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| Mathieu Tousignant. LaPresse photo. |
The trading period is approaching so in preparation, Islanders Country will take a look at previous trade period movement made by the Rocket/Islanders.
Please note, seasons 2006-07 and beyond are archived by the QMJHL with full trades.
Since we started with the 2006-07 season, it is time to take a look at the moves made the following season at the deadline.
Before we take a look at the trading period, just need to point out a trade that was made in the off-season and can be labeled as the worst trade in Rocket/Islanders history.
At the draft, the Islanders traded Sydney, N.S. native Joey Haddad, 19, to Cape Breton for 20-year-old defenceman Jason Swit. At the time of the trade, it looked good for the Rocket as they acquired much needed defence.
Haddad had 12 goals and 36 points in 116 games with the Rocket over two seasons. Swit scored 12 goals and 50 points in 126 games in two seasons with Cape Breton.
Well, Swit would last nine games with the Rocket recording one assist and a minus-five rating. Haddad would go on to score 31 goals and 62 points that season and then 30 goals and 55 points the following season.
Now that that's out of the way, let's take a look at the trade period.
The trading period opened up Dec. 16, 2007 and at that time, the Rocket had a 17-16-1-0 record with 35 points.
The Rocket did not make its first move until Jan. 7, 2008, just a day before the trade period came to an end. Their first move involved trading captain Pierre-Luc Lessard, 19, to Baie-Comeau for forward Mathieu Touisgnant, 18, and defenders Raphael Neiderer, 16, and Myles Gomes, 19.
Tousignant finished off the season scoring eight goals and 22 points in 27 games as a Rocket. Neiderer would record no points in 20 games with the Rocket that season and Gomes scored two goals and six points in 29 games with P.E.I.
Morrison would eventually help the Huskies go to the QMJHL final. Quaile would finish the season with four goals and eight points in 28 games with the Rocket. Casavant scored seven goals and 14 points in 30 games and would go on to play two more full seasons with the Rocket.
P.E.I.'s third trade of the period was trading 19-year-old defenceman Benoit Gervais to Rimouski for fellow defenceman Philippe Garnier, 18.
Garnier would score two goals and seven points in 30 Rocket games and would last only 15 games into the following season before going to Jr. A in Quebec.
The last trade was a minor one, trading six-foot-six forward Maxim Cliche, 18, to the Quebec Remparts for a sixth-round pick in 2009.
Analysis:
The only deal that turned out to work well for the Rocket was the Morrison trade. Although Quaile did not return for his 20-year-old season, Casavant turned into go-to-guy offensively for the Rocket. The following season as a 17-year-old, Casavant led the Rocket in team scoring with 39 goals and 80 points in 68 games. The next season he would finish second in team scoring with 32 goals and 56 points in 60 games. He was eventually traded to Shawinigan.
Casavant was usually knocked for his not-so-great skating, but Casavant had a six-foot-one size that put himself in front of the net for rebounds and he had a great, hard shot.
The Tousignant trade worked alright in the Rocket's favour. Neiderer would end up being a bust and traded the next season and Gomes returned to Jr. A in Ontario. Touisgnant brought a nice gritty and chippy game to the Rocket. He was a heart and soul player, but fans didn't get too see much of him as he would play 62 games with the Rocket. He was eventually dealt the following season's trade period.
Stay tuned for the 2008-09 edition of Trade Flashback.
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