5 NHL stars who were punished by being traded ft. Ted Lindsay, Evander Kane and more

In the NHL, trades happen frequently. Most times, trades happen as a team looks to add a player to help them get over the hump and win the Stanley Cup. Other teams will trade away players for prospects or picks to build toward the future if their team is not ready to compete for the Cup.

However, sometimes trades happen because of a punishment or something the player did. Here are five examples of players being traded as punishment.

#5. Nazem Kadri

Nazem Kadri was drafted seventh overall in 2009 by the Toronto Maple Leafs and was supposed to be a first or second-line center.

Kadri did play well in Toronto but in the playoffs, he took a lot of dumb penalties and even was suspended multiple times. The Maple Leafs had enough and traded him to Colorado in the summer of 2019.

However, with the Avalanche, Kadri fixed his act and helped Colorado win the Stanley Cup in 2022 and took aim at the Leafs for saying they couldn't win with him.

#4. Mike Richards & Jeff Carter

Mike Richards and Jeff Carter are lumped together as both were traded in the summer of 2011 despite being two of the Philadelphia Flyers' best players.

Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren faced significant backlash for the trade, as it involved dealing away both his captain and leading scorer in two separate deals. The decision was partly influenced by rumors surrounding Richards and Carter, which suggested they were known for their partying ways. Holmgren aimed to send a clear message to the team through these trades.

Head coach Peter Laviolette tried to do a 'Dry Islands' challenge of one month of not drinking, which Richards and Carter repeatedly declined to do with the rest of the team.

#3. Michael Cammalleri

Michael Cammalleri was tarded mid-game

In January of 2012, Michael Cammalleri was traded mid-game from the Montreal Canadiens to the Calgary Flames. The news was a bit of a surprise as trades rarely happen mid-game, especially when Montreal was playing their arch-rival the Boston Bruins.

However, the trade also came just one day after Cammalleri took aim at the Canadiens coaches and team saying they prepare players like losers. So, many feel like the trade happened because of those comments.

#2. Evander Kane

Evander Kane was traded from the Winnipeg Jets to the Buffalo Sabres on February 15, 2015, as the locker room reportedly had enough of Kane.

The previous April, Kane was accused of assault and was sued for financial damages. Then, throughout the rest of the year, he was a healthy scratch which head coach Paul Maurice said Kane just needed to come to the rink, but it was then revealed he was scratched because of an incident with his teammates.

After being traded, Evander Kane claimed his teammates and the team didn't "have his back" throughout his legal and behavioral issues. Ultimately, he felt like the team traded away their problem.

#1. Ted Lindsay

Ted Lindsay is a big reason why the NHL has a players' union and the NHLPA to help players as he fought for a union during his team playing.

Lindsay is one of the best players of all time as he played in 1,068 career regular season games scored 379 goals and had 472 assists for 851 points.

In 1957, as Lindsay was spearheading a union, the Red Wings traded him to Chicago so he couldn't keep him from organizing the Red Wings locker room. Detroit was the top team in the NHL, while Chicago was the worst, as there were only six teams.

After the trade to Chicago, the union attempts folded which is why Lindsay was traded.