Islanders drafted the same player twice in the 90s

In the 90s the New York Islanders did something that is rarely done in the NHL. They drafted the same player in two separate drafts.

It rarely happens that a player gets drafted twice. And it’s even rarer that a player not only gets drafted twice but get drafted twice by the same team no less. With picks in 1996 and 1998, the New York Islanders did just that.

At the 1996 NHL Entry Draft, the Islanders had ten selections to make. Through the first seven rounds, the Islanders picked up players like J.P. Dumont (3rd overall) and Zdeno Chara (56th overall). In the eighth round, 192nd overall, they selected Evgeny Korolev.

Playing for the Peterborough Peters of the OHL, Korolev had 14 points in 60 games on the blueline. In 1996, he Petes won the OHL championship and were the runner up for the CHL’s Memorial Cup.

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Korolev continued playing for the Petes until the 1997-98 season until he was traded to the London Knights. He finished with a strong 40 points in 64 games ranking him 21st in scoring for defensemen in the OHL that season.

But without a contract from the Islanders, Korolev re-entered the NHL draft in 1998. Maybe this time he’d get a contract and a shot at the NHL.

In the seventh round, with the 182nd overall pick, ten picks prior to his 1996 draft, Korolev was picked by the New York Islanders yet again.

This time, the Islanders signed the young Russian. For the 1998-99 season, Korolev bounced between the AHL and ECHL recording nine points in 56 games.

Over the next three years, Korolev bounced between the Islanders and the AHL. He played a total of 42 games with the Isles and scored five points. His only NHL goal was on Martin Brodeur in an 8-2 loss at the hands of the New Jersey Devils on March 24, 2000.

Korolev was back in Russia for the 2002-03 season where he’d play out the rest f his career.

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Very few players get drafted into the NHL. Even fewer enter the draft twice and get picked a second time. Players drafted twice by the same team is even smaller pool. So I guess Korolev can hang his hat on that…and scoring on Marty Brodeur.