New York Islanders: 3 Things Wrong With Expansion Draft Protection List

Yesterday we found out who the New York Islanders were protecting in the NHL draft. There was a lot wrong with Garth Snow’s list.

Garth Snow has put on a clinic in the past week. If you want to know how not to be an NHL GM check out the job that Garth has done in the last four days (Yet somehow he’s still employed by the New York Islanders).

On Sunday, the NHL released the list of players who were protected by each team for the expansion draft on Wednesday. The Islanders list didn’t make too much sense. One hockey writer called them the dumbest team in the league based off the list.

So here’s what went wrong for Garth Snow:

He Protected Five Defenseman

Just like no other team used a three goalie system no other team protected five defenseman. It was silly. Obviously, Nick Leddy and Johnny Boychuk had to be protected, Isles Twitter would’ve exploded if Ryan Pulock was exposed but the fourth and fifth one’s is where the disappointment comes from.

Travis Hamonic shouldn’t have still been around to be protected. He should’ve been traded for Matt Duchene or Jordan Eberle by now so that one falls on Garth. But, I understand why he was protected once he wasn’t traded. Garth can’t lose him for nothing.

The fifth defenseman protected makes so little sense that it’s going to come in second for things that Garth did wrong.

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He Protected Adam Pelech

If the Vegas Golden Knights selected Adam Pelech in the expansion draft I would’ve jumped for joy. This isn’t about Pelech, I think he plays his role as a sixth/seventh defenseman just fine, it’s about the Islanders not losing someone more valuable.

Now, since Garth used five of his eight skater slots on defenseman he’s going to have to make a trade with Vegas giving up the 15th overall pick to guarantee that they don’t pick…Josh Bailey and Casey Cizikas?

Which leads us to the final mistake from yesterday

He Will Give Up The 15th Overall Pick to Protect An Overpaid Bottom-Six Forward and Josh Bailey

Initially, when I saw that Snow was going to make a trade with Vegas to protect forwards I thought it would be for Brock Nelson or Ryan Strome. You know the one guy who’s put up 20+ goals each of the last three years and the other who is 23 years old and has a 50 point season under his belt.

The original report said it was just for Casey Cizikas and Josh Bailey. I understand that Bailey is coming off his best season in the league, and sure Cizikas is a valuable penalty killer but this move was completely unnecessary.

There is no way that Vegas takes on that contract from Casey Cizikas so you probably don’t have to bring up his name in the agreement, plus Bailey has just one year remaining on his deal and has been underwhelming besides last year.

It’s reportedly been updated to include Calvin de Haan, Ryan Strome and Brock Nelson as well. Though the issue is with the deal in the first place. I’d take my chances with Vegas selecting one of them.

To quote our man Mitch “I feel like that Zac Gakifinakas meme”

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Live look at me trying to figure out what in God’s name Garth Snow is doing ^

Next: First Round Pick To Vegas?

It’s been a rough couple days here in Isles land. Let’s all just get through this together, because all we have is each other….and a God awful GM.