The New York Islanders announced on Thursday that goaltender Jaroslav Halak has been acquired from the Washington Capitals in exchange for the team’s fourth-round pick in the 2014 National Hockey League Draft. The Islanders previously acquired the fourth-round pick in a trade with Chicago on February 6, 2014 in exchange for forwards Pierre-Marc Bouchard and Peter Regin.
Halak, 28, split his eighth NHL season between the St. Louis Blues and Washington, compiling a 29-13-13 record in 52 games. The Bratislava, Slovakia, native was dealt from St. Louis to Buffalo for a package that included Ryan Miller and Steve Ott on March 1, 2014 and was then traded to Washington on March 5, 2014 before playing a game with the Sabres.
In 272 career NHL games with the Montreal Canadiens, St. Louis and Washington, Halak has a 144-85-29 record with a 2.38 goals-against average, a .918 save percentage and 30 shutouts. He’s also appeared in 23 Stanley Cup Playoff games with Montreal and St. Louis, compiling a 10-11 record with a 2.42 goals-against average and a .942 save percentage. Halak’s career highlights include leading Montreal to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2010 and winning the Jennings Trophy in 2011-12 for backstopping St. Louis to the fewest goals allowed in the league.
Montreal selected Halak in the ninth round (271st overall) of the 2003 NHL Draft. On the international stage, Halak represented Slovakia at two Winter Olympic Games, three World Championships and two Junior World Championships.