IslesInfo - 1989 Draft

1989 Draft

The Islanders finished the 1988-89 season with a 28-47-5 record, missing the playoffs for the first time in 15 years. Their 61 points was tied for worst in the league, tied with the Quebec Nordiques who finished with a 27-46-7 record. Thanks to the Islanders having one more win than the Nordiques, Quebec won out the first pick overall. With that pick, they chose center Mats Sundin from Sweden. Sundin has enjoyed a very successful career with the Nordiques and later the Toronto Maple Leafs as he is sure to reach the 1,000 point mark sometime in the near future. The Isles, having drafted out of the Western Hockey League each of the last two drafts, would select David Chyzowski from the Kamloops Blazers. Chyzowski was known for his booming slapshot as he used it to increase his goal total from 16 to 56 in his second year of juniors. He would later become the youngest player ever to suit up for the Islanders in 1989-90, a factor that would play a big part in his downfall to ever making it in the NHL. The Islanders were a horrible team at the time for a young player, only 18 years of age, to make his debut on. Plus, Chyzowski relied way too much on his shot. Opposing goaltenders found out early on that was just about all he had and goals quickly started to come few and far between for the young Chyzowski. He eventually amounted only 15 goals in parts of 5 seasons with the Islanders before being released. He got another cup of coffee with the Chicago Blackhawks in 1996-97, but has spent the last few years playing over in Europe.

Hits: For an Islander draft that saw the selection of 14 players, very few ever got to wear an Islander jersey. Second round pick Travis Green would go on to have a much better career than Chyzowski did. He joined the Islanders for their run in 1992-93 and they went all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals against Montreal as he played a huge part for them centering the third line. Vladimir Malakhov would join the Isles that same season from Russia along with 1992 first round pick Darius Kasparaitis to help fortify the defense. Both Green and Malakhov are playing in the NHL still today. Iain Fraser defied odds as the 233rd player chosen and made it for 7 games with the Isles during that 1992-93 season. His Oshawa Generals(OHL) teammate, 4th round pick Brent Grieve played in 3 scoreless games for the Isles in 1993-94.

Misses: Third round pick Jason Zent out of Wisconsin was suppose to be a big goal scorer in the making but never caught on with the Islanders. The Islanders made 3 fifth round selection, none of which made it professionally. 7th round pick Brett Harkins out of Bowling Green University went on to be a career minor leaguer with a handful of NHL experience. 8th round pick Phil Huber, a teammate of Chyzowski's in Kamloops, toiled in the Islanders minor league system for a few years.

Turn Back the Clock: Hindsight is always 20/20. But if the Islanders could turn back the clock to June 1989, who should they have taken? Winger Scott Thornton was taken with the 3rd pick by Toronto and has been a serviceable player in the NHL mostly with San Jose. Center Stu Barnes was taken 4th by Winnipeg and has put up some good offensive numbers playing with Pittsburgh, Florida and Buffalo. Most notably, RW Bill Guerin was selected 5th overall by the New Jersey Devils. They eventually parted ways with him, but he did help them win the Cup in 1995 and has turned into one of the best goal scorers in the NHL today. Other Notables: C Bobby Holik 10th overall to Hartford and G Olaf Kolzig 19th by Washington. IslesInfo choice: Guerin.

LW David Chyzowski - Played 2+ seasons with Kamloops Blazers(WHL) and went 77-67-144 in 138 GP. Became youngest Isle ever in 1989-90, 18yrs-3mths. WJC Team Canada gold medal, 1990. Played parts of 5 seasons with Isles from 1989-95 going 15-16-31 in 118 GP. Released 1995. Scoreless in 8 GP with Chicago in 1996-97.
Drafted: 1st round, 2nd overall

C Travis Green - Played 4 years mostly with Spokane Chiefs(WHL) going 152-190-342 in 286 GP. Joined Capital District(AHL) for 2 yrs before joining Isles in 1992-93. Centered the "Kid Line" with McInnis & Dalgarno on wing. In 6 season from 1992-98 he went 92-145-237 in 388 GP. Traded to Anaheim in 1998. Now with Leafs.
Drafted: 2nd round, 23rd overall

LW Jason Zent - 4 yrs at U. of Wisconsin going 92-68-160 in 164 GP. Traded to Ottawa 10/15/94 for Ottawa's 5th round choice in 1996(Andy Berenzweig). Played in the AHL from 1994-98 and got into 25 games with Ottawa going 3-3-6. Signed as FA with Philadelphia in 1998. Played 2 games with Flyers. Retired after 1999-00.
Draft: 3rd round, 44th overall

LW Brent Grieve - 4 yrs with Oshawa Generals(OHL) from 1986-90 going 108-119-227 in 226 GP. Played in CDI(AHL) for 4 yrs before getting in 3 games with Isles in 1993-94. Traded to EDM for D Marc Laforge 12/15/93. Scored 13 goals in 24 games for EDM that season. 42 more games between Chicago & LA as FA. Retired in 1997.
Draft: 4th round, 65th overall

D Jace Reed - Played 2 years at the University of North Dakota from 1989-91 going scoreless in 23 games played. On 9/15/99, Reed became dehydrated in a 10 kilometer charity road race. Damage to his kidney and liver resulted in transplants that ended his hockey career. Read more about his lawsuit against UND in the link below.
Draft: 5th round, 86th overall Reed vs. UND Lawsuit, 1999

RW Steve Young - Played 4 yrs in the WHL from 1986-90 with 6 different teams(Calgary, Lethbridge, New Westminster, Moose Jaw, Prince Albert, Portland) going 50-51-101 in 200 GP. No relation to the football player. Went on to play 4 yrs with the U. of Alberta(CIAU-Canadian U.) from 1990-94 going 25-46-71 in 151 GP.
Draft: 5th round, 90th overall

D Kevin O'Sullivan - Somehow got in 5 seasons at BU from 1989-94 going 17-69-86 in 185 GP. Signed as a FA with Montreal on 9/13/1993. Split time between the Fredericton Canadiens(AHL) and a couple of ECHL teams from 1994 to 1996. Scored a goal in his final, and only, professional game with Atlanta(IHL) in 1995-96.
Draft: 5th round, 99th overall

D Jon Larson - Teammate of Jace Reed at UND from 1989-93 going 3-10-13 in 94 GP. Played in the ECHL from 1993-97. Played 12 games over 2 seasons, 1996-98, with the Syracuse Crunch of the AHL notching 2 goals. He split 1997-98 between Raleigh and Mobile of the ECHL before retiring.
Draft: 7th round, 128th overall

LW Brett Harkins - 4 yrs with BGSU from 1989-93 going 60-148-208 in 150 GP. Signed as FA by Adirondack(AHL) Sept. 1993. Signed by Boston 7/94 and led AHL in assists in 1994-95. Always been a setup man. Also been signed as a FA by Florida, Boston again & Columbus. Signed by Skelleftea(Sweden) as FA for 2002-03.
Draft: 7th round, 133rd overall

C Phil Huber - 3 yrs with Kamloops(WHL) from 1987-90 going 136-187-323 in 207 GP. High scoring junior player never found his touch in the Isles system from 1990-94 mostly with CDI(AHL). Went to Europe in 1994-95 and has played in the BHL(British Leagues) and Germany in the DEL, last with the Krefeld Penguins in 2001-02.
Draft: 8th round, 149th overall

C Matthew Robbins - Played for the U. of Lowell in 1989-90 going 2-8-10 in 14 GP. From 1992-97 he played predominantly in the ECHL with the Charlotte Checkers. He got in 9 games with the Providence Bruins in 1993-94. In 1997-98, his final year, he went to Finland to play for Karpat, where he scored 50 pts in 44 games.
Draft: 9th round, 170th overall

D Vladimir Malakhov - Joined the Isles at the age of 24 after 5 yrs in Russia. Olympic gold medal, 1992. Helped Isles to 3rd rd in 1993 playoffs. 3 yrs with the Isles from 1992-95 went 27-98-125 in 166 GP. Annoyed coach Al Arbour. Traded in 1995 to MTL in 4 player deal. Joined NJ for Cup run in 2000. Signed as FA with NYR in 7/00.
Draft: 10th round, 191st overall

C Kelly Ens - 4 yrs in WHL with Calgary & Lethbridge Hurricanes from 1986-90 going 146-133-279 in 259 GP. From 1990-03 Ens split time between Springfield of the AHL and the Louisville Icehawks of the ECHL. He reached the 20 goal mark twice for Louisville. Retired following 1992-93.
Draft: 11th round, 212th overall

C Iain Fraser - 4 yrs with Oshawa from 1986-90 going 79-127-206 in 139 GP. Was named the Memorial Cup MVP in 1990. Scored 40 goals & 110 pts in 1992-93. Same yr went 2-2-4 in 7 games with Isles. Signed as FA with Quebec in 1993 & notched 17 goals in 60 GP. Brief time with DAL, EDM, WPG & SJ. WCHL in 2002-03.
Draft: 12th round, 233rd overall

1998-2005 Tom Mascioli