New York Islanders Top 10 Best Trades in Team History

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UNIONDALE, NY – SEPTEMBER 24: Griffin Reinhart #8 of the New York Islanders skates against the Carolina Hurricanes at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum on September 24, 2014 in Uniondale, New York. The Hurricanes defeated the Islanders 4-2. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /

Griffin Reinhart to the Edmonton Oilers

At the 2015 NHL Draft, the Edmonton Oilers held two first-round picks. The Oilers held the first overall in the draft, but they also held Pittsburgh’s 16th overall pick thanks to a trade for David Perron.

It was no secret that Edmonton GM Peter Chiarelli needed defensemen to go along with his generational talent taken at first overall in Connor McDavid. So Garth Snow flipped him Griffin Reinhart for that 16th overall pick and the Oilers second-round pick 33rd overall.

Just three years prior in 2012, Griffin Reinhart was drafted by the Islanders fourth overall. Before the trade Reinhart played just eight NHL games and registered a single point. He didn’t have the same bluechip status he did three years prior. But the Islanders still got a first and second for him.

There are two components to this trade, but I’m just going to focus on the first component, that first-round pick.

After the Boston Bruins drafted three times in a row and took Jakub Zboril, Jake DeBrusk, and Zachary Senyshyn, Mathew Barzal was still up on the board. A kid who had 57 points in 44 WHL games in his draft year. The Isles drafted him at 16.

After a not so great first step in the NHL where he played the puck while still standing in the penalty box, Barzal rebounded big time in 2017-18. The Coquitlam, BC native exploded recording 85 points in 82 games and winning the Calder Trophy.

Griffin Reinhart has become a bust and isn’t playing in the NHL at the time of writing.

Chalk that up as a big win for the New York Islanders.