Islanders Return Strome, Reinhart; Waiver Claim Aucoin (No, Not that Aucoin)

The 2013 waiver party continues: The New York Islanders have claimed Aucoin ... but it's not the "Relive 2002" kind of Aucoin.

Keith Aucoin is a career minor leaguer with an epic history of production at the AHL level. Another Massachusetts native, he was most recently with the Toronto Maple Leafs, where it looked like he might finally get his shot at an NHL role.

Now it looks like that shot will come with the Islanders, who had an underwhelming bottom six group last season. Aucoin signed with the Leafs on a two-way deal this summer, leaving the Capitals organization after a quest for a surer (and one-way) contract.

At age 34, he's compiled 102 NHL games with the Capitals and Carolina Hurricanes, yielding 37 points. In the AHL, he's put up 777 career points in 673 games. (Yes, he's on Twitter at @coiner11.)

Strome, Reinhart Headed Back

Separately, the Islanders have told Ryan Strome and Griffin Reinhart they will be returned to their junior clubs, according to Newsday's Arthur Staple. [UPDATE: Now official.] (Earlier, the club returned Jon Landry to the Bridgeport Sound Tigers.)

Reinhart is no surprise, but an argument could be made for using Strome on this roster. (Still, his placement on the bottom lines in camp hinted that he wasn't in the plans for 2013.) Even though Strome probably wasn't earning a top-six spot on this season's roster, had they kept him they could have used him in a secondary scoring role and to add some talent to the lower lines and powerplay help.

Now, that thankless task -- which inevitably includes some nights of minimal ice time -- may be Aucoin's shot at sticking in the NHL a while.