I am still mad about the 1966 trade of Esposito, Hodge and Stanfield for Pit Martin. This gave Boston 2 Stanley Cups. That had to be the worst trade in hockey history.
One of the great hindsight trades in history. Like Bagwell for Anderson (which earned the Sox the division title that year.)
Esposito came up to a Blackhawks team filled with established leaders, was a second- and third-liner who had good regular season totals and playoff flops. Hodge was a lead-footed extra wing and Stanfield a minor character on a team with good centers.
Martin was a solid person with good leadership and playing skills and Gilles Marotte was a hard-hitting defenseman.
Martin gave Chicago several very good seasons. Marotte went south for personal reasons.
Stanfield developed an incredible chemistry with Johnny Bucyk and they were augmented by John McKenzie.
Esposito got to play a different style in Boston. Cashman fed him from the corners and Espo cashed in on rebounds of Hodge's blasts.
This trade outcome was in no way predictable.
Controversy is good and fun in sports but the damage to Martin's reputation has been unfair.