Islanders: Best and worst draft classes of the 2000s

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MONTREAL, QC – JUNE 26: (L-R) Team owner Charles Wang and General Manager Garth Snow of the New York Islanders sit at their draft table prior to the first round of the 2009 NHL Entry Draft at the Bell Centre on June 26, 2009 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /

Looking at the ten New York Islanders draft classes from 2000 to 2009, which was the best draft class of the decade an which was the worst?

On Saturday I put together a ranking of all ten New York Islanders draft classes over the last decade. Some draft classes were too soon to call, some of the draft classes were clear winners while others were clear losers even with such a small sample size.

Now I move down a decade to look at the drafts of the 2000’s.

In this set of drafts from 2000 to 2009, I’ve got a much larger sample size to look at. Players have had a chance to have long NHL careers (or not). So there’s no way to be on the fence about the quality of a draft class here.

With that being said, I wanted to add a bit more to this review. I wanted my ranking to be a little less subjective.

The whole point of the draft is to find players that will have the greatest impact on your NHL roster. So I decided to look at the number of games played* by each player drafted over the decade.

(*I only considered games played for the New York Islanders.)

I don’t care about AHL games. I want to know who had an impact at the NHL level.

I felt that the number of games played was the easiest way to determining the impact of a player. Players that don’t stick around long aren’t typically impactful. If total games played between two classes were close, then I could look at the caliber of players selected to differentiate between draft classes.

2001: Not Much to Work With

Total games played: 0
Player with the biggest impact: N/A

The Islanders didn’t have their first, second, or third-round pick in the 2001 draft. That first-round pick went to Ottawa in the Alexei Yashin trade, the second went to Tampa in the Steve Martins trade, and the third-round pick was turned into a later third and a fourth-round pick in a trade with the Panthers.

Ottawa famously got Jason Spezza with the Islanders first-round pick. The other two picks never amounted to anything. But losing on a second overall pick who would score 940 points (159 more than Yashin) hurt.

This draft proved that short-term gain isn’t always the best course of action.

Not a single player drafted in 2001 registered a single game for the Islanders.

2007: Empty Cupboard

Total games played: 11
Player with the biggest impact: Mark Katic (11 games played)

It’s hard to have a good draft when the Islanders don’t have a first or second-round pick at their disposal. That first-rounder went to Edmonton for Ryan Smyth. The second-round pick went to the Washington Capitals for Richard Zednik.

But with the Oilers using that first-round pick to draft Alex Plante (10 NHL GP) and with Washington drafting Theo Ruth (0 NHL GP). The Isles didn’t lose much here.

The best player out of the draft for the Isles was Mark Katic, who played eleven games in the NHL. All were for the Islanders in 2010-11.

That’s all the Islanders got out of the draft.

2005: Swing and a Miss

Total games played: 23
Player with the biggest impact: Dustin Kohn (22 games played)

This was Mike Milbury‘s last draft as GM of the New York Islanders. With his first-round pick, he selected center Ryan O’Marra. O’Marra would never play a game for the New York Islanders. He was traded for Ryan Smyth in 2007.

O’Marra didn’t do much in the NHL with 33 career NHL games played.

The rest of the class is nothing to speak of really. Dustin Kohn (a second-round pick) and Masi Marjamaki (fifth-round pick) combined for 23 NHL games with the Islanders

UNIONDALE, NY – JANUARY 18: Rick DiPietro #39 of the New York Islanders prepares to play against the New Jersey Devils on January 18, 2010 at Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, New York. The Isles defeated the Devils 4-0. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) /

2000: If Not For Injuries

Total games played: 375
Player with the biggest impact: Rick DiPietro (318 games played)

I know that Rick DiPietro’s legacy with the New York Islanders will always be tainted because of that ridiculously long contract, because Roberto Lungo was traded away, and because injuries shortened his career.

But when he was healthy Rick was an alright starter for the Isles. Between the 03-04 and 07-08 seasons, Rick played 238 of 318 games and went 111-89-5 with an average 2.71 GAA and 0.908SV%. Good enough for tenth in GAA and ninth for SV% amongst goalies who played at least 200 games in that period.

The rest of the draft was ‘meh’ Raffi Torres‘s impact with the Isles was short-lived with 31 games played.

If not for Rick DiPietro’s injuries this draft class would have certainly proven to be more impactful.

2003: Bruno “Sixth-Round” Gervais

Total games played: 441
Best player drafted: Bruno Gervais (331 games played)

That’s not his actual nickname, it’s just the one I gave him because the Islanders selected him in the sixth round of the 2003 draft. With 331 games played for the Islanders, Gervais had the largest impact on the team by a considerable margin.

The Isles first-round pick that year was Robert Nilsson. He would be traded to Edmonton along with Ryan O’Marra for Ryan Smyth. Second-round pick Jeremy Colliton (the Chicago Blackhawks current head coach) played the second-most games for the Isles with 57.

2004: Depth in the Seventh

Total games played: 522
Player with the biggest impact: Blake Comeau (216 games played)

Drafted in the second-round (47th overall), Blake Comeau had the largest impact on the Isles based on the number of games played with 261 games. But with a seventh-round pick, the Isles selected Chris Campoli.

The depth centerman had a decent rookie season with nine goals and 34 points. But what he’ll best be remembered for is scoring twice in overtime against the Columbus Blue Jackets on November 3, 2008.

2002: Hitting Twice

Total games played: 852
Player with the biggest impact: Frans Nielsen (606 games played)

With their first-round pick, the Isles selected Sean Bergenheim 22nd overall. Bergenheim would play 246 games for the Isles and score 80 points. But there’s no doubt that Frans Nielsen, a third-round pick, had the biggest impact for the Islanders.

Over 606 games, Nielsen would score 349 points, he’d play in every situation for the Isles, and be wildly efficient in the shootout. The Neilsen sized gap he left on the roster when he signed with Detroit wasn’t filled until Barry Trotz came around two years later and put his faith in Brock Nelson.

MONTREAL, QC – JUNE 26: (L-R) Team owner Charles Wang, General Manager Garth Snow, John Tavares, Assistant General Manager/Director of Amateur Scouting Ryan Jankowski and Pro Scout Mario Saraceno of the New Islanders pose on stage after the Islanders drafted Tavares #1 overall during the 2009 NHL Entry Draft by the New York Islander at the Bell Centre on June 26, 2009 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /

2006: A Third

Total games played: 899
Player with the biggest impact: Kyle Okposo (529 games)

The Islanders made 13 picks at the 2006 draft. Only five picks would ever see NHL time with the Isles. Of course, the player with the biggest impact was Kyle Okposo with 529 games played for the Islanders.

With a sixth-round pick, the Isles took defenseman Andrew MacDonald. It proved to be an inspired move by soon-to-be-replaced GM Neil Smith and his scouting staff. MacDonald would play 295 games for the Isles.

2008: Hitting on All Cylinders

Total games played: 2,072
Player with the biggest impact: Josh Bailey (865 games)

At the 2008 draft, the Isles once again found themselves with 13 picks. But unlike two years prior, the Isles hit on most of their picks. Chief amongst them was Josh Bailey.

The Islanders traded down to get Josh Bailey. Twice. They originally held the fifth overall pick (Luke Schenn) and then the seventh overall pick (Colin Wilson). While both Schenn and Wilson have put up solid NHL careers, neither has accumulated the number of games played or points that Josh Bailey has.

In the third round, the Islanders selected Travis Hamonic who played 444 games for the Isles before getting traded to Calgary to be closer to home. In the fifth round, they took Matt Martin who has 560 games played and is 1/3 of the best fourth-line in hockey.

2009: Era Defining

Total games played: 2,028
Player with the biggest impact: John Tavares (669 games)

Yes, the players from this draft class have fewer games played with the Isles than 2008. But just barely. At this point, I’m going to consider the class of players drafted compared to those selected in 2008 to differentiate between the two.

The 2009 class is clearly better.

John Tavares was a sure-fire first overall pick. His 621 points for the Isles ranks fifth all-time. He’s a borderline superstar player. Eleven picks later the Isles picked Calvin de Haan who was a solid top-four defenseman for years.

Casey Cizikas, with 534 games played, is the beating heart of this team and the driving force behind the best fourth-line in hockey. He was selected in the fourth round of the draft.

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In the sixth round, the Islanders selected a future 40 goal scorer and captain Anders Lee.

With Tavares, de Haan, Cizikas, and Lee, the Isles were able to create a new era of Islanders hockey. While Tavares and de Haan are gone now, both Lee and Cizikas are still here and are building yet another era of Islandesr hockey.

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