New York Islanders Top 5 Garth Snow Trades To Date

Johnny Boychuk

On the same day that Garth Snow acquired Nick Leddy from the Chicago Blackhawks he made a deal with the Boston Bruins for pending UFA Johnny Boychuk.

The Islanders gave up a lot to get Johnny to sign with the team. Two second round picks and a conditional third rounder to boot.

But with Boychuk, the Islanders finally had that top defensive pairing that NHL teams need to compete in today’s NHL.

If Leddy was the brains of the duo Johnny was very much the muscle. Hard hitting, tough to play against and an absolute howitzer of a shot. Johnny Boychuck completed the Islanders blueline.

And with both the Islanders did something they hadn’t done since the 1983-84 season. They hit 100 points in a season.

With Leddy and Boychuk the Islanders immediately transformed into a playoff team. They went from 79 points and missing the playoffs altogether the year before, to winning 47 games and 101 points.

The Bruins were able to draft Brandon Carlo with the pick the Isles gave them in 2015. It seems that he’s at least going to be a good NHL player. But with Boychuk and Leddy, the Islanders were able to completely rejuvenate their blueline.

The impact of the trade was greater for the Islanders then it was for the Bruins.