The New York Islanders were coming into the draft thinking about getting a defenseman. They did, but it came before they even made their pick.
Just seconds after the Oilers made Nail Yakupov the No. 1 overall selection, Arthur Stape of Newsday tweeted that the Isles made the second trade of the day, the first at the draft.
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In the end the deal is Visnovsky to the Islanders for the second-round selection in the 2013 draft.
It was just two seasons ago that Visnovsky put up excellent offensive numbers and enhanced his reputation as an great offensive defenseman. He scored 18 goals and had 50 assists. However he dropped significantly this season for the Ducks, scoring six goals and adding 21 assists in 68 games.
Now he gives the Isles a veteran presence on the blue line to try and establish a better blue line while the youth movement with the organization continues. For a second-round pick in next year's draft, that's not bad. At 35, the Ducks probably weren't going to get a ton for Visnovsky anyway, especially after a down season.
Visnovsky has just one season left on his contract that carries a pretty hefty $5.6 million burden with it. If he can return to form a little, though, it's a nice addition for the Isles, trying to mix the young with some old.
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