Exactly 33 years ago, Don Maloney was named general manager of the New York Islanders, taking over for legendary architect Bill Torrey — the man who built the dynasty teams of the 1980s. It was a daunting role, under the new “Gang of Four” ownership group and while Maloney’s tenure from 1992 to 1995 was short, it left behind a legacy of both bold brilliance and frustrating missteps.
“The first time I was quite young – 33. I didn’t know what the heck I was doing, to be honest with you,” admitted Maloney during an. appearance on Calgary’s Sportsnet 960 back in 2016. “I was completely flying from the seat of my pants. I cringe at some of the decisions I made.”
Yes, one in particular was cringe-worthy, but there was some good mixed in there too. The trade for Ron Hextall ahead of the 1993-94 season had strong logic behind it. Still, the former Vezina trophy winner was a one-and-done after an inconsistent season on Long Island that ended with an embarrassing showing against the New York Rangers in the playoffs. Then, there was the drafting of the “better brother Lindors” ninth overall. Brett Lindros played 51 NHL games due to injuries. There was also bringing in Wendel Clark, who did his job, but wasn’t a good fit for where the franchise was, though he did become a centerpiece in one of the better trades in franchise history soon after.
There could be a lot to dissect, but here are the best and worst moves of is tenure.
Best Move: The Turgeon, Hogue and Krupp Trade
Maloney’s most impactful decision came in October 1991 when he dealt future Hall-of-Famer and face-of-the-franchise Pat LaFontaine to the Buffalo Sabres for Pierre Turgeon, Benoit Hogue, Uwe Krupp, and Dave McLlwain. Though losing LaFontaine after a contract dispute was painful, Turgeon blossomed into the Islanders’ offensive centerpiece. His 132-point season in 1992–93 propelled the Isles on a magical playoff run, punctuated by David Volek’s Game 7 overtime goal against the powerhouse Penguins. For a brief moment, Maloney’s boldness gave Islanders fans new hope.
1993 Benoit Houge | Steve Crandall/GettyImages
Worst Move: The Kirk Muller Saga
But the highs were matched by crushing lows. The 1995 trade sending Turgeon and Vladimir Malakhov to Montreal for Kirk Muller and Mathieu Schneider turned into a disaster. Muller made it clear he didn’t want to be an Islander, and his brief, uninspired stint symbolized the team’s struggle to retain or attract star talent in that era. Fans still remember it as one of the franchise’s darkest deals.
New York Islanders v Toronto Maple Leafs | Graig Abel/GettyImages
Maloney’s tenure was a mixed bag: he orchestrated one of the team’s best trades and one of its most notorious. Succeeding Torrey was never going to be easy, and while Maloney provided flashes of vision, his Islanders years ultimately reflected the turbulence of the 1990s.