On a significant day for the New York Islanders, the team honored hockey legend Pat LaFontaine by inducting him into their Hall of Fame. Coinciding with this event, Emil Heineman, one of the team’s newest players, delivered a memorable performance. He scored the decisive goal in a shootout, leading the Islanders to a 3-2 victory against the Tampa Bay Lightning. This was Heineman’s second shootout winner of the season.
Tracing the 44-Year Trade Tree Journey
Heineman’s achievement represents the culmination of a remarkable 44-year journey linked to the trade that brought LaFontaine to the Islanders. The initial pick that selected LaFontaine was obtained from the Colorado Rockies in 1981, in a trade for players Dave Cameron and Bob Lormier.
Key Branches of the Trade Tree
Heineman’s story is part of a broad trade tree with several prominent players involved:
- Pierre Turgeon: Acquired in 1991 from the Buffalo Sabres, he was part of a deal that also involved four other players.
- Wendel Clark: Turgeon was eventually traded to the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for him, along with Kirk Muller and defenseman Mathieu Schneider.
- Roberto Luongo: A first-round pick from the Turgeon trade was used to select Luongo.
- Mark Parrish and Brent Sopel: These players were acquired from Luongo and Jokinen’s trade to the Florida Panthers.
- Travis Hamonic: He emerged from a deal involving multiple draft picks, highlighting the intricate connections in the trade tree.
Recent Developments
Hamonic’s journey continued when he was traded to the Calgary Flames in 2017. This deal included multiple draft picks, one of which became Noah Dobson. The latest move in this extensive trade lineage was Heineman’s acquisition by the Islanders. He was traded for the picks that eventually became Victor Eklund and Kashawn Aitcheson.
Notable Trade Counterparts
Interestingly, this trade history includes notable exchanges on the reverse side, particularly:
- Alexei Yashin Trade: The Islanders traded Zdeno Chara, Bill Muckalt, and a first-round pick (later used for Jason Spezza) for Yashin.
- Oleg Kvasha Trade: The forward was dealt to the Arizona Coyotes in exchange for a third-round pick, which eventually allowed the Boston Bruins to select Brad Marchand.
The trade of LaFontaine to Buffalo set off a chain of events that would intertwine the fates of numerous players for over four decades. As Emil Heineman establishes himself on Long Island, fans can trace his success back to that foundational trade that honored LaFontaine.
