Former Islanders Still Fighting For Stanley Cup (ct)

While the New York Islanders’ playoff run was short-lived, as they lost in five games to the Carolina Hurricanes, some former Islanders are still fighting for Lord Stanley.

With the Edmonton Oilers knocking off the Vancouver Canucks in Game 7 of the Second Round, the NHL’s Final Four is officially set.

The Oilers will battle the Dallas Stars in the Western Conference Finals, while the Florida Panthers head to Broadway to face the New York Rangers in the Eastern Conference Finals.

While the New York Islanders’ playoff run was short-lived, as they lost in five games to the Carolina Hurricanes, some former Islanders are still fighting for Lord Stanley.

Kyle Okposo, Florida Panthers

Drafted seventh overall in the 2006 NHL Draft, Kyle Okposo spent nine seasons on Long Island (2007-2016), scoring 139 goals with 230 assists for 369 points in 529 games.

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In three postseason appearances with the Islanders, last making the postseason in 2016 with the Islanders before joining the Panthers at the 2024 NHL Trade Deadline after eight non-playoff years with the Buffalo Sabres, Okposo had seven goals and eight assists for 15 points in 24 games.

Okposo’s best season in Blue & Orange came in 2013-14 when he scored 27 goals with 42 assists for 69 points in 71 games.

His first NHL goal is one for the highlight reel, a one-timer from hist inside the right face-off dot, beating Hockey Hall of Famer Martin Brodeur high glove side while helmetless:

Playing in eight of the Panthers’ 13 playoff games, Okposo has two assists.

Carter Verhaeghe, Florida Panthers

Although Carter Verhaeghe never donned an Islanders sweater, he did play for the organization from 2015-2017.

Originally drafted in the third round (No. 82) by the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2013, he wound up on Long Island after then-Leafs and current Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello included him in a deal, along with forward Taylor Beck, defensemen Matt Finn and Tom Nilson and goaltender Christopher Gibson to acquire speedy forward Michael Grabner ahead of the 2015-16 season.

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During his two years with the Islanders, Verhaeghe spent most of his time with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, playing 75 games for their AHL affiliate, with 26 goals and 24 assists for 44 points.

He also found himself in the ECHL in both seasons, playing 20 games for the Missouri Mavericks in 2015-16, with eight goals and 17 assists for 25 points, before a 16-game stint in 2016-17, potting 12 goals with 20 assists for 32 points.

He participated in the ECHL playoffs in 2015-16, scoring two goals and nine assists for 11 points in 10 games.

On July 1, 2017, Islanders general manager Garth Snow made a 1-for-1 deal with the Tampa Bay Lightning, sending them Verhaeghe for goaltender Kristers Gudlevskis.

The Latvian goaltender never played for the Islanders, but he played 37 games in Bridgeport during the 2017-18 season. He went 12-16-2 with a 2.83 GAA and a .897 SV% before going to the KHL the following season.

Verhaeghe didn’t do much in his first NHL season (2019-20), with just nine goals and four assists for 13 points in 52 games, but he found his game in 2020-21 after joining the Panthers.

He scored 18 goals and 18 assists for 36 points in 43 games before putting together a 24-goal campaign in 2021-2022, a 32-goal campaign in 2022-23, and a 34-goal campaign this past season.

In 11 playoff games this season, Verheaghe has 11 points (six goals, five assists).

*Erik Gustafsson, New York Rangers

Drafted by the Edmonton Oilers in the fourth round (No. 93) at the 2012 NHL Draft, defenseman Erik Gustafsson made his NHL debut with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2015-16, spending five seasons with their organization before bouncing around the NHL.

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He was traded to the Calgary Flames at the end of the 2019-20 season, then joined the Philadelphia Flyers ahead of 2020-21. Then, at the 2021 NHL Trade Deadline, he was dealt to the Montreal Canadiens.

After waiting around in free agency, the Islanders brought Gustafsson in on a PTO (Professional Tryout) but he did not get a contract.

The Blackhawks eventually signed him for the 2021-2022 season. He started the 2022-23 season with the Washington Capitals before being moved to the Toronto Maple Leafs at the 2023 NHL Trade Deadline.

Last offseason, he signed with the New York Rangers, scoring six goals with 25 assists in 76 games during the regular season before recording three assists through their 10 postseason games thus far.

Alain Nasreddine, Dallas Stars Assistant Coach

Drafted in the sixth round (No. 135) by the Florida Panthers in the 1993 NHL Draft, defenseman and now Dallas Stars assistant coach Alain Nasreddine played five NHL seasons, mostly playing in the AHL and the IHL.

On March 9, 2000, then Islanders general manager Mike Milbury sent Matthieu Descoteaux and Christian Laflamme to the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for Nasreddine and Igor Uloanov.

Nasreddine played two seasons with the Islanders organization, playing three games at the NHL level in 2002-03, with two penalty minutes.

In 120 games with Bridgeport, he scored four goals with 15 assists for 19 points.

On March 8, 2004, the Islanders sent the Quebec native to the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for forward Steve Webb.

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The Islanders’ new forward spent eight seasons on Long Island, logging 530 penalty minutes in 316 games, with five goals and 13 assists for 18 points.

Nasreddine spent the next five seasons with the Pittsburgh Penguins organization before concluding his playing career in 2009-10 in the DEL, Germany’s top league.

After returning to North America to be an assistant coach with the Wikes-Barrie Scranton Penguins from 2010-2015, he joined the New Jersey Devils coaching staff from 2015-2022, being named their interim head coach in 2019-20 after Pete DeBoer, the Stars current head coach, was relieved of his duties.

Michael Peca, New York Rangers Assistant Coach:

Drafted by the Vancouver Canucks in the second round (No. 40) of the 1992 NHL Draft, Michael Peca signed with the Islanders following the 2000-2001 NHL lockout after spending five seasons with the Buffalo Sabres (1995-2000), two serving as their captain.

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The Islanders immediately gave Peca the “C”, as he went on to score 25 goals with 35 assists for 60 points in 80 games in 2001-02.

Over the next two seasons, Peca scored 25 goals with 58 assists for 82 points in 142 games.

The Islanders made the playoffs in all three seasons with Peca, where he had just one goal in 15 postseason contests.

Then, after the 2004-05 NHL lockout, the Islanders traded Peca to the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for forward Mike York.

That year, the Oilers went to the Stanley Cup Final but lost to Rod Brind’Amour and the Carolina Hurricanes. In 24 playoff games, Peca scored six goals, adding five assists for 11 points.

After the 2005-06 season, Peca signed a one-year deal with the Maple Leafs before playing his final two NHL seasons with the Columbus Blue Jackets (2007-09).

Following his retirement, Peca became the head coach of the Buffal Jr. Sabres of the Ontario Junior Hockey League before working as a player development coach with the Washington Capitals in 2020-21, dealing with the Taxi Squad players.

He returned to the Sabres organization before the 2021-22 season, serving as the Rochester Americans (AHL affiliate) assistant coach for two seasons before joining the Rangers bench this past summer.