Those thinking the New York Islanders should cash in on some of their assets over salvaging another season shouldn’t get their hopes up. NHL insider Elliotte Friedman on his 32 Thoughts: The Podcast said the front office won’t be hosting a fire sale.
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“I’m not expecting a sell-off,” the Canadian journalist for Sportsnet said Monday. “There was social media noise around Brock Nelson. I tried to call around to see if there was anything to this or if it was just noise. Someone made a joke to me that Lou Lamoriello (Islanders general manager and president) would rather eat his left leg than trade Brock Nelson.”
Islanders Could Buy
Given the lack of leaks from the Islanders, Friedman isn’t 100 percent sure that the team will be buyers. But they won’t sell as its winning streak, including the dominating win against the Boston Bruins on Saturday (March 2), has something to do with the approach at the deadline now.
But keep in mind, Lamoriello, including his tenure with the Islanders, typically makes at least one buyer move before the trade deadline. Last year, when not in a playoff position, the 81-year-old made a big splash to acquire star center Bo Horvat from the Vancouver Canucks. The organization has been so aggressive that they haven’t had a first-round pick since 2019.
“I think they’re going for it,” Friedman said. “[Lamoriello’s) history is he doubles down. I don’t know if they’re going to add. They’ve been looking for a scorer for some time.”
What The Islanders Should Do
Since the Islanders have a weak prospect pool, it might be tough to give up another first-round pick, which could be used to draft a potential blue-chip young player. Another issue is where they are in the standings. While playoffs are very much realistic for the Islanders, they sit four points out of both the final wild card and Metropolitan Division spot with two games in hand.
On the bright side, the Islanders have gotten some cap relief. That’s because Scott Mayfield is on long-term injury reserve, and will miss 4-6 weeks with a lower-body injury. Currently, the organization has $2.4 million in cap space to play with, according to CapFriendly.
But still, the Islanders may want to play it conservatively since they aren’t in a playoff position and have invested a lot of assets in recent years. So the big names on the trade board including Jake Guentzel and Pavel Buchnevich may not be the best options. Some will argue that the best course of action for the Islanders is to do nothing.
Others, meanwhile, would urge the front office to do something. But it would need to be cost-efficient. The Islanders’ biggest need is a player on the wing and they need to look at lesser-known names or players they can buy low on. One example is Anthony Duclair. The Quebec native is struggling to show up on the score sheet of an abysmal San Jose Sharks club. However, he has shown in the past that he can be a productive top-six forward. In the playoffs last season, he put up 11 points in 20 games.
Duclair would also provide the Islanders with much-needed speed in the top six. Our Sharks writers estimate that the organization will ask for a third-round pick for the winger who has just 14 goals this season. It could be a big buy-low opportunity. But to fit him under the cap, the Islanders may need to trade another roster player like Matt Martin or Cal Clutterbuck or have the Sharks retain some salary.
Also, perhaps the Islanders would consider a reunion with Kyle Okposo. The former 2006 seventh-overall pick has just 22 points in 59 games played this season and shouldn’t cost much either. The $2.5 million cap hit will be a little easier to absorb as well.
And maybe Vladimir Tarasenko would consider waiving his no-trade clause to come to Long Island. The Russian native will cost more to acquire than the other two options above – but he may not give the Ottawa Senators much of a market to work with – so the price may not be that high. But his $5 million cap charge makes things complicated for the Islanders. It’s hard to say if it will take a first and more or just a second-round pick for Tarasenko. But the Islanders should make the call and explore the cost.
Overall, it’s tough to encourage an all-in move. But some easier games are coming up on the schedule against the San Jose Sharks and the Anaheim Ducks, which both rank 31st and 30th in the standings respectively. If the Islanders can manage to win them both, they will be in a good position to contend for the playoffs.
