New York Islanders Top 10 Best Trades in Team History

NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 06: Mathew Barzal #13 of the New York Islanders skates out to play against the Nashville Predators at the Barclays Center on October 06, 2018 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. The Predators defeated the Islanders 4-3. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /

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UNIONDALE, NY – JANUARY 31: Jason Blake #55 of the New York Islanders shoots the puck as Boyd Gordon #15 of the Washington Capitals defends on January 31, 2006 at Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, New York. The Islanders defeated the Capitals 5-3. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) /

Jason Who?

Of course, New York Islanders fans know who Jason Blake is now. But on January 3rd, 2001, none of us had heard of him. To be fair, why would we? He played a total of 82 games across three seasons for the Los Angeles Kings, scoring 28 points.

Which is why the Islanders sent the Kings a fifth-round pick as compensation. A few years after the trade, Blake was repaying the Isles faith.

By the 2002-03 season, Jason Blake had played 112 games for the New York Islanders and only scored 30 points. That fifth round pick looked like fair compensation for the return the Isles got. But in 2002-03 he exploded.

He scored 55 points across 81 games that season. In his final four seasons between 2002 and 2007 with the Islanders, Jason Blake would score 228 points.

It was a rare win via trade by the Mike Millbury regime. A fifth-round pick that never featured in the NHL for a 50-70 point player was a clear win.