New York Islanders Top Fred Brathwaite NHL Highlights

Bailing Out The Columbus Blue Jackets

After three seasons in Calgary and a stop in St. Louis for two seasons in a trade for Roman Turek, Brathwaite found himself a member of the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2003-04.

The team was only playing in their fourth NHL season by the time Brathwaite arrived. Although he’d find himself with a familiar face in Luke Richardson who’d been named the team’s captain that season.

Want your voice heard? Join the Eyes On Isles team!

Write for us!

And with only a few seasons under their belt after formation, the Blue Jackets still had some dead weight on the roster. They’d miss the playoffs, again, that season but they managed to shed some 25 goals against thanks to the tandem of Brathwaite and Marc Denis.

On March 26th, in a game against the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim (that was still their official name back in 2004) Brathwaite faced another shelling. The Ducks weren’t as we know them today. They were a team struggling but not nearly as bad as the Blue Jackets.

The Ducks finished the 2003-04 season with 76 points a whole 14 ahead of the Blue Jackets but well shy of the 91+ needed to get into the playoffs. And on the 26th the gulf in class was ever present, at least when you look at the run of play.

The Ducks would hold a 44-28 shot advantage over the Blue Jackets. Brathwaite would stop 43 of them for an improbable 3-1 win and give the Columbus a nice three-game winning streak to hang their hats on at the end of a torrid season.

Next: Isles Still On the Hunt For Arena

Brathwaite had a good NHL career and comes to the Islanders with a ton of experience between the pipes and as coach. As the New York Islanders look to start the next wave of goaltending talent, led by Linus Soderstrom, might be just what they need to start them off.