Isles Trade Wisniewski...and what's a compensatory pick anyhow?

The Isles announced earlier this afternoon that they have traded James
Wisniewski to Montreal. In exchange, the Isles receive a compensatory 2nd round
pick in 2011 and a conditional 5th round pick in 2012.

The compensatory pick is a real draft pick. It's the pick that Montreal received
for not signing their first round pick from 2006 (David Fischer, who went to
the Univ of Minnesota instead --played 4 years there and is now in the ECHL).
The Canadiens kept his rights until his collegiate eligibility expired and then
received a conditional pick when they could not sign him.

Fischer was the 20th pick in 1st round in 2006, so the compensatory pick
becomes the 20th pick in the 2nd round in 2011. (about 50th overall)
No word yet on what "conditions" would allow the Isles to also receive the pick
in 2012.

Regardless, the Isles surrendered a conditional third-round pick in 2011 to get
Wisniewski (I don't think that I have seen the conditions on that one either)
and now have acquired a second round pick in the same draft for him.

Wisniewski leaves the Islanders with a 6-game point streak (1-5-6) in tact; it's
the longest streak of his career. He also was one of the quad-leading scorers
on the team, tied with Parenteau, Tavares, and Comeau.

Forever1940 is the nom de plume of Eric Hornick, statistician on Islander home
telecasts since 1982. Visit my blog: forever1940.blogspot.com and follow me on
Twitter @ehornick