G37 Oilers at Islanders

The New York Islanders of the Torrey-Arbour era were formidable. Quality, depth, skill and a massive mean streak, the club had impact players who were complemented by a large group of role players. Although Bill Torrey didn't invent the trade deadline, he famously used it to put his team over the top in 1980. It didn't take a long time for the Islanders to win. Their first draft picks (expansion and amateur) came in 1972 and they won their first Stanley in 1980. Nine seasons. It'll be six seasons since 2006 summer for the Oilers at the end of this campaign. Islanders had 12 wins in their first season and 19 the next--that was the season they hired Al Arbour. 33 wins in year three and then 42, 47, 48, 51 and then 39 in the season the Islanders won their first Stanley. Bill Torrey, Al Arbour and a bunch of hockey men with names like Gerry Ehman and Earl Ingarfield quickly became one of the "have" teams at the draft table during the 1970s. Montreal, Boston, Toront...