The Islanders will have a new captain this year.
Mike Milbury was up to his old, bold and mad ways yesterday as the Isles’ GM pulled the trigger on a truckload of deals that shook the hockey world.
Captain Michael Peca was traded to Edmonton just hours after the team inked sniper Miroslav Satan to a three-year deal, a move made in an effort to clear some space under the $39 million salary cap.
Peca, who was in the final year of his contract with the Islanders and was slated to earn $3.99 million this season, was sent to the Oilers for former Ranger Mike York.
Satan, 29, was signed to a deal that will pay him $4.25 million per season. The Isles also traded a conditional draft pick for Vancouver defenseman Brent Sopel, who, like York, is an unsigned restricted free agent.
Trading Peca, the team’s captain since he came to the Islanders before the 2001 season, is Milbury’s boldest move in years. Peca never was the same after Darcy Tucker submarined him in the 2001 playoffs and had shown only flashes of his old Captain Crunch persona during his injury-riddled tenure in an Islander uniform.
In Satan, the Isles have one of the most dynamic scorers in the league and someone to ride shotgun alongside Alexei Yashin, who may now wear the “C’ on his jersey.
“We were looking for a star-caliber scorer to add to our offense, and we have landed one of the best in Miroslav,’ Milbury said. “He’s an ideal complement to the rest of our top forwards. This is a huge signing for us.’
A day after inking veteran Alexei Zhitnik to a four-year, $14 million deal, the Isles, as Milbury promised, made some big-time noise on the transaction wire yesterday. In Sopel, a scraggly haired western Canadian with a nice outlet pass, the Islanders have a puck mover and shooter who will help to ease the loss of Adrian Aucoin.
“Brent is a polished defenseman just entering the prime of his career after improving in his development with each season in Vancouver,’ Milbury said in a statement. “Our scouts feel strongly that, like Alexei Zhitnik and Janne Niinimaa, Brent will excel under the new rules changes.’
Satan scored 29 goals for the Sabres in 2003-04, while Sopel scored 10 goals and 42 points with the free-skating Canucks.
If the Isles sign Sopel – a restricted free agent – beyond this season, they will give Vancouver a second-round pick in the draft. If they can’t, the Canucks will receive a third-round selection.
