The New York Islanders’ 2024-25 season has fallen well short of expectations, sparking discussions about the need for a rebuild. With an aging core and an average prospect pool, moving key roster pieces seems inevitable. However, if the franchise chooses to embark on a rebuild, it must use recent examples of successful rebuilds as inspiration.
St. Louis Blues 2023 Trade Deadline
The St. Louis Blues headed into the 2023 Trade Deadline with the established goal of undergoing a three to four-year rebuild. This plan began with selling the core’s aging pieces on expiring contracts. Ivan Barbashev, Vladimir Tarasenko, Ryan O’Reilly, and Niko Mikkola were the most significant players moved, and the returns included draft capital and young prospects. If the Islanders were to make similar trades, their focus must be the same.
Related: Islanders Not Trading Nelson & Palmieri Would Prove Disastrous
Brock Nelson has struggled as of late, but his history as a reliable 30+ goal scorer bodes well for the Islanders. Plenty of teams should have interest in the veteran center, and the Islanders must do whatever they can to maximize value in a return. Retention on his $6 million salary is a no-brainer, and taking whichever offer yields the most value is a priority. As well, the sought return in a trade should not be quantity, but quality. Any Nelson trade would require him to be the most valuable piece included, so returning an asset closest to his worth, like a first-round pick, is better than bringing in multiple mid-tier assets like second or third-round picks or C-level prospects.
In addition to Nelson, Kyle Palmieri would be a prime candidate to move, and the same strategy should apply here. Retention on his $5 million salary is an easy way to increase the return, and prioritizing value in a return is a necessity. With his strong play this season, a return should include a first-round pick in addition to another smaller asset.
Vegas Golden Knights Ruthlessness
Sports are a business, and the Islanders need to remember that. The Vegas Golden Knights set a cold and ruthless precedent after their Cinderella run to the Stanley Cup Final in their inaugural season. When they decided it was time to move on from foundational pieces, sentimentality had no place in the equation. They shipped Marc-André Fleury to the Chicago Blackhawks, Nate Schmidt to the Vancouver Canucks, Reilly Smith to the Pittsburgh Penguins, and Max Pacioretty to the Carolina Hurricanes.
Even Jonathan Marchessault, Vegas’s 2023 Conn Smythe winner, was not immune to this strategy. When contract negotiations did not align with the franchise’s plans, they let him walk in free agency without hesitation.
The Golden Knights have historically prioritized players who they believe will live up to the remainder of their contracts. This idea that players should not be signed or kept due to prior success but rather what they will do in the future can be taxing, but the Islanders must follow suit. It is better to win and break hearts, than to make everyone happy but fail to win.
Vegas’ ruthlessness was on full display during the 2020-21 season. Despite being outside the playoff picture, they did not hesitate to sacrifice major assets for Jack Eichel. The superstar came at a historically low cost, and Vegas seized the rare chance to bring in a player of his caliber. What a similar move might look like for the Islanders is less certain, but targeting Vancouver Canucks superstar Elias Pettersson could be a risk worth taking. Of course, the price must be right, but if the opportunity arises, a deal should be considered.
In addition to Nelson and Palmieri, the Islanders have many assets who are past their prime and no longer live up to their current contracts. Anders Lee and Jean-Gabriel Pageau have both enjoyed bounce-back seasons, but their performance is likely to decline before their contracts expire. Moving them now to maximize value, no matter how cold the decision may seem, would make smart asset management. Beyond that, no roster player should be deemed untouchable if the right offer lands on Lou Lamoriello’s desk.
Washington Capitals Rebuild on the Fly
Since winning the 2018 Stanley Cup, the Washington Capitals have yet to win a playoff series. So, when they were out of the playoff picture during the 2022-23 season, they decided to undergo a mini-rebuild. They sold Dmitry Orlov, a lifelong Capitals defenseman who played a major role in their 2010s dominance and brought in young talent like Rasmus Sandin with the assets Orlov yielded. After the season, additional smaller moves were made, but the Capitals’ 2024 offseason is what the Islanders must learn from.
Related: How the New York Islanders Can Navigate a Successful Rebuild
The Capitals barely made the 2024 Playoffs and were swept by the New York Rangers in Round 1. After this, the franchise accepted the current roster lacked what it took to contend for a Stanley. Cup, so they made major moves. Darcy Kuemper was swapped for Pierre-Luc Dubois, then they used two third-round picks to fill Kuemper’s void by adding Logan Thompson. Andrew Mangiapane was brought in to solve their middle-six issues, and then they went out and signed Matt Roy to fill the hole Nick Jensen left after he was sent to the Ottawa Senators for Jakub Chychrun. Most notably. Beck Malenstyn was sent to the Buffalo Sabres for a second-round pick, a consensus overpay that allowed the Capitals to draft Cole Hutson.
The Islanders can’t, and shouldn’t, aim to replicate the Capitals’ moves, but Washington provides a compelling blueprint for reshaping a roster by selling strategically without committing to a full-scale rebuild. Drawing inspiration from their approach, the Islanders would be wise to entertain offers for anyone on the roster and capitalize on selling high for players they believe will decline in the coming years.
The 2025 Trade Deadline offers the perfect opportunity to sell high on players like Lee and Pageau, and then the assets acquired could be flipped for young forwards on the market following down years. As well, defenseman Adam Pelech could be shipped out to allow Isaiah George to get more ice time, and then the cap space gained could be used for a cheaper defenseman in free agency this offseason.
There should be no set plan, but the Capitals’ strategy in building a roster through accumulating value is admirable. Dubois was coming off of a major down year and the Los Angeles Kings were desperate to move him, so the Capitals’ move was a great buy-low decision to fill their void down the middle. Selling high on Malenstyn was also genius, as the Islanders should try to replicate similar moves with Lee, Pageau, and Scott Mayfield.
The Islanders are in a very tough spot, but it does not mean the franchise is doomed to fail. To get back to their former glory, they must look at recent, successful examples of teams rebuilding. The 2025 Trade Deadline and offseason must prioritize asset management, development, and patience. If they can sell high on their aging veterans and shed salary, they could construct a core with the upside necessary to win a Stanley Cup. It will not be easy, but it is better to try to right the ship and fail than to not try at all.
