New York Islanders: Zdeno Chara and Their Top 10 NHL Draft Picks Ever

Since 1972, the New York Islanders have witnessed a plethora of talent come and go through their organization, with names like Mike Bossy, Pat LaFontaine and Bryan Trottier.

In the 90s, the Islanders drafted quite a few players who are featured in starring roles elsewhere now, such as Todd Bertuzzi and Zdeno Chara, due to poor management having traded them away.

Regardless of what GMs of the past did with those draft picks, you have to give them some props for drafting some incredible talent throughout the history of this organization.

Here are the top 10 draft picks that the New York Islanders ever selected.

Honorable Mentions

Todd Bertuzzi

Drafted 23rd overall in 1993. Was a true gem to come out of the New York Islanders' organization. He would only play three seasons with the Islanders before being traded by GM Mike Milbury to Vancouver along with defensive prospect Bryan McCabe for veteran Trevor Linden. It was there in Vancouver where Bertuzzi would begin to propel into one of the league's top offensive power forwards.

Roberto Luongo

Was a highly touted goal-tending prospect who the Isles took fourth overall in 1997. Luongo would only play one season there before New York would draft their new goalie of the future in 2000—Rick DiPietro.

Milbury made another boneheaded trade the same day they drafted DiPietro, sending Luongo and center Olli Jokinen to the Florida Panthers for forwards Mark Parrish and Oleg Kvasha. Luongo and Jokinen would go on to enjoy individually successful years in Florida.

The Isles used their 38th-overall pick in 1980 to select goaltender Kelly Hrudey. Hrudey was arguably most known for backstopping a Los Angeles Kings team starring Wayne Gretzky in the early 90s, but he also played in six seasons for the Islanders. Hrudey enjoyed a lengthy career from 1983 to 1998.

J.P. Dumont

Was selected third overall in 1996. He never played a game with the Islanders due to contract disputes, so he was then traded to Chicago. Although he wouldn't live up to the potential he displayed in junior hockey, Dumont has established a very solid NHL career as a secondary scorer. He has scored 523 points in 822 games over the course of 12 seasons thus far, split amongst Chicago, Buffalo, and Nashville.

I think it's also justified to give Jason Spezza a shoutout here, too. In a packaged deal with Zdeno Chara, the Islanders sent their second-overall draft pick in 2001 to the Ottawa Senators for Alexei Yashin. That draft pick turned out being Jason Spezza who would go on to help form the offensive core in Ottawa. Talk about a miscue. 

10. Zigmund Palffy

Zigmund "Ziggy" Palffy will go down as one of the best Slovakian-born players to play in the NHL. He only played 11 seasons in the league, largely due to a lingering shoulder injury that caused him to retire.

Five of those seasons were with the New York Islanders, who drafted him 26th overall in 1991.

Palffy, the four-time NHL All-Star, would go on to play for the Los Angeles Kings and the Pittsburgh Penguins, compiling a solid, but unfortunately short, career that would see him record 713 points in 684 career games.  

9. Bob Nystrom

In his hard-working career, Bob Nystrom will probably be best remembered for being a remarkably clutch player for the New York Islanders, especially come playoff time.

Nystrom scored four playoff overtime goals in his career, including the goal in 1980 that would give the Isles their first Stanley Cup in franchise history.

Drafted 33rd overall in 1972, that goal sparked the birth of a dynasty, as the Isles would go on to win three more consecutive Stanley Cups—all of which Nystrom was an instrumental part of.

Known for having a physical edge to his game, Nystrom finished his career with 1,248 penalty minutes in exactly 900 games, while also tallying 513 points. 

8. Brent Sutter

Although the Staals are constantly increasing their own popularity, the Sutter family is, without a doubt, the most famous and established hockey family to ever come through the NHL. 

Drafted 17th-overall in 1980, Brent Sutter, one of six brothers to play in the NHL, was truly a dynamic player for the New York Islanders. A captain for the Islanders in his time there, after Denis Potvin retired, Sutter registered 829 points in 1,111 career games, split between the Islanders and Blackhawks from 1980 to 1998.

7. Zdeno Chara

One of many outstanding players, the New York Islanders drafted, but traded away, Zdeno Chara was selected 56th overall in 1996.

The 6'9" mammoth of a defenseman spent three seasons with the Isles from 1998 to 2001. It wasn't until he was traded to the Ottawa Senators, along with forward Bill Muckalt and the second-overall pick in the 2001 NHL entry draft (Jason Spezza) for Alexei Yashin, that his career really took off.

A five-time All-Star and Norris Trophy winner in 2009, Chara won his first Stanley Cup last spring with the Boston Bruins, serving as their top rearguard and captain.

As he closes in on 1,000 games played, Chara has recorded 407 points in 928 games and remains a top shutdown defender in the game today. 

6. John Tavares

John Tavares might just be the best thing that's happened to the New York Islanders in the last decade.

During his time with Oshawa in the OHL, namely in 2006-07, Tavares broke "The Great One" Wayne Gretzky's record of goals by a 16-year-old, when he lit the lamp an astonishing 72 times. 

Tavares, who will be the biggest member of this rebuilding club going forward, has racked up 121 points in his first 161 career games with the Isles.

Now in his third season with the Islanders and currently serving as an alternate captain, Tavares was wisely locked up by management for six more years this past September.

It may be a little premature to rank him so high, being only 21 years old in his third season, but Tavares is already showing he can be a top dog in this league.

5. Clark Gillies

Drafted fourth overall in 1974 by the New York Islanders, Clark Gillies was never a real flashy player, nor was he the most physical guy on the ice, but his role was huge for the Isles.

He is probably best remembered for being an all-around player, having scored 30 goals for four straight seasons as part of the "Trio Grande" line that consisted of Gillies, Mike Bossy and Bryan Trottier, all of which are Hall of Famers now.

Gillies was a part of those four consecutive Stanley Cup victories by the Islanders in the early 80s. In his 14-year career, 12 of which were spent with the Isles, Gillies quietly recorded 697 points in 928 games, along with 1,023 penalty minutes. 

4. Pat LaFontaine

Selected third overall in 1983, LaFontaine was undeniably one of the best draft picks the Islanders have ever made.

Pat LaFontaine put together a remarkable 15-year career split between the New York Islanders, Buffalo Sabres and New York Rangers. Sadly, concussions ultimately ended his career early in 1999.

Over 865 games, LaFontaine found the scoresheet with a point 1,013 times.

LaFontaine deserves a spot on this list for his charity work alone. He founded the Companions in Courage Foundation in 1997, a charity that works to build game rooms in children's hospitals throughout North America. LaFontaine was also presented with the International Humanitarian Award by the Gift of Life Foundation in 2004.

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2003, the star who grew up in Waterford, Michigan, was inducted into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame in 2004, as well as the Nassau County Sports Hall of Fame in 2007. 

3. Mike Bossy

It's a sad sight when injuries plague a player from extending his fruitful career. Mike Bossy's career was cut short at just age 30 courtesy of a bad back, which is a shame because the 15th-overall pick in 1977 could have been the greatest goal scorer in the history of the game. 

Bossy still holds some incredible records, including the highest career goals-per-game average (.762) and the most consecutive seasons scoring 50 goals or more (9). His 573 career goals are good for 20th all-time. Bossy also finished with 1,126 points in only 752 career games.

In 1980-81, Bossy managed to light the lamp 50 times in his first 50 games, becoming the first player to score 50 goals in the first 50 games of the season since Maurice "Rocket" Richard some 36 years prior. 

He led the league twice in goal-scoring, was a three-time Lady Byng Trophy winner, a Calder Trophy winner and Conn Smythe Trophy winner in 1982. You probably could've guessed it, but he was also instrumental in the Islanders' four consecutive Stanley Cup championships. Bossy was consecutively responsible for the Stanley Cup winning goals in 1982 and 1983.

Bossy was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1991, and his No. 22 was retired on Long Island one year later. 

2. Bryan Trottier

The great Steve Yzerman grew up idolizing Bryan Trottier and wore No. 19 like the New York Islanders great did.

Trottier, the NHL's 15th all-time leading scorer (1,425 points) who also carries a plus-minus of plus-452, holds a couple interesting records, too.

He's one of eight NHL players with multiple five-goal games, as well as holding the record for most points in a a period, with six.

Trottier won the Calder Trophy in his first season, setting a rookie point record at the time, with 95.

From 1977-1984, a seven-season span, Trottier scored 100-plus points during six of those campaigns, establishing himself as an offensive machine.

However, his biggest feat was being a key part of that great Isles' dynasty that won four straight Stanley Cups from 1980 to 1983.

Drafted 22nd overall in 1974, Trottier was rightfully inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1997.   

1. Denis Potvin

Forget one of the greatest New York Islanders of all time. Denis Potvin is one of the greatest NHL defensemen of all-time.

Drafted first overall in 1973, Potvin recorded 1,052 points in 1,060 games over a dazzling 15-year career, an unheard of point-per-game pace as a defenseman. He is one of only eight defensemen to ever record 1,000 points. Those numbers are good for 62nd all-time in NHL scoring, as well as seventh all-time amongst defenders. 

Potvin was certainly apart of the Islanders' dynasty that saw them capture four straight Stanley Cups from 1980 to 1983. The great Potvin also won three Norris Trophies in 1976, 1978 and 1979 as the top NHL defenseman in each of those seasons.

When he retired after the 1988 season, Potvin held the record as the NHL career leader in playoff goals, assists and points for a defenseman. He was the first Islander to have his number retired and was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1991, alongside teammate Mike Bossy.

There was neither a better Islander draft pick nor a better Islander, period, to ever don the orange, blue and white on Long Island than Denis Potvin.