Corey Trivino: Reborn Of Thunder

On Wednesday, July 31st, your new York Islanders announced a affiliate agreement in the ECHL with the Stockton Thunder.  A partnership with the Thunder gave the isles another level of professional hockey in which to gauge up and coming prospects.  The opportunity to see prospects in the ECHL could act as a feeder system for players before moving them up to the AHL level.

On June 6 2013, the contract rights of Corey Trivino were acquired from Florida (where he was 18 & 33 for 51 pts, 2 PIM in 63 games) as “future considerations” from earlier trade. Trivino then signed a contract with the Thunder on October 4, 2013, well after the affiliation with the New York Islanders was in place.  Was this the Islanders Organization giving Trivino another shot at showing what he could do with an opportunity in the system?

For those of you who aren't familiar with the Corey Trivino story, you could read a couple of reports I did in 2011 and 2012.  Trivino was selected by the Isles in the second round of the 2008 NHL entry Draft, 36th overall.  Corey Trivino is a skilled forward who was called a first round pick by many based on his skill set and hockey sense.  He also had a reputation of poor decision making and an aura of immaturity that sometimes got him into trouble.  That is what probably allowed the Islanders to get what they saw as first round talent later in the second round.  Garth Snow had taken chances with players that have dealt with adversity in his drafting strategy.  CaseyCizikas and Kirill Kabanov are two recent examples.  Casey Cizikas has made himself a regular on the current roster while Kabanov had showed major strides in his development but has slowed a bit due to injury and opportunity for the Isles AHL affiliate in Bridgeport and recently, the same Stockton Thunder in the ECHL with Trivino.

Trivino recently received major team accolades when he scored the GWG against the Bakersfield Condors when the Thunder came back to score 6 goals in the third period to win by the score of 6-5.  Why would Trivino resign with the Stockton Thunder and why would the Islanders want him resigned unless they thought something could come of a partnership?  Corey Trivino is currently 4 and 12 for 16 pts in 24 games played with 14 PIMs with Stockton, but he is not currently listed among the prospects in the Islanders system.  What will the future hold for this talented young man who has the ire of many and has suffered greatly from his poor choices? 


He must remain alcohol free, submit to random alcohol and urine testing and a psychiatric evaluation at the end of a two year probation after pleading guilty on two counts of assault and battery, and one count of trespassing.  Is there a promising career in professional hockey for Trvino if he works hard and stays clean?  Some would say no, he doesn't deserve anything.  Having said he was deeply sorry for his transgressions, lets hope he gets a chance to make the most of his next opportunity to make a difference in a positive way.