3. John MacLean makes a pit stop before going across the Hudson
John MacLean was the star on the New Jersey Devils at the start of his career. He was expected to be what Patrik Elias became. He felt destined to be a lifelong Devils player. MacLean was the sixth-overall pick in the 1983 NHL Draft, just the second draft since the Devils moved from Colorado to New Jersey.
MacLean would join the Devils that season, making his debut at the start of the 1983-84 season. He would spend the next 14 seasons with the Devils, helping them lift the Stanley Cup in 1995 and adding the offensive punch to a team focused on defense. He had 70+ points four times with New Jersey, including a career-high 87 points in 1988-89.
Then, after Thanksgiving 1997, MacLean told the Devils he wanted out. He asked for a trade, and Lou Lamoriello didn’t waste much time giving him what he wanted. But that’s not the heel turn, but it’s a start.
After he was traded to the San Jose Sharks, MacLean played out the stretch and got to free agency, where he signed with the New York Rangers. He never sold his house after leaving New Jersey and said he was looking forward to moving back there. He also turned down other deals, including one from the Maple Leafs, to sign with the Rangers.