7 NHL Superstars Who Forced Their Way Out Of Town Via Trade

by Spencer Toth - 3/31/2026

NHL superstars who forced trades Mitch Marner Toronto Maple Leafs

Drafting rights, complicated contracts, and strong-willed general managers make it difficult for players to choose where they want to play -- but it’s not impossible. Over the years, there have been several heated feuds between players and management that ultimately resulted in players forcing their way out of franchises. It could be due to personality clashes, long-term disagreements, or simply climate preferences. However, at the end of the day, the superstar can always force the issue. These stars ended up getting what they wanted, leaving furious fanbases in their wake.

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#1 Eric Lindros (1992)
If there is only one player on this list, it is Eric Lindros. Lindros was drafted by the Quebec Nordiques first overall in 1991 despite the fact that he repeatedly warned the franchise that he would not play for them. Lindros was born and raised in London, Ontario, and had no desire to move to Quebec. The Nordiques did not want to pass up on a player with Lindros’ talent and drafted him anyway. Lindros followed through on his threat, refusing to report to training camp and stating that he would rather sit out what would be his rookie season rather than play for the Nordiques.

Eventually, the Nordiques gave in, but the saga became even messier when the Nordiques agreed to deals with both the Flyers and Rangers. Quebec eventually sent Lindros to Philadelphia after arbitration awarded them the rights, but they still got a massive package of Ron Hextall, Peter Forsberg, Chris Simon, Mike Ricci, Kerry Huffman, Steve Duchesne, two first-round picks, and $15 million dollars. The trade reshaped both franchises and set up the Nordiques for a promising future despite their swing and miss on their first overall pick. However, the franchise moved to Colorado three years later, leaving Nordique fans wondering ‘what if’ to this day.

#2 Patrick Roy (1995)

Patrick Roy will go down as one of the best goaltenders in NHL history, but he had his fair share of controversy throughout his career. The now fiery bench boss for the Islanders spent a decade in Montreal, winning two Stanley Cups with the historic franchise, before everything changed on December 2nd, 1995. After being left in the net during an 11-1 blowout against Detroit, Roy famously stormed past the Habs head coach and told the team president that he had just played his last game for the franchise. Roy instantly went from hero to villain in Montreal. Four days later, he was traded to the Colorado Avalanche and went on to win two more Stanley Cups with the franchise. He is still the only player to win the Conn Smythe Trophy, playoff MVP, three times, doing so across three different decades. It was a raw, public feud between arguably the greatest goalie of all time and the most decorated franchise in the league.
#3 Alexei Yashin (2001)

Yashin had the chance to become a Senators icon after being the first player drafted in franchise history, but his career with the Sens took a very different turn. He got off to a flying start with 79 points in his first NHL season, and scored a career-high 44 goals and 94 points in the 1998-99 season. It appeared everything was going well during his first six seasons with the franchise, but the relationship eventually turned toxic enough that Yashin was ready to sit out the final year of his contract rather than play for the Senators. He did exactly that, sitting out the 1999-2000 season, but arbitration ruled he still owed the Sens another year. He came back the following season to put up 88 points, then finally got his wish as he was traded to the Islanders in a massive deal. Ottawa got Zdeno Chara, the draft pick used on Jason Spezza, and a boatload of assets for their longest-tenured player.

#4 Dany Heatley (2009)
Speaking of the Senators, Dany Heatley forced his way out of Ottawa under very unique circumstances. He scored more than 100 points during his first two years with the Sens but then demanded out in the summer of 2009. He was only one year into a 6-year contract extension signed the year before, and his request completely handcuffed the Sens, sending their franchise into dismay for the next decade. Not only did Heatley suddenly want out, but he was picky with where he went with a no-movement clause. The Sens created a suitable package for the Edmonton Oilers, but Heatley said no, eventually getting dealt to the San Jose Sharks. Not only did Heatley demand a trade, but he demanded it to be done on his terms, something the Senators complied with.

#5 Mitch Marner (2025)
Mitch Marner was born and raised a Leafs fan, but his final season in Toronto left the fanbase burning his jersey in the streets. Mitch Marner had spent nearly a decade in Toronto as a part of the ‘Core Four’ during a heavily documented run of Maple Leaf playoff failures. It appeared as though the franchise was finally ready to move on at the 2025 NHL trade deadline, inking a blockbuster deal for Mikko Rantanen, a consistent 100-point scorer, to replace Marner’s production. However, the deal fell through when Mitch Marner refused to waive his no-movement clause. Marner ended up leaving in the summer in a sign-and-trade for Nicolas Roy, forcing the Leafs to take pennies on the dollar for the generational superstar. After his 2019 contract holdout forced Toronto into overpaying him with a contract loaded in his favor, he once again put the Leafs in a tough spot with his exit strategy. On the ice, Marner was a big reason for the Leafs' regular-season success thanks to his partnership with Auston Matthews, but off the ice, he was a disaster. He disappeared in the playoffs, hurt the Leafs' ability to build around him, and eventually left the franchise in dismay when he forced his way out.

#6 Pavel Bure (1999)

Pavel Bure wasn’t just an average player forcing a trade; this was the Canucks’ franchise superstar demanding a separation. Bure informed the Canucks that he had no intention of honoring the final year of his contract, moving to Moscow during the 1998-1999 season. Vancouver eventually found a trading partner for the disgruntled superstar, sending him to the Florida Panthers in January 1999. Bure went on to lead the NHL in goals during his first two seasons with his new team, while the Canucks were left trying to pick up the pieces of their dismantled roster. Replacing a generational talent like Bure is never easy, and the Canucks won a single playoff round in the next decade after his departure.

#7 Pierre-Luc Dubois (2021)
Pierre-Luc Dubois’s departure from Columbus is still one of the strangest transactions in NHL history. Dubois signed a two-year contract extension in the summer of 2020, despite requesting a trade earlier and continuing to voice his displeasure in Columbus after signing the deal. The timing of his eventual move made it feel even uglier, as he was publicly benched for a lack of effort just two days earlier. Dubois only spent a little over two years in Winnipeg before moving to Los Angeles, then bounced to Washington a year later. He didn’t hold out and refuse to play, but a weekly media session where players are publicly saying they want out left the Blue Jackets with no choice but to grant his wish.

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Start:	March 31, 2026 @ 10:00 PM
Expert:	Craig Trapp
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7 NHL Superstars Who Forced Their Way Out Of Town Via Trade

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