Isles Info - 1995 Draft

The Islanders came off the 1995 lockout shortened season with a 15-28-5 record and missed the playoffs after making it two consecutive seasons in a row. This would end up being GM Don Maloney's third draft and last hurrah since just about a week before the draft he brought in ESPN Analyst Mike Milbury to replace fired Lorne Henning as coach. Milbury would later become the GM midway into the 1995-96 season when the gang of four owners fired Maloney, largely in part for his failed Pierre Turgeon for Kirk Muller deal late in the 1995 season. Coming into this draft all the talk was centered around two defensemen, Bryan Berard of the OHL's Detroit Jr. Red Wings and Wade Redden of the WHL's Brandon Wheat Kings. They were touted to be the consensus #1 and #2 far ahead of all the others. While Redden was considered the all around solid talent at both ends type of defenseman, Berard was exciting scouts with his offensive prowess and was seen as the home run of the draft. The Ottawa Senators made it easy once they selected Berard and Redden fell into the Isles laps. But Redden would only last one training camp in New York. He was bullied by a then immature Milbury during the first couple of days when Mike got right in Wade's face and told him to shape up and start being a man or he wont last in the NHL. Once Milbury became the GM in December of 1995, he made sure Redden never played for the Islanders when he finally ended the Kirk Muller fiasco. Oddly enough, Redden would basically be swapped for none other than Bryan Berard, who did not want to play for Ottawa, on January 23, 1996. Today, Wade Redden is one of the best young players in the NHL while unfortunately Bryan Berard was eventually traded to Toronto in January of 1999 for Felix Potvin. Due to a near career ending accidental stick related eye injury from Ottawa's Marian Hossa during the 1999-2000 season Berard was forced to temporarily retire. He sat out the 2000-01 season but was cleared to return in 2001-02. Berard made a comeback with the New York Rangers and has since played with Boston and is currently with the Chicago Blackhawks.

Hits: Redden has certainly developed into one of the top defensemen in the NHL. Berard was on his way to doing the same especially after winning the Calder Trophy for Rookie of the Year in the NHL in 1997. Unfortunately Milbury lost patience with Berard and foolishly traded him off to Toronto. The only other player in this draft to make it to the NHL was Vladimir Orszagh. The small winger always played hard but couldn't get past fourth line spot duty for the Islanders. After leaving the Islanders organization and returning to Europe with Sweden's Djurgarden, Orszagh returned to the NHL with the expansion Nashville Predators. He currently has developed into one of their best players.

Misses: The Islanders waited three years for second round pick Czech winger Jan Hlavac to develop into something, but it wasn't until 1997 that the player started to show some improvement. After he was dealt a couple times Hlavac was finally wooed to the NHL by his friend Petr Nedved who was then a member of the New York Rangers. After showing promise with 47 goals in his first two NHL seasons, Hlavac has since seen a decline in his play having been dealt to Philadelphia, Vancouver, Carolina and back to the Rangers.

Turn Back the Clock: Hindsight is always 20/20. You can't fault the Islanders for selecting Redden. Berard and Redden entering the draft were #1 and #1a and Berard was taken first by the Senators. You can't fault the Islanders for the deal they made acquiring Berard. You'd make that deal every time. As far as other possibilities on draft day, lets take a look at some of the other players that were available had the Islanders decided to shock the world and select somebody else. There are so many good players who were selected after the Islanders took Redden that have gone on to solid NHL careers. One who has had a stellar career to this point is Jarome Iginla who was taken 11th overall by the Dallas Stars. Some other notables are: Daymond Langkow 5th overall to Tampa Bay, Shane Doan 7th overall to Winnipeg, Kyle McLaren 9th overall to Boston, Jean-Sebastien Giguere 13th overall to Hartford, and Miikka Kiprusoff 116th overall to San Jose. islesinfo.com choice: Definitely Iginla with Doan as a fallback plan. Though, the way he has played the last year or so since 2003, Kiprusoff could be the best goaltender in the NHL today.

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