-bench.jpg)](https://mapleleafshotstove.com/2023/11/06/toronto-maple-leafs-notebook-sheldon-keefe-line-construction/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Larry Tannembaum sold 5% of MLSE to OMERS, the Ontario municipal employees pension plan(!), for $400 Million. That makes MLSE worth... A lot [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/latest-news/maple-leafs-parent-company-mlse-now-worth-8-billion-us-after-omers-purchases-5-indirect-state-from-larry-tanenbaums-kilmer-sports](https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/latest-news/maple-leafs-parent-company-mlse-now-worth-8-billion-us-after-omers-purchases-5-indirect-state-from-larry-tanenbaums-kilmer-sports?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Edmonton Oilers coach Jay Woodcroft got a game misconduct after, in his words, "asking a fair question" at the referees. [Jay Woodcroft tossed late in Oilers’ blowout loss to Canucks | TSNIt appears the frustration level has reached a boiling point for the Edmonton Oilers. Late in the third period of Monday’s 6-2 loss to Vancouver Canucks, head coach Jay Woodcroft received an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty and a game misconduct.![](https://www.tsn.ca/content/dam/sports/images/favicon/tsn/apple-touch-icon.png)TSNTSN.ca Staff![](https://www.tsn.ca/content/dam/tsn/en/home/images/2022/6/21/edmonton-oilers-sign-head-coach-woodcroft-to-three-year-extensio-1-1815817-1697806022826.jpeg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/jay-woodcroft-tossed-late-in-oilers-blowout-loss-to-canucks-1.2032281?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Former Leafs starter Freddie Andersen is out indefinitely with blood clot issues. [Hurricanes goalie Frederik Andersen has blood clotting issue, out indefinitely | CBC SportsCarolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen is out indefinitely after medical tests found a blood clotting issue. He is expected to make a full recovery, according to general manager Don Waddell.![](https://www.cbc.ca/a/apple-touch-icon.png)CBC![](https://i.cbc.ca/1.7020138.1699304123!/fileImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/16x9_620/andersen-frederik-231011-1180.jpg)](https://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/nhl/frederik-andersen-backstrom-jack-hughes-nhl-injuries-1.7020103?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Finally, remember when the potential PWHL names were leaked and we all said they were awful? At least Ottawa's name has a link to the past [Ottawa Alert a tribute to women who helped break the ice a century ago | CBC NewsThe proposed name for the capital’s new PWHL team harkens back to the earliest days of women’s hockey, a local historian says.![](https://www.cbc.ca/a/apple-touch-icon.png)CBCAlistair Steele![](https://i.cbc.ca/1.7017603.1699141089!/fileImage/httpImage/image.JPG_gen/derivatives/16x9_620/ottawa-alerts.JPG)](https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/ottawa-alert-a-tribute-to-women-who-helped-break-the-ice-a-century-ago-1.7015481?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Enjoy your day everyone!