The Islanders were searching for a jolt in the summer of 2008, and they found one in Mark Streit.
New York had finished near the bottom of the NHL standings that season, and the power play was in rough shape - dead last in percentage. On the first day of free agency before the 2008-09 season, the Islanders signed Streit to a five-year, $20.5 million contract, betting on a player who had already carved out a unique NHL path.
Streit didn’t arrive in North America until later in his career. He made his NHL debut at 27 and spent his first three seasons with the Montreal Canadiens.
In Montreal, he was the kind of versatile piece coaches love: able to work the blue line and even slide to the wing on the man-advantage. He broke out in 2007-08 with a career-best 16 goals and 40 assists, and that production helped him land his deal with the Islanders.
“Mark was someone we targeted from the beginning, and we’re thrilled he’s an Islander,” Islanders general manager Garth Snow said. “Mark provides us with the stability on the blueline that we were looking for.”
Streit gave New York solid production in his first two seasons, posting 56 points and then 49. That stretch was enough to earn him the captaincy before the 2011-12 season.
“It’s obviously a huge honor and a very big privilege,” Streit said. “It’s a very storied franchise with many legendary players before that have been captain. It’s a very big honor.”
His time on Long Island still didn’t bring much team success. The Islanders reached the postseason only once during his tenure, and with one season left on his contract, they traded him to the Philadelphia Flyers.
Even so, Streit’s run with the Islanders carried a different kind of significance. He became the first Swiss captain in league history, and that alone stood as a sign that the team could draw high-end talent.
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