Its late August, another lockout is threatening the start of the season and there is barely any hockey news going on. So here we are to give you my favorite 5 moments from Mad Mike Milburys life because I just don’t feel like being the 100^th person to write a potential lockout article. If you don’t know who Mike Milbury is just Youtube him and sit back and enjoy. He played over 750 games for Boston in the NHL and coached for the Bruins and Islanders and also served as general manager of the Islanders from 95-06. When he was fired he moved into broadcasting for NBC and Hockey Night in Canada. Here are the top 5 moments from Mad Mikes life.

1.) His Trades

Mike Milbury was the GM of the Islanders from 1995-2006 and did get them to the playoffs a couple of times while operating under a budget but he won’t be remembered for those, he made some of the most lopsided trades in NHL history during his tenure as GM. Some include:

Todd Bertuzzi, Bryan McCabe and a 3^rd round pick (Jarko Ruutu) for Trevor Linden.

After being traded to Vancouver Bertuzzi put up 6 straight seasons with at least 50 points before being dealt in the summer of 2006. McCabe played 3 years between Vancouver and Chicago before finding a home in Toronto for 7 seasons including 3 straight with at least 53 points. He then went on to captain the Florida Panthers before retiring the summer of 2011. Ruutu would go on to be known as an agitator and play over 650 games in the NHL. Linden played just 107 games for the Islanders putting up 64 points before being traded for a 1^st rd draft pick that never panned out.

Zdeno Chara, Bill Muckalt, and a 1^st rd pick (Jason Spezza) for Alexei Yashin

Chara helped the Senators become top contenders in the league and then moved on to captain the Bruins to a 2011 Stanley Cup and become a Norris trophy winner, Jason Spezza has played his entire career in Ottawa putting up 616 points in 606 games. Yashin played 5 seasons for the Islanders and never was able to lead them past the first round. He has spent the last 5 seasons playing in Russia.

Olli Jokinen and Roberto Luongo for Mark Parrish and Oleg Kavasha

Jokinen would go onto post 5 straight seasons with at least 50 points including 3 straight years with at least 70 points and serve as Florida’s captain from 2003-08. Roberto Luongo would go on to post 7 straight seasons with at least 31 wins, win gold for Canada at the Olympics and backstop the Canucks to game 7 of the 2011 Stanley Cup finals. Mark Parrish would post 4 straight seasons with 23 or more goals for the Islanders played 4 seasons peaking at 51 points. Compared to the success of Luongo and Jokinen though this deal turned out to be one of the worst.

2.) Signed Alexei Yashin to a 10 year $90M Contract.

Yashin was never able to produce more than a point a game like he did with the Senators in fact his first season with the Islanders where he posted 75 points in 78 games was his best season as he slipped to 65 points the following season. After posting 50 points in 58 games at the conclusion of the 06/07 season he was bought out by the Islanders which left the Islanders with a hit of 2.2 M for 8 years.

3.) Drafted Rick DiPietro 1^st Overall

DiPietro has 4 straight seasons where he played at least 50 games and got the Islanders to the playoffs once. Ever since 2008-12 he played just 47 games over those 4 seasons. What makes it worse is that the Islanders could have drafted Dany Heatley or Marian Gaborik.

4.) Hit a fan with his shoe

Now you are starting to realize why he’s called Mad Mike. It was December 23^rd 1979 and Mike Milbury is already on his way to the dressing room after a game against the NY Rangers. A Rangers fan cuts Milburys teammate Stan Jonathan with a rolled up program which leads to fellow Bruins teammate O’Reily and Peter McNabb and Mike Milbury all go over the glass and join in on the brawl. Milbury catches the guy takes off his shoe and whacks him over the head with the heel end of it. Milbury was suspended 6 games and fined 500 dollars for his involvement.

5.) The stupidity that flows from his mouth

On his legacy of beating a fan with a shoe:

“It’s unbelievable that after more than 30 years in the game, pummeling a guy with his loafer will be my legacy. But I guess it’s better than having no legacy at all.”

When he joined the Islanders organization:

“Screw the Rangers. Screw the Devils.”

On the 2010 Russian Olympic team

“”I’m so disappointed that they came with their Eurotrash game.”

On his biggest mistake:

“Don’t mistake me, … It’s time for Alexei to have a breakout season. The table’s been set for him to break out.”

On Dan Byslma

“I thought Dan Bylsma should have taken off his skirt and been over there himself,”

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