The Islanders started draft night with no picks in the first round, but Garth Snow dealt his way in with two trades. The first trade they made was interesting, as top prospect defenseman Griffin Reinhart went to the Edmonton Oilers for picks 16 in the first round and 33 in the second round. Reinhart was the number 4 pick in the 2012 Draft, and was picked ahead of Filip Forsberg, Tomas Hertl, Hampus Lindholm, and Teuvo Teravainen among others. Reinhart was made expendable by the presence of Ryan Pulock, who might be ready to hit the big club this season, so Reinhart was sent packing for the picks.
Peter Chiarelli needed to shore up that Oilers defense so he has a lot riding on this trade. Reinhart could grow into that big defenseman (“grow” as in figuratively, not literally as he’s listed at 6’4″ 217 lbs) that is a nice complement to all of the offensive talent on the Oilers. The 16th pick (originally acquired for David Perron) along with a high second round pick does seem like a steep price to pay, but the good news for the Oilers is that at only 21 years old, Reinhart still has time to develop. One more veteran defenseman could really help the Oilers ease Reinhart into a comfortable role so that too much isn’t expected of him at the start.
The Islanders used the 16th pick on Mathew Barzal, a center from the WHL’s Seattle Thunderbirds, who dropped in the draft partly due to a fractured kneecap that caused him to miss three months. But Central Scouting had him ranked 11th, so the Islanders have already turned Reinhart into some good value. The interesting part is that this is the same pick that was rumored to be involved in a deal for Cam Talbot of the Rangers. And when Gary Bettman strode to the podium and announced that the Oilers have “traded pick 16 and pick 33 to the New York …” I and I’m sure many others were expecting that next word to be “Rangers”. But the Islanders nabbed it, took Barzal, and perhaps (though we won’t know for sure) blocked the Rangers from getting that draft pick for Talbot. Ironically, the second first rounder the Islanders traded for was from Tampa Bay … the pick that the Rangers traded to the Lightning in the Martin St. Louis deal. If Anthony Beauvillier, who the Islanders used that pick on turns into a star, then it will be bitter irony for Rangers fans.
But one thing you can’t deny is that the Islanders have been very aggressive so far. To get that kind of return for Reinhart should make Garth Snow very pleased.
