This Day in Hockey History – September 3, 1991 – An S for an S

Signing restricted free agents was considered bad karma, as in negative consequences would follow. When the St. Louis Blues signed power forward Brendan Shanahan away from the New Jersey Devils, they offered compensation per the collective bargaining agreement. The Devils declined, and on September 3, 1991, the arbitration judge instead awarded them the Blues’ captain, defenseman Scott Stevens. Effectively, it turned into a Stevens-for-Shanahan trade.

The Devils had drafted Shanahan second overall in the 1987 Entry Draft, and after four seasons, he was finally starting to come into his own. Though they went through the effort of developing Shanahan, on July 24, the Blues swooped in and signed him to a two-year contract worth $1.6 million.

Per the CBA, the Blues ordinarily would have compensated the Devils with draft picks. However, the Blues had already pulled this kind of coup the previous year when they acquired Stevens from the Washington Capitals. At that time, they promised the Caps their next five first-round draft picks. 

So instead, St. Louis offered New Jersey their backup goalie Curtis Joseph, winger Rod Brind’Amour, and two draft picks (in the third and fourth rounds). Blues GM Ron Caron felt they had made a fair offer. “We offered two good young players. I went at it defensively. If you put more than two players, they could say you’re unloading contracts. We didn’t want to do that. The picks: A lot of good players have been picked if you select the right way. These are important values.” Unaware of his fate, Stevens commented at the time, “I think St. Louis is being very fair about this. In fact, I think they’d be giving up too much.”

Devils GM Lou Lamoriello, who took a lot of flak for losing Shanahan, disagreed. “Rod Brind’Amour is a good hockey player who had a good year two years ago and had an off year last year, but he is a quality player. I personally felt Curtis Joseph really did not add to the package. I thought, if anything, he detracted from it.” Lamoriello concluded, “The draft picks are unknowns, and right now we’re dealing with a quality player in Shanahan, and we had to get a quality player in return. Draft picks are a way to build a team, not replace a player like Shanahan.”

The issue then went into arbitration, over which 72-year-old Judge Edward Houston of the Ontario Court of Justice presided and gave a 14-page ruling. According to Blues president Jack Quinn, “Ron Caron made the finest presentation I’ve ever heard.” Whereas Lamoriello and the Devils, he remarked, “made only one statement in regard to the players involved. They spent the rest of the time basically whining.” Quinn concluded, “We won the oral presentation hands down.”

However, Judge Houston ruled with Lamoriello, who had put the demand for Stevens in his sealed bid. Both sides felt that this was, at least, a short-term victory for the Devils. Lamoriello prudently said, “I don’t know if I’d call it a victory. The decision came our way, and it was what we wanted because of the circumstances. I don’t look at it as a victory. I think it was equalization.” However, New Jersey press did worry that this decision might scare general managers away from signing free agents.

The St. Louis Blues were shocked and appalled, seeing this as retribution. Quinn pondered, “It’s odd that the same decision affects the first two free agents to move in 70-some odd years. On the surface, at first glance, it appears to be somewhat punitive.” New to the Blues Shanahan was more blunt, “This was done to punish St. Louis in some way for what they’ve been doing.”

They could only look to the future. GM Caron commented, “We’re extremely pleased to get Rod Brind’Amour and Curtis Joseph back, and we’re extremely pleased with Brendan Shanahan. But don’t ask me what we’re going to do about our defense.” Quinn looked to the bright side. “We have an arsenal of good players. We’ve got good forwards. No one in the league is as good as us up front. We will survive.”

The person most affected by the decision was Captain Stevens. In shock, he commented, “I didn’t think my name would be involved. I was so thrilled we would be getting Shanahan. I never thought I’d be compensation. I was hoping to stay in St. Louis for my whole career.” He had signed a four-year $5 million contract with the Blues the previous summer. The Blues still had to give Washington four more first-round draft picks while the Devils had to pay the rest of Stevens’ salary. Caron snidely said, “For what they’ll have to pay Mr. Stevens, they could have had Mr. Shanahan.”

Stevens was not sure he would report to the Devils after he finished playing for the Canada Cup. Immediately after the ruling, he said, “I’m not sure I’ll go. I really haven’t had time to think about anything. I really don’t know what I’ll do. I’m shocked. … I understand that these people have decisions to make, but it’s tough to be treated like that, to be moved around without any say in the matter.” Lamoriello did not even want to consider the possibility. “I haven’t talked to him directly, but this is a quality kid.” Stevens decided not to report to camp at first, and it took three weeks before he relented.

In the end, the Devils had the more obvious success with Stevens, who became their captain from his second season there until his retirement with them in 2005. Under his leadership, they won three Stanley Cup championships.

For the Blues, Shanahan did hit personal highs in points, but they traded him in 1995. After a season with the Hartford Whalers, Shanahan really made his mark with the Detroit Red Wings. He was traded there on October 8, 1996 and proceeded to win three Stanley Cup championships before signing with the New York Rangers in 2006. Interestingly, Shanahan chose to sign with the Devils again on January 14, 2009, almost 18 years from when the Blues snared him.

Both Stevens and Shanahan were inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame and ranked in the 100 Greatest NHL Players.

Additional Sources:

• Mike Commito, Hockey 365: Daily Stories from the Ice(Toronto: Dundurn, 2018), kindle edition.
• Dave Luecking, “Blues Lose Arbitration, Stevens,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 4 Sept. 1991, pp. 1A, 1D, 6D.
• Jeff Gordon, “A Mellonhead Would Have Backed Blues,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 4 Sept. 1991, p. 1D.
• Dave Luecking, “Stevens Hints He’ll Fight NHL Ruling,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 4 Sept. 1991, p. 6D.
• John Dellapina, “Devils get their due,” Hackensack Record, 4 Sept. 1991, pp. D-1 and D-5.
• https://thepinkpuck.com/2019/07/26/this-day-in-hockey-history-july-26-2007-penner-signs/