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Who’s the Most-Traded Player in NHL History?

Originally posted on NHL Trade Talk | By Spencer Lazary | Last updated Dec 27, 2024 4:39 PM ET

Have you ever asked yourself who is the most traded player in NHL history? Well, I have the answer! Mike Sillinger set an NHL record that may never be broken: he’s the most traded player in league history.

Over his 17-year career, teams traded the journeyman forward an astonishing ten times, and he wore the jerseys of 12 different teams along the way.

Sillinger’s career wasn’t about being flashy or putting up elite numbers—it was about being reliable. Coaches knew they could count on him for versatility, leadership, and a knack for contributing wherever he played. Sillinger always found ways to make himself valuable.

His first trade came in 1995 when the Detroit Red Wings sent him to the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim. From there, he had stints with the Vancouver Canucks, Philadelphia Flyers, Tampa Bay Lightning, Florida Panthers, Ottawa Senators, Columbus Blue Jackets, Phoenix Coyotes, St. Louis Blues, Nashville Predators and New York Islanders.

Sillinger’s Trade History:

Traded from Detroit to Anaheim in April 1995
Traded from Anaheim to Vancouver in March 1996
Traded from Vancouver to Philadelphia in Feb. 1998
Traded from Philadelphia to Tampa Bay in Dec. 1998
Traded from Tampa Bay to Florida in March 2000
Traded from Florida to Ottawa in March 2001
Traded from Columbus to Dallas in July 2003 (Same Day)
Traded from Dallas to Phoenix in July 2003 (Same Day)
Traded from Phoenix to St. Louis in March 2004
Traded to St. Louis to Nashville in Jan. 2006

The peak of his well-traveled career came during the 2005-06 season when he scored 32 goals and totaled 63 points while splitting time between the Blues and Predators.

Can Anyone Catch Sillinger?

Sillinger’s NHL record will likely stand forever. Getting traded nine times in a career just doesn’t happen anymore. Most players are lucky if they’re traded three times. While being traded so often could easily frustrate a player, Sillinger embraced every move as a new opportunity, which helped him carve out a 17-season NHL career.

According to Sports Illustrated, Walt McKechnieca came close. He was traded nine times between the years 1967 and 1980. Brent Ashton was traded eight times between 1981 and 1993. Jeff Norton was also traded eight times.

Surprisingly, a Hall of Fame icon was traded seven times– that being Paul Coffey. It’s an incredible amount considering how good Coffey was.

This article first appeared on NHL Trade Talk and was syndicated with permission.

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