New York Islanders D Travis Hamonic Staying Put

According to Newsday, New York Islanders defenseman Travis Hamonic has rescinded his trade request after the health of family back home has stabilized. The collective sighs of relief from Islander’s fans could be heard around the hockey world.

Arthur Staple of Newsday broke the news on Twitter this afternoon, and immediately New York Islanders fans began sharing the news and adding their collective joy at the news.

The news comes as a great shock and a great relief to Islanders fans. It was back in November when reports came out that Hamonic had asked for a trade request in order to be closer to ailing family out in western Canada.
For much of the season Islanders fans had grown comfortable with the fact that Hamonic would be on his way out. It was no longer a question of if he is going to leave, but rather when will he leave. We can rest that thought to bed as Hamonic is set to stay in Brooklyn for the time being.

To GM Garth Snow’s credit he said from the beginning that Hamonic would not be shipped out to the first bidder. The right offer had to come in order for him to bite. As February came to a close and the trade deadline passed Hamonic remained an Islander. Either an offer was never made, or one wasn’t good enough.
At 25 Hamonic is entering the prime of his career and is a big presence on the blue line for the Islanders. His 21 points this season are disappointment from the 33 he scored in the previous year, but the potential for growth is there.
Hamonic is the perfect second paring defenseman that any successful team needs and for now we get to keep him. With Hamonic staying Snow focus on the 15 pending UFAs and RFAs that remain to be signed before the July 1st deadline.