Maven's Memories: Trent Hunter, A Powerful Power Forward

When Trent Hunter broke into the NHL with the Islanders, all the starry goods were there. The shot -- a bullet. The style -- aggressive. The grit -- he hit. The defense; he diligently played the 200-foot game.
Everything looked so good right from the get-go in his first NHL games during the intense 2002 playoff against Toronto. Chronicler Zachary Weinstock, remembers it only too well.

"I became an instant Trent Hunter fan," says Weinstock.
Co-author of the upcoming Islanders 50th anniversary commemorative book, Zach says that it was a case of one-look-one-love when it came to the Red Deer, Alberta native.
"I really liked Trent a lot because of the first impression," Weinstock recalled. "Remember, he was baptized by the fiercest of hockey fires -- the Islanders-Maple Leafs playoff. It was Game four of the Eastern Quarterfinals. He skated into a series that was nasty in the first three games and it just got nastier. Trent held his own and then some!"
Built along the generous lines of current captain Anders Lee, Hunter plunged into the playoffs' madcap mixture of mauling and scoring with butterflies in his tummy but the zeal of a hungry tiger.
"I have to admit that I was very nervous facing the Leafs," Hunter remembered, "but excited at the same time. It was a time of my hockey life that I'll never forget."
All things considered, Trent played well enough to win the plaudits of the crowd. His Nassau Coliseum fan club grew with each of Trent's turns on the ice.
"I just loved the Coliseum crowd and frankly," he went on, "I didn't expect anything like the reaction I got from them. I just wanted to play hard, execute and hope for the best."
"In Game Five of the playoff series with Toronto," added Weinstock, "Trent scored his first goal and in Game Six he had his first assist. He was only 21, and with no prior National Hockey League experience.
"Imagine being thrust into such a barbaric atmosphere. But Trent stayed on his feet and even knocked a few Toronto people over."
MAVEN'S MEMORIES
WRITTEN COVERAGE
Amazing Anders Kallur
Taming the Intimidators
Early Days of Islanders TV
The Amazing Nights of Wade Dubielewicz
Frans Nielsen, Sultan of Shootout
Shorthanded Swede Anders Kallur
Stan's Fans: The Amazing Polatoffs
Billy Smith's Origin Story
Maven's Haven
Invited to the Islanders varsity training camp in the following September 2002, he convinced management of only one thing -- a year of seasoning with the Isles AHL farm team in Bridgeport would be wise for both player and team.
Hunter backed it up with 71 points in 70 games in Bridgeport and emerged from the minor league audition with a Grade-A report card and a one-way ticket to Uniondale.
His scouting report went as follows: "Big, strong, physical, not the fleetest of foot but a player who has a deceptive ability to fire pucks past goalies."
Now a full-fledged, certified freshman, he made an earnest bid for the Calder Memorial Trophy as rookie of the year. His arithmetic proved that he was a deserved candidate.
This rather taciturn battler tied Oleg Kvasha the Islanders in scoring. Over 77 games, he potted 25 goals and 26 assists for 51 points and only 16 penalty minutes. It was impressive enough for him to be on the Calder nominee list.
"I was very excited and honored," he recalled, "and just pleased to be among the other nominees."
Hunter didn't capture the Calder but came in a respectable third behind Bruins goalie Andrew Raycroft and Canadiens forward Michael Ryder. His Calder bid added to Trent's confidence, and left him secure in the knowledge that he'd be a Long Islander for the long haul.
Weinstock: "What I admired most was his 'clutch' factor. A good 35 of his 51 points came in victories. And seven of 25 goals were game-winners. On top of that he was loveable because he sacrificed his body for the team.
"He always was near the top of the list in blocked shots and hits. During the 2007-08 season he led the team in hits by a galaxy with 256, nearly double that of his runner-up. He had a knack of being in the right place and doing the right thing."
His climb on the ladder to stardom was pulled out from under him by the 2004-05 work stoppage. To stay in shape he moved to Sweden and skated for Nykopings. One Swedish critic observed:
"Hunter became an instant hit with the club's fans for his NHL skills and
aggressive play. He was the most influential player on the squad. Trent led his team to big victories."
He would do likewise upon his return to the NHL after the lockout. Interestingly, Trent became one of the rare Islanders to wear three separate sweater numbers during his tenure in Uniondale.

In his NHL debut at training camp he was issued #43. Later, it was #23 and, finally, for the rest of his stewardship, #7.
"His style was not flashy," noted reporter Dan Saraceni, "but he was good low in the zone and he had a deceptively strong shot.
"When he was healthy, Trent was a solid contributor on a team looking for an identity. An eye-popper, he was not, but he came to work every day and did a power forward's job."
Management liked what he brought to the rink and in 2008, GM Garth Snow signed him to a five-year deal. "Trent is the kind of player and person we want as a core player," said Snow. "He's got heart, grit and character."
Coach Scott Gordon was impressed with Hunter's arsenal. "Trent has that shot presence," Gordon enthused. "He's got such a great release. He can get the puck anywhere and it's off his stick so quickly.
"A lot of times the goaltender doesn't even get a chance to get set," Gordon added. "He definitely provides us with an element that we didn't have. His size and ability to control the puck along the walls is another area where he's important."
Those assets were developed on the frozen ponds and outdoor rinks of the Canadian prairies. As a teenager he made a name for himself skating for the Red Deer (Alberta) Chiefs while trying to emulate the pros.
"My favorite team at the time was the Edmonton Oilers," he revealed, "but my role model was Stevie Yzerman of the Red Wings."
He graduated to the fast Western Hockey League where he spent three seasons with the Prince George Cougars, starting in the 1997-98 season. His rookie numbers over 60 games (13-14-27) were modest which explains why he wasn't picked until 150th overall in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft.
The Mighty Ducks of Anaheim selected him but he was traded to the Isles for another Draft pick. After two more seasons in the Junior ranks, he turned pro with AHL Springfield in 2000-01 and then on to the Isles' Bridgeport Sound Tigers a year later.

While never boasting a rock star ego, Trent captured the imagination of the Isles Faithful with his down-home-western honesty, as a player and a person. Long Islanders liked this young man who loved steak for dinner and "The Wedding Crashers" as his favorite comedy flick. He rooted for the Yankees in baseball and the Jets on the gridiron. But he never forgot why he was in Uniondale and was ever dedicated to his team.
"Hunter always was in the right place," author Weinstock observed, "and he never fooled around. His motto on offense was 'attack, attack, attack. He always moved the puck ahead -- never sideways. He had a power forward mentality even though he was a tad light for his lanky frame. And he could thrill you now and then with a highlight goal."
Considering Trent's potential, the sky was the limit in terms of production but, alas, the injury bug forced a career detour. In 2010 he missed 61 games with a torn MCL and never was the same after that.
Traded to the Los Angeles Kings before the 2011-12 season, he faded from the NHL after 38 games with only two goals and five assists. As one press box veteran so aptly put it: "If not for injuries, Trent Hunter could have been an even bigger contributor."
During this past January, Trent was a guest on MSG Networks with Shannon Hogan. Hunter and his wife Teri are part-owners of Red Deer Windows and Doors, a popular business in his hometown.
Looking backward, one could say that Trent Hunter was a fine, upstanding, contributing Islander and had he not been injured during the prime of his career one can only wonder what might have been!