Why Ladd Chose The Islanders

As many as 10 teams took a run at Andrew Ladd on July 1.

The former Winnipeg Jets captain was coming off a 25-goal season, with a demonstrated ability to play big minutes on the power play and penalty kill. His versatility, along with a pair of Stanley Cups and a pain tolerance high enough to play through a sports hernia (in 2014-15) made him a sought-after commodity.

For Ladd, his first trip to unrestricted free agency was admittedly a little strange, but also empowering. Ten teams called, but the Islanders won out when Ladd signed a seven-year deal.

“It’s nice to be courted and know you’re wanted, that’s the exciting part of the process,” Ladd said. “That’s what you work all of these years for – the opportunity to be able to do that, so it was a cool experience, but I’m definitely happy to know I’m going to be in one place for a long time for me and my family.”

So what separated the Islanders from the rest? Ladd said Long Island played a big role in his decision, as did assistant coach and GM Doug Weight.

Weight was an important pitchman during Ladd’s courtship, as the pair won a Stanley Cup together in Carolina in 2006. Weight made …

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