| This would be the
first draft under GM Mike Milbury. He became the GM midway through the
1995-96 season when he replaced the fired Don Maloney. Don made an ill
advised trade towards the end of the lockout 1995 season sending Pierre
Turgeon to Montreal and getting the disgruntled Kirk Muller in return.
The Islanders finished with a 22-50-10 record in 1995-96 and earned the
3rd pick overall. Two late coming defensive talents managed to get
selected with the first two picks, Chris Phillips by Ottawa at #1 and
Andrei Zyuzin by San Jose at #2. Most of the talk surrounding the draft
leading up to it was centered around a tall center from Russia named
Alexander Volchkov. With the 3rd pick the Islanders decided to go with
another rising name in the draft, Jean-Pierre Dumont. Dumont quickly
climbed up the ladder in the weeks leading to the draft due to his
concentration on improving his skating ability. While Volchkov was being
predicted as a possible 50 goal scorer someday, Dumont was no slouch
offensively either. Fast forward 5 years and things have certainly
turned out to be interesting. Volchkov has only played in 3 games for
the Washington Capitals who took him at #4. Dumont has gone on to a
promising NHL career. The problem is that it has not been with the
Islanders. Dumont, who went 163-188-351 in 255 games over 5 season in
the QMJHL, broke a league record his final year in junior held by Mario
Lemieux when he scored 31 goals and added 15 assists for 46 points in 19
playoff games. Mike Milbury traded his rights, along with a 5th round
draft pick to Chicago in May of 1998, in exchange for Dmitri Nabokov,
who was drafted 19th overall in 1995. Nabokov scored 7 goals for Chicago
in a 25 games stint during 1997-98, but in the next two seasons he would
only go 4-9-13 in 30 games. He showed an unwillingness to play hard when
in the minors and is now out of the Islanders system. Chicago has also
made a mistake by trading Dumont to Buffalo in March 2000. Last season
Dumont was one of Buffalo's best players notching 23 goals, second most
on the team behind Miroslav Satan's 29. Back to the Islanders draft,
they did find a gem in the third round thanks to former Islander Anders
Kallur who is the Isles head European scout. Zdeno Chara was hardly
known to even exist. Kallur was the only person in the organization to
see him play. Chara would go on to play 231 games as an Islander from
1997 to 2001 and went 6-23-29 with 347 PIM's. And finally, the Islanders
began their love affair with Evgeny Korolev in the 8th round, who would
later be drafted in the 7th round of the 1998 draft.
|
LW Jean-Pierre Dumont - Trading him could be the worst
move Milbury ever made. Rights were sent to Chicago, with a 5th round pick,
in exchange for their former first rounder Dmitri Nabokov. Dumont went 19-14-33
in 72 games with Chicago. Was then sent to Buffalo where he had a breakout
season last year going 23-28-51 in 79 games.
LW
Dan Lacouture - Projected to be a career 3rd/4th line player. The Isles
traded his rights to Edmonton, August 25, 1997 in exchange for high scoring
winger Mariusz Czerkawski. A Great deal for the Isles. From 1998 to 2000,
Lacouture went scoreless in 8 games with Edmonton. Went 2-4-6 between Edmonton/Pittsburgh
in 2000-01.
G Tyrone Garner - Became part of the deal that
brought the Isles Robert Reichel from Calgary on March 18, 1997. Played 3
games for the Flames in 1998-99 going 0-2-0 with a 5.18 GAA. Has spent
most of the last 2 seasons in the ECHL with 3 different teams, most
previously the Greenville Grrrowl, going 28-24-7 in that span.
D Bubba Berenzweig - The Isles traded his rights to
Nashville for a 4th round pick (Johan Halvardsson) in 1999 Entry Draft,
April 14, 1999. Over the last 2 seasons with Nashville he has gone
scoreless in 7 games. In that same span with their IHL affiliate the
Milwaukee Admirals, Andy has gone 14-49-63 in 151 games played. 
C Petr Sachl - Rights traded to Nashville for their
9th round pick (Tomi Pettinen) in 2000 Draft, March 14, 2000. Started out
playing 1 game in the WCHL in 1999-00 with Tacoma, then went 30-25-55 in
58 UHL games between Fort Wayne and Ashville. Last season with the
Milwaukee Admirals of the IHL he went 12-17-29 in 76 games played.
C Todd Miller - Not signed to a contract by the
Islanders. From 1995-97 between the Sarnia Sting and Owen Sound Platers in
the OHL he went 20-35-55 in 98 games played. He played 6 games for the
Columbus Cottonmouths of the CHL in 2000-01 notching an assist and 10
PIM's.
G J.R. Prestifilippo - Played 4 years of college
hockey at Harvard University. During that time he compiled a record of
37-58-8 with 2 shutouts. Played very well as a junior in the annual
Bean Pot Tournament. Not signed by the Islanders. Last year he split time
with 3 ECHL teams (Pee Dee, Augusta, Greensboro) going 9-11-2 in 29
appearances.
D Evgeny Korolev - The only player to ever be
drafted twice by the Islanders, 7th round in 1998. Has played most of the
last three years in the minors and as a depth player on the blueline for
Isles. Was re-signed to a 2 year deal early in August 2001. He is 1-2-3 in
25 career games for the Islanders.
D Mike Muzechka - Defensive d-man went 6-35-41 in 277 games played
from 1994 to 1999 with Prince Albert, Calgary, Portland and Tri-City of
the WHL. Helped Portland win Memorial Cup in 1998. Attended the Atlanta
Thrashers camp in 1999. For the last 2 years has been a member of the
Univ. of Calgary Dinosaurs in the CIAU.
