The big news in the offseason recently was the Alex DeBrincat trade. He was traded from the Ottawa Senators to the Detroit Red Wings — his hometown team — for Dominik Kubalik, prospect Donovan Sebrango, a conditional first-round pick in 2024, and the Red Wings’ 2024 fourth-round pick. The New York Islanders had the pieces that could have landed the star, but their bid was no match for the Red Wings’ offer.
Related: What the Alex DeBrincat Trade Tells Us About Nylander’s Value
Suddenly, the Islanders’ offseason is starting to look more disappointing. General manager (GM) Lou Lamoriello re-signed unrestricted free agents (UFAs) Scott Mayfield, Pierre Engvall, and Semyon Varlamov to long-term deals, keeping the team competitive. However, the Islanders have yet to add to their roster, which was a playoff team a year ago but not much better than that.
The lack of movement thus far makes targeting Toronto Maple Leafs forward William Nylander crucial for the Islanders. While it’s unlikely that they add him this offseason, a move for the star player would be worthwhile for an Islanders team looking to win now.
Why Nylander Is a Necessary Addition for the Islanders
The Islanders have an aging roster, with seven skaters 30 years old or older projected to be on the opening night roster next year. If Zach Parise, who will be 39 next year, returns for one more season, the forward unit alone will have seven skaters over the age of 30 on it.
While the veteran-heavy team made the playoffs last year and proved they are a playoff team with the group that is in place, they are easily exposed once they make it. The Islanders are slow and fail to adapt to the opponent, especially on the offensive end of the ice. Against the Carolina Hurricanes in the First Round, it cost them the series, as they were eliminated in six games.
Looking ahead to next season, the Islanders will be a competitive team. However, the roster in place has a limited ceiling where they can make the playoffs but not go much further. To compete for the Stanley Cup, Lamoriello must add one forward in their prime to the veteran-heavy roster.
Nylander, at 27 years old, would not only add a younger presence, but he is the type of forward that the Islanders need for a playoff run. He’s a versatile skater on the wing who can adapt to the defense and beat a team in a variety of ways. He turns a good team like the Islanders into a contending one.
Islanders Will Have Unique Obstacles to Acquire Nylander
Unlike DeBrincat, a Nylander trade doesn’t come with a subsequent extension. He’s a UFA after next season, making an extension ideal but not necessary. For the Islanders, this allows them to acquire him and the $6.9 million left on his contract and not have to worry about moving players around to fit him under the salary cap.
Instead, the Islanders face obstacles tied directly to the Maple Leafs, a team that won’t want to move Nylander in the first place. Ideally, they keep him for one more year in an all-in push to win the Cup. As a result, the Maple Leafs and their new GM, Brad Treliving, have to be blown away by an offer to move one of their star players.
The Islanders would avoid moving on from three pieces or more in a trade, but for a player of Nylander’s caliber, they’d have to make an exception. Bo Horvat was acquired at the All-Star Break for three pieces, and the same price would be fair for Nylander. However, Lamoriello would have to throw in at least one more piece to convince the Maple Leafs to make the blockbuster trade.
A likely trade would require the Islanders to move Jean-Gabriel Pageau, Oliver Wahlstrom, and a draft selection in the first or second round. To sweeten the offer, Lamoriello can throw in a young defenseman like Sebastian Aho or Samuel Bolduc, giving the Maple Leafs four pieces for a rental addition.
How the Maple Leafs Can Upgrade in a Nylander Trade
The Maple Leafs don’t want to part with one of their core players and a top-six forward. However, a package that gives them NHL-ready players with multiple years left on their contracts will set them up for success next year and for years to come.
Pageau would be a third-line center who would both upgrade the offense and the defense, particularly strengthening the depth of the forward unit. Wahlstrom is a promising winger that can become an elite top-six scorer who reliably contributes 20 goals to the offense. A future draft selection allows the Maple Leafs to flip the pick at the 2024 trade deadline to make another big move and prepare for a Cup run.
On top of that, the Maple Leafs have the ability to add a checking presence to their forward unit in a deal with the Islanders if they acquire Cal Clutterbuck. Last year, the Maple Leafs struggled in the Second Round against a hard-hitting, physical Florida Panthers team, losing the series in five games. Adding a forward like Clutterbuck gives them a hard-hitting, defensive presence in the bottom six, making them more equipped for a Cup run.
What Nylander Adds to the Islanders’ Offense
Nylander, without question, is a star that upgrades the offense. He scored 40 goals and 47 assists last year and has 177 goals and 253 assists in his eight-year career. However, it’s his versatility that makes him a player worth targeting. Along with being a goal scorer with a great shot and lethal scoring instincts, he can open up the offense from the wing and create scoring chances with quick passes.
He can play on the top line with Horvat and provide scoring chances with his centering passes. Likewise, on the same line as Mathew Barzal, the Islanders’ best skater and most dynamic playmaker, Nylander would find open shots from the wing. On the Brock Nelson-led line, he would contribute to the offense both as a playmaker and a scorer while allowing Anders Lee to finish scoring chances near the net. Regardless of where the Islanders would play him, Nylander would thrive.
More importantly, Nylanders would be the missing piece for the Islanders to make a Cup run. They already have a good defense and elite goaltending with Ilya Sorokin, who was a finalist for the Vezina Trophy, signing an eight-year extension this offseason. The area they must improve is in the offense, specifically the top six, as it can’t compete with the best of the Eastern Conference. Adding Nylander allows them to go head-to-head with the Hurricanes or the New Jersey Devils, who have a young core that is poised to only get better next year.
The Islanders have had an underwhelming offseason thus far. However, there’s still time for Lamoriello to make a big move. A Nylander addition late in the summer would not only salvage the offseason but allow them to compete for the Cup next year.
