New York Islanders Worst Draft Picks in Garth Snow Era

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Jun 24, 2016; Buffalo, NY, USA; Kieffer Bellows poses for a photo after being selected as the number nineteen overall draft pick by the New York Islanders in the first round of the 2016 NHL Draft at the First Niagra Center. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports /

Mikko Koskinen

In the 2009 draft, Garth Snow would make the easiest draft day decision of his life, taking John Tavares at number one overall.

He’d add Calvin de Haan eleven picks later before moving to the second round where he opened the round by taking Mikko Koskinen. A goaltender out of Finland.

Nevermind Ryan O’Reilly, a center from the Erie Otters who had scored 118 points in two seasons. Garth would take a goalie who put up good numbers in the SM-Liiga. In hindsight that’s a terrible pick.

Koskinen would play four games for the Isles averaging a .873 SV% and 4.33GAA. That’s it. O’Reilly would go on to put up 361 points in 561 NHL games so far.

It’s not necessarily fair to say that Koskinen was a bust because another player taken after him wasn’t. But Koskinen gets that distinction because of the position he plays.

Goaltenders don’t generally get drafted that early for a reason. Scouting goaltenders just isn’t anywhere close to what it is for skaters. But you have to think that Garth, as a former NHL goaltender himself thought this was going to work out.

And for that, Koskinen gets on this list.