As the league begins the second half of the season, most teams are beginning to see a clearer picture of where they will finish the season in the standings. With the New York Islanders sitting in a playoff spot almost the entire season until these past few days, could the team be forced to sell at this season’s trade deadline?
Currently sitting seventh in the Metropolitan Division in points percentage and 12th in the Eastern Conference, the team has a tough path to making the playoffs. While there is no doubt that this team is capable of making a strong playoff push, injuries and blown leads have kept them from reaching their true potential. So, if the team continues to slide out of the playoff picture, could general manager Lou Lamoriello consider selling?
Option One: Sellers
Since the Islanders brought in Lamoriello in the spring of 2018, the team has made the playoffs all but one season. Making the Eastern Conference Final two times, the team has most definitely had success. However, this means Islanders fans have yet to see Lamoriello sell at the trade deadline.
With the core players on the roster signed beyond this season, it seems unlikely that we will see any of them get sent out. However, veterans such as Cal Clutterbuck and Matt Martin could get shopped. The two have combined for 24 total seasons with the Islanders and would only be shipped off if requested, despite neither of them having any trade clauses. With both in their mid to late 30s, they may be nearing the end of their careers and are in a position where they could both chase a Stanley Cup one last time.
Related: New York Islanders First Half Report Cards
The more realistic players to get moved are Oliver Wahlstrom, Mike Reilly, and Sebastian Aho. Wahlstrom, who is a restricted free agent at the end of this season, is a former top prospect of the team. However, he has struggled this season, playing just 22 of the team’s 44 games and putting up just two goals and five points. With him being only 23 years old, there should be teams willing to give him a shot.
Both Reilly and Aho are strong skaters and playmakers who help drive play out of the defensive zone. Reilly has excelled since getting claimed off of waivers and has proven he can slot in well in a new system when needed. With both Reilly and Aho making close to the league minimum, they would be valuable depth pieces to any team making a playoff run.
Option Two: Stand Pat
In Lamoriello’s infamous inaugural season with the Islanders, he elected to stand pat. The team finished the season second in the division and swept the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first round before getting swept by the Carolina Hurricanes the series after. Fans questioned Lamoriello’s decision, believing the team would have had more success if he had made a splash at the trade deadline.
Today, the team sits in a similar position. An ending of the season could place the team second or seventh in the division, both being realistic outcomes. So, if the team were to stand pat, it may come back to haunt them if they have success in March and April.
Option Three: Buyers
Not only is this the most fun option, but it’s likely the most realistic. Despite the team at times feeling like they are doing whatever they can to lose games, they still sit just one point out of a wild card position. Although it is a tight race, management likely looks at this roster and views it as a few better bounces away from being near the top of the division instead of the bottom, giving them the belief that a playoff berth is in the cards.
It may seem more likely to buy because the team has gone all-in in recent years and may feel like they have no other option. While the team may not trade away its first-round pick, trading prospects and middle-round draft picks to help the team’s middle-six forwards and depth are likely. Trading away a first-round pick would not only be risky considering the team’s placement in the standings but also be a poor decision to take away what would be the team’s only first-round selection since 2019.
Luckily for the team, the trade deadline sits over a month away, so there is some more time to figure out the direction the team will take by that March 8 deadline. However, if the team remains in a similar position to where they are today, the hours leading up to that deadline will be filled with angst and curiosity throughout Islanders fans.
