The trade that sent Phil Kessel from the Boston Bruins to the Toronto Maple Leafs has been voted the best trade in Boston sports history, according to a recent NESN poll.
The Leafs acquired Phil Kessel in September 2009 in exchange for first-round picks in 2010 and 2011 and a second-round pick as well. Boston drafted Tyler Seguin with the 2010 pick and selected Dougie Hamilton in 2011.
That move beat out three other prominent trades in Boston sports history.
In 2007, the New England Patriots traded a fourth-round pick (110th overall) to the Oakland Raiders for wide receiver Randy Moss.
In 1997, the Boston Red Sox sent closer Heathcliff Slocumb to the Seattle Mariners for catcher Jason Varitek and pitcher Derek Lowe.
In 1980, the Boston Celtics moved the first and 13th overall picks in the 1980 NBA Draft to Golden State for the third overall pick and Robert Parish. Boston selected Kevin McHale with the pick and he went on to score over 20,000 points in Boston.
Boston sports fans voted and the results looked like this:
— Phil Kessel for Dougie Hamilton and Tyler Seguin, 47.91 per cent
— Two draft picks for Robert Parish and Kevin McHale, 28.75 per cent
— Heathcliff Slocumb for Derek Lowe and Jason Varitek, 15.59 per cent
— A fourth-round pick for Randy Moss, 7.75 per cent
