Chicago Blackhawks and Vancouver Canucks complete a trade in hockey history

This trade still echoes in Blackhawks and Canucks history today.

Ronald Andrew Sedlbauer was a hard-charging left winger, drafted 23rd overall by the Vancouver Canucks in 1974, who could score and skate with purpose.

In the 1978-79 season he lit the lamp 40 times, a mark that still gets mentioned in Canucks lore for its scoring punch and unusual assist totals.

The Chicago Blackhawks, looking to add more offensive firepower down the middle of the lineup, made their move on December 21, 1979.

Sedlbauer had already opened the 1979-80 season with 10 goals and four assists in 32 games for Vancouver before the deal.

Dave Logan, a rugged defenseman taken by Chicago in 1974, and Harold Phillipoff, a big left winger originally drafted by the Atlanta Flames, were sent the other way. Both players brought character and grit to the Canucks' roster as part of the exchange.

Chicago hoped Sedlbauer's goal touch would energize its attack, and he did respond with 13 goals and 10 assists in 45 games that season for the Blackhawks. Fans still recall how Sedlbauer's power forward play gave the Windy City a different dynamic in the late '79-80 campaign.

Here's the post that sparked today's look back:

For Vancouver, the trade was about balance and depth, giving them a dependable blueliner in Logan and a physical winger in Phillipoff. While Sedlbauer's standout Vancouver years are remembered for that monster goal season, Chicago fans appreciated his steady scoring when they needed it.

Logan's time with the Canucks was a chance for more ice time and a fresh start after a challenging stretch with the Blackhawks. Phillipoff's size and willingness to mix it up made him a useful piece in Vancouver's forward group.

Looking back now, the trade feels like a snapshot of an era when teams gambled on roster shakeups to flip momentum midseason. It shaped parts of Sedlbauer's career and gave both franchises memories they still talk about come December 21.