Islanders: Best Player To Wear Number 30

Continuing our best of series, today we will look at the best player to wear number 30 for the New York Islanders in their history.

Today we’ll be looking at who wore the number 30 best for the New York Islanders. This number is very goalie heavy, as you’ll soon find out, starting with the first-ever player to wear the number which was Gerry Desjardins in 1972.

Some other notables to wear the number are Mark Fitzpatrick, Tommy Soderstrom, Garth Snow, and most recently J.F. Berube. Of this group, our honorable mention will be Mark Fitzpatrick who wore the number from 1989-1993.

The Isles acquired Fitzpatrick and Wayne McBean in a trade with Los Angeles Kings in 1989. Through his time with the Isles, he would split time with Glenn Healy but Fitz was a fairly decent 1B option for the Isles over his tenure.

His best year came in 1991-1992 when he had a .902 save percentage and a 3.20 goals against average. That year, he also took home the Masterton Trophy for the Isles as well.

Ironically, the guy the Isles traded in the Fitzpatrick trade, Kelly Hrudey, is the best player to wear number 30 for the Islanders.

In 1980, the Isles used their second-round pick to nab Kelly Hrudey. It took a few years before he’d join the team, as 1984-1985 was his first full year in the league, but he had an impact right away. In his first full season, he finished 14th in Calder voting.

His next season, saw him finish fifth in Vezina voting with a .906 save percentage and a 3.22 goals against average. He was the league leader in goals saved above average with 45.87 in 1986. He would finish third in Vezina voting in 1988  before being traded the following season.

In 241 games with the Islanders, Hrudey was 106-90-26 with a .889 save percentage and a 3.47 goals against average. He’s fourth all-time in wins for the Islanders and games played in net as well.

He’d go on to play eight years in L.A. and two in San Jose before calling it a career in 1998. After his playing career came to an end he would stay in the business by becoming a broadcaster. Since 2014, he’s been the color commentator for the Calgary Flames.