What potential trades make the most sense for the Islanders’ playoff push?
The Islanders did not wait around last season to see how the trade market developed before making their move. They pulled the trigger before the All-Star Game to bring in Bo Horvat, a thunderclap of a deal that helped remake the top six and the salary cap table alike for the Islanders.
It was not just the deal itself, which sent Anthony Beauvillier, Aatu Raty and the Isles 2023 first-rounder to Vancouver, that did that, but its ramifications.
It became obvious quickly after Horvat got here that keeping Josh Baileys $5 million cap hit around did not make sense. The deal for Pierre Engvall at the end of February might not materialize if Horvat had not been there to steady the ship after Mathew Barzal went down. Barzal, by the way, is a winger now and scoring at a career-high pace.
For all the frustrations about the Islanders continued belief in the core, the moves a year ago amounted to something of an on-the-fly retooling of the teams most important offensive pieces.
Notably, those trades though Horvat and Engvall were both on expiring deals at the time did not end up being for mere rentals.
Its definitely nice to be on this side of it, not having all the ruors and stuff like that, Horvat told The Post following Wednesdays practice. It took a toll on me and took a toll on my family, too. Where we were gonna be and how it was gonna end up.
4With 20 goals and 25 assists this season, Bo Horvat has quickly become a core piece of the Islanders’ attack since arriving before last year’s trade deadline. Getty ImagesTo finally be in this position and have ourselves looking at the playoffs here and looking to add and stuff, its definitely the side you want to be on.
A similarly seismic move is probably not in the cards for the Islanders over the next month, if only because its hard to see how something like that could work even if you squint. But that does not mean they wont be adding.
The midseason hire of Patrick Roy is an obvious sign that Lou Lamoriello still thinks his team is capable of doing something. Four points out of the playoffs as of Wednesday morning, the Islanders still very much believe that too.
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Check out more newslettersEverybody knows in here, in the room, that we have a team to make the playoffs and go far in the playoffs, Horvat told The Post following Wednesdays practice. Its just the belief in here. Obviously having Patty behind the bench has been great. Hes been changing a couple things; its gonna take some time to adjust. For the most part, I think were playing some really good hockey right now. Just gotta keep that going.
So where might the Islanders add?
Now that the blue line is healthy, the obvious place to start is scoring depth. Its also a place the Isles could realistically look.
4Vladimir Tarasenko would help the Islanders’ scoring depth, but his $5 million salary would not make for an easy fit under the salary cap. NHLI via Getty ImagesThe salary cap is likely to be a major constraint as the deadline approaches. If Casey Cizikas comes off LTIR soon and the club sends down Kyle MacLean Roy said hell be a game-time decision against the Lightning on Thursday, so that seems likely the Islanders will be cap-compliant, but with very little room to maneuver.
In any deal, that means the Islanders would need to either come pretty close to matching salaries or get another team to retain money. Unless there is a blockbuster in the cards, trading one of the teams bigger contracts does not look doable.
The only players on expiring deals are Cal Clutterbuck, Matt Martin, Oliver Wahlstrom, Simon Holmstrom, Sebastian Aho and Mike Reilly, none of whom make more than $1.75 million. Dealing Clutterbuck or Martin, who have been associated with the Isles for so long, and could retire with the club after this season, feels like a nonstarter unless the players themselves OK it.
All that to say, the Isles probably arent taking on that much money.
Anaheims Frank Vatrano would be a perfect player for them to target, but at $3.65 million over the next two years, the Ducks would probably need to retain some salary to make it happen. Ditto for Ottawas Vladimir Tarasenko at $5 million.
If Lamoriello was sending a first-round pick the other way, maybe salary retention becomes a good option for a partner in a deal. Or maybe a team falls in love with Holmstrom or Samuel Bolduc and is willing to retain salary to get one of the Isles young guys. But its not clear such a move would make sense for the Islanders, who arent exactly packed with youth. Let alone a potential partner.
4With the Sharks already looking toward the future, Anthony Duclair and his expiring contract might be available for the Islanders. APA name like Anthony Duclair, whose cap hit is $3 million on an expiring deal, feels like a good place to start. San Jose should be open for business and has the flexibility to retain salary, so that conversation could expand to Mike Hoffman ($4.5 million) or Alexander Barabanov ($2.5 million) as well.
If Tarasenko proves unrealistic, the Senators also have Dominik Kubalik a 45-point scorer in Detroit a year ago on an expiring deal at half the price. Peyton Krebs has struggled to produce in Buffalo, but a former first-round pick might make sense in New York, where the Isles could use some youth.
Adam Henriques name has been brought up a lot because Lamoriello drafted him in New Jersey, but the combination of salary ($5.835 million) and Henrique playing center makes that one hard to picture. But he can score, so the addition wouldnt hurt.
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Food for thought
A stat to keep in mind as the deadline approaches: the Islanders have gotten 47 goals from their top two lines at five-on-five this season. Every single other line combination added together has scored 33 times at five-on-five; none have scored more than five goals.
Roy spent most of the last few minutes of a long practice on Wednesday talking one-on-one with Barzal, which Barzal later said was to go over power play positioning. The individual attention to each player from Roy has been evident.
4Patrick Roy has used practice time to take some players aside and give them one-on-one coaching. AP Roy said he wants the Islanders to be a good defensive team, but not a defensive team. That is a small distinction, but one that in a lot of ways, changes the teams identity entirely. The players are very much on board. Theres no accepting a minute in our zone, regardless if they have anything or not, Barzal said. Its closing quick, its making the next play and everything is joined together. Our breakouts are because of our neutral zone structure and our D-zone leads into our breakouts. It all has a purpose. I think thats the way it should be.
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