Quoting: MitchMarner_16
With the deadline coming up i had a striking thought hit me. Has there ever really been a truly FAIR trade, where both teams walked away better than they began?
Quoting: A_Habs_fan
Coleman trade ( was an overpayment and still is but Tampa got 2 cups ) and NJ got a 1st/Nolan Foote to improve their future, technically both teams walked away better than they began, not a truly fair trade but it's pretty much impossible for a truly fair trade that makes both teams better than they began since it's fair
The trade looked like an overpayment by JBB at the time, but Coleman wound being a HUGE part of the 2020 and 2021 Cups, and was part and parcel of the "Gourdrowman" death line. Hard to argue against that. On the other side, the Devils got a 1st (used on Mukhamadullin) and Nolan Foote-while neither one has emerged yet, they've both got good upside. Might be too early to hand down a verdict on it, but for now it looks like a very fair trade.
Would also argue that the Pacioretty for Suzuki, Tatar, and 2nd rounder (which wound up going to the Kings) worked out pretty well for both sides.
In general, any trade where you make a realistic case years later for both sides being the winner of the deal is generally a fair trade.