Islanders: Best Player To Wear Number 38

Continuing our best of series, today we will look at the best player to wear number 38 for the New York Islanders in their history.

In the New York Islanders‘ history, 15 players have worn the number 38. The first to ever wear it was Mick Vukota in 1988-1989. Some other notables are Jason Simon, Andreas Johansson, Allan Rourke, Jack Hillen, and Bracken Kearns.

Of that bunch, we’ll go with Jack Hillen as the honorable mention. Hillen made his Islanders debut during the 2007-2008 season playing two games with the big club. The following year he’d get a little more action, moving up to 40 games.

It was over the next two years that he became a regular. In 2009-2010 he had 21 points (3 goals, 18 assists) in 69 games and then put up 22 points (4 goals, 18 assists) the following year in 64 games.

Over four years and 175 games with the Islanders, Hillen averaged 18:42 of ice time per night. That leads us to our winner today, Dave Scatchard.

In December of 1999, the Isles sent Felix Potvin, and two picks to Vancouver and in return received Bill Muckalt, Dave Scatchard, and Kevin Weekes. In his first year on the Island, Scatchard had 26 points (12 goals, 14 assists).

The following year, Scatchard would put up 45 points and finish 41st in Selke voting. Arguably his best year on the Island came in 2002-2003 when he finished with 27 goals and 45 points and finished 25th in Selke voting.

His final year with the Islanders came in 2003-2004 before the lockout. Scatchard had 25 points In 61 games that year. He’d finish his five years in blue and orange with 168 points (81 goals, 87 assists) in 347 games.

He’d play with Boston, Phoenix, Nashville, and St. Louis before calling it a career in 2011. He ended up playing 11 years in the league and was a solid middle-six forward in the NHL over that span.