Mike Milbury’s tenure as New York Islanders general manager is often remembered for questionable trades and draft-day blunders, but even Milbury had a few moves that worked out in the team’s favor. One of the most impactful was the 1997 trade that sent depth forward Dan LaCouture to the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for Polish winger Mariusz Czerkawski.
At the time, LaCouture was a recent draft pick (2nd, 29th overall) with projected upside, while Czerkawski was still trying to establish himself in the NHL after splitting time between Boston and Edmonton.