10 Notable Players Who Have Left Islanders Since 2010
By Daniel Friedman
» More Columns
With Travis Hamonic confirming Thursday that he has requested a trade, we take a look at 10 noteworthy players and prospects that either were dealt or signed elsewhere during general manager Garth Snow's tenure over the past five years:
10. Ville Pokka
Dealt to Chicago in the Nick Leddy trade, Pokka was held in relatively high regard, but was passed by on the Islanders' prospect depth chart.
9. Anders Nilsson
Also part of the Leddy swap, Nilsson now tends goal in Edmonton, where he continues to do what he did in New York -- making outrageous saves one minute and giving up softies the next.
8. Sean Bergenheim
Bergenheim was a free agent after the 2009-10 campaign and elected to sign with Tampa Bay. He played a big role during the Lightning's playoff run in his first season there. Bergenheim now plays in the Swiss League for SC Bern. He was a first-round pick of the Islanders in 2002.
7. Blake Comeau
Once seen as a future key cog for the Islanders, Comeau showed flashes of brilliance, including a 24-goal, 46-point season in 2010-11 that many considered to be a big step forward, but was too inconsistent. He was waived by the Isles and claimed by Calgary the following season, after going without a point in his first 16 contests.
6. Andrew MacDonald
MacDonald was due for a massive overpayment after being dubbed the most underrated and underpaid defenseman in hockey for three years. After the Islanders traded him to the Flyers, Philadelphia gave it to him. He now plays for the Flyers' AHL affiliate in Allentown (Lehigh Valley Phantoms).
5. Jared Spurgeon
Spurgeon was never signed by the Islanders after they took him in the sixth round of the 2008 draft. He's now a quite serviceable and versatile blueliner for the Minnesota Wild.
4. Griffin Reinhart
The Isles' fourth overall pick in 2012 was seen as their future anchor on defense, but he didn't progress as quickly as the team was hoping he would. As he fell down the depth chart, his chances to crack the roster diminished. The Islanders traded him to Edmonton during this past summer's draft, and that allowed them to pick some very talented prospects in from a deep pool.
3. Nino Niederreiter
Niederreiter was unhappy with his situation and with being sent to Bridgeport (AHL), so he demanded a trade. The Islanders then moved him to Minnesota, where he now gets significant playing time and has averaged 36 points in two seasons. He's on pace for 38 in 2015-16. Niederreiter was the Isles' fifth overall pick in 2010.
2. P.A. Parenteau
Nobody racks up secondary assists better than Parenteau, who was wisely let go by the Islanders after commanding a salary of $4 million per year, something he wasn't worth at the time. He bounced around as a regular healthy scratch in Colorado and Montreal and is now playing in a regular role for Toronto. He has nine points in 19 games.
1. Matt Moulson
John Tavares's best bud and 30-goal-per-season linemate was inexplicably traded to Buffalo for Thomas Vanek, a player the Islanders delusionally felt they could re-sign, even though it was widely known that his intentions were to sign with Minnesota in the offseason.